Crash Team Rumble isn’t what you’re expecting, and that makes it a total blast
After playing a few rounds of Crash Team Rumble at GDC, we’re absolutely sold on this surprising Crash Bandicoot multiplayer game.
SteamWorld Build is a city-builder that goes four layers deep
We’re digging SteamWorld Build’s multi-layered city-building after playing a slice of it at GDC.
Super Meat Boy’s puzzle game spