Half-Life: Alyx is giving the Valve Index a huge sales boost
The impending launch of Half-Life: Alyx sent Valve Index sales to more than double, despite its hefty price. Half-Life: Alyx doesn't require the Valve Index headset, but it does include a free copy of the game. It's the first new Half-Life game in over a decade and takes place between the first two games.
Pokémon Home premium service gives fans a storage solution for $3 a month
The Pokémon Company finally revealed details about the upcoming Pokémon Home app, which will be available in February. The service, which features a mobile app, will offer a free basic tier, as well as a paid premium level that will cost users $3 a month or $16 for a full year.
Resident Evil 8 could go first-person while rest of series sticks to its roots
The unannounced Resident Evil 8 could be returning to the first-person view used in 2017's Resident Evil 7. Remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 both used a third-person perspective. Resident Evil 8 could also see the return of Ethan Winters, introduced as the new protagonist in Resident Evil 7.
Revisit a strategy masterpiece in Warcraft III: Reforged, out today
Blizzard launches Warcraft III: Reforged today, January 28, at 6 p.m. ET. The new Warcraft game is a remastered version of Warcraft III. Warcraft III: Reforged is set before the events of World of Warcraft and has highly accessible system requirements across both Mac and PC.
Atari-themed gaming hotels heading to Las Vegas and 7 other U.S. cities
Atari is getting into the hospitality business, building eight gaming-focused hotels in cities including Las Vegas, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. Each one will feature a state-of-the-art eSport studio, an Atari gaming playground, and a massive neon-lit Atari logo on the side of the building so you can’t miss it.
NBA 2K20 honors the late Kobe Bryant with tribute message in recent update
NBA 2K20 has received an update that features a tribute to late basketball legend Kobe Bryant on its launch screen. Bryant was killed in a helicopter accident on January 26 along with eight others, including his daughter, Gianna. He retired from the NBA in 2016 and ranks fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Doom Eternal: Everything we know, from Earth to the BFG
The Doom Slayer is back in Doom Eternal, and he's ready to kill even more demons with a variety of crazy weapons. Here is everything we know about Doom Eternal, including the new Earth setting, Battlemode competitive multiplayer, and Souls-style Invasions in the sinlge-player campaign.
Konami is listening to feedback on a new Silent Hill, could be making two games
Silent Hill publisher Konami said it is listening to fans' feedback for new games in the Silent Hills franchise -- the first potential new title in several years. The series has been dormant since the cancellation of P.T., which was to be directed by Metal Gear Solid visionary Hideo Kojima.
Doom Eternal stays old-school, won’t include microtransactions
Bethesda's Doom Eternal will be sticking to an old-school philosophy, omitting microtransactions completely. The game is a sequel to the soft reboot Doom from 2016, and will still feature expansion packs at some point over the next year. These will focus on single-player content.
Nintendo Switch Pro rumored to launch in 2020, but without expected upgrade
The next Nintendo Switch model, dubbed the Nintendo Switch Pro, may launch in the holiday season of 2020 alongside the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The new version of the console, however, is reportedly missing an expected upgrade, rumors of which had previously raised skepticism.
Overwatch League, Call of Duty League to exclusively stream on YouTube
Activision Blizzard and Google entered a partnership that includes an exclusive streaming deal for the Overwatch League and newly launched Call of Duty League on YouTube. The Overwatch League moves after two seasons on Twitch, which appears to be losing its dominance in the video game streaming industry.
Players need to re-confirm Final Fantasy VII Remake pre-orders to not lose them
Players in the United States who pre-ordered the Final Fantasy VII Remake from the Square Enix store will need to re-confirm, or their slots will be canceled. The requirement is due to the recently announced delay of the highly anticipated game, which will launch on April 10 instead of March 3.
Apex Legends Season 4: Assimilation to add brawler Forge, and possibly Revenant
Respawn Entertainment revealed that Apex Legends Season 4: Assimilation will add Forge, a former MMA champion, as a new character, as well as a new weapon and changed to Ranked mode. However, hints suggest that Revenant, the robot from last year's Shadowfall map, will also soon join the roster.
Pandemic strategy game Plague Inc.’s popularity renewed amid coronavirus threat
Plague Inc., a mobile strategy game where players evolve a deadly pathogen with the goal of infecting the world, has spiked in popularity amid the current coronavirus outbreak. Developer Ndemic Creations said that the game could be an educational tool, but it should not be seen as a scientific model.
Developers looking ahead to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, GDC survey shows
A survey conducted by the Game Developers Conference revealed that developers are already looking ahead to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, which are set to launch later this year. Among nearly 4,000 respondents, the survey revealed that over 10% are working on a game for a next-generation console.
Super Nintendo World will also rise at Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando
Super Nintendo World, set to open in Universal Studios Osaka this summer, will also rise at Universal Studios Orlando's Epic Universe by 2023. The theme park, which will immerse visitors in a video game experience with the help of Power Up Bands, is also expected to open in Hollywood and Singapore.
Fortnite to receive a new game engine ahead of Season 2’s start date
Epic Games has confirmed new information regarding the second season of Fortnite Chapter 2. In a recent blog post, Epic Games confirmed that Fortnite Chapter 2 - Season 2 will begin on Thursday, February 20. Additionally, the upcoming season will run on the Unreal Engine's Chaos physics engine.
Destiny 2’s Corridors of Time quest inspired by horror film Cube, Bungie reveals
With Destiny players still coming down from Destiny 2's latest community puzzle, which unlocked the new Bastion exotic fusion rifle for all players, Bungie has revealed the inspiration behind the recent Corridors of Time quest, which takes cues from the cult-classic horror film Cube.
Why confidence in VR is rising — and Oculus Quest is to thank
Game developers surveyed ahead of GDC 2020 appear to have more faith in VR, and the Oculus Quest is a big reason after its successful launch last year. The support for the Oculus Quest is supported by the headset's sales figures, which helped boost total VR hardware spending by about $500 million in 2019.
German court ruling says Nintendo doesn’t have to refund e-shop pre-orders
A German court has ruled that Nintendo doesn't need to offer refunds for digital games, even if the game isn't out yet. The policy would almost certainly hold up if challenged in the United States, where there are no mandatory digital purchase refund policies available to customers.
Steam’s Lunar New Year sale: huge deals on Resident Evil and Star Wars titles
Steam's Lunar New Year Sale is live, and the site is offering big discounts on games like Resident Evil 2 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The Witcher 3 receives a popularity boost after the Netflix series' success, and it has also been discounted significantly for newcomers.
State agencies want Riot Games to pay up to $400 million in discrimination suit
Riot Games appeared to have settled a gender discrimination lawsuit in late 2019 with a $10 million payout. However, two California state agencies believe the female plaintiffs were misrepresented and could be entitled to far more money. The number could be as high as $400 million.
A 3D magnetic field makes it possible to control this game ultra precisely
Tori may be aimed at kids, but that doesn't mean the tech behind it isn't cool. The little spacecraft controlling this endless runner-style game isn't being tracked by the camera on your phone or tablet, but by a 3D magnetic field generated by a special pad on the table. It's amazingly precise.
Destiny 2 Memento quest guide: How to get the Bastion exotic fusion rifle
While Destiny 2 wasn’t scheduled to get the new Bastion exotic fusion rifle until January 28, the weapon has landed early thanks to the persistence of the game’s community. Here’s how you can get your hands on the new exotic right now without doing the Exploring the Corridors of Time quest.
Clouds roll into Canada as Xbox Project xCloud Preview arrives this month
Microsoft's Project xCloud game streaming service will make its way in Preview phase to Canada on January 29. No final release date has been given for the service, but it is available for free to those invited through the registration tool in the United States, United Kingdom, and South Korea.
Ninja Theory’s Project: Mara is its latest game to tackle mental terror
Hellblade developer Ninja Theory has announced Project: Mara, a new experimental game tackling mental illness. The studio is also working on a sequel to Hellblade for Xbox Series X, as well as another mental wellness title currently known as The Insight Project. The latter is being made in collaboration with mental health researchers.
Leaked Xbox Series X photo shows ports, suggests less focus on home theater
A leaked photo of an Xbox Series X prototype unit gives us a clear glimpse at the unit's ports. Unlike earlier leaks, which turned out to be unofficial renders, this Xbox Series X leak is up close and brightly lit. The details are obvious and give us our best look at an Xbox Series X prototype yet.
Crunch at Bungie contributed to Halo co-creator’s departure
Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto said that crunch culture at Bungie contributed to his decision to leave the studio. Lehto is now working on the shooter Disintegration at his own studio, V1 Interactive. Bungie has appeared to take steps to reduce crunch in more recent years, including delaying a patch.
Analyst: Cyberpunk 2077 will sell 15 million copies, and potentially even more
Cyberpunk 2077 will sell 15 million copies, and potentially more, according to veteran analyst Michael Pachter. He revealed his prediction in an episode of his series Pachter Factor, where he also said Call of Duty and FIFA will likely sell around 20 million and 22 million, respectively.
Ubisoft takes Rainbow Six: Siege DDoS attack providers to court
Ubisoft has filed a lawsuit in California against the operators of SNG.ONE, a website that allegedly provided distributed denial-of-service attacks against Rainbox Six: Siege servers. The website is said to have offered subscriptions to users that allowed them to order DDoS attacks.
Metroid Fusion sequel, new Paper Mario rumored for Nintendo Switch this year
A new 2D Metroid game and a new Paper Mario RPG are rumored to be coming to the Nintendo Switch this year. The Metroid game is said to be a sequel to Metroid Fusion for the Game Boy Advance, while the new Paper Mario will reportedly bring the series "back to how it was," and will not be a remake.
Mortal Kombat 11’s Joker wields metal cane, Batman doll, and Friendship finisher
Joker is set to join the Mortal Kombat 11 roster on January 28, equipped with an arsenal of weapons that includes a metal cane, oversized mechanical boxing gloves, and a Batman doll with a gun firing from the mouth. Joker also comes with a Friendship move, though opponents should not take it seriously.
PlayStation 4 exclusive Horizon: Zero Dawn to launch on PC in 2020?
Horizon: Zero Dawn will reportedly no longer be a PlayStation 4 exclusive within the year, as Sony is said to be planning to launch the game to the PC. If the rumors are true, it will be the first time that a console game funded and developed by Sony will be released on a non-PlayStation platform.
Grand Theft Auto V is decade’s bestseller, but Call of Duty dominates top 10
Grand Theft Auto V, buoyed by the popularity of GTA Online, was the bestselling game in the US from 2010 to 2019, according to The NPD Group. However, the Call of Duty franchise dominated the decade with seven entries in the top 10, while Modern Warfare was the bestselling game of 2019.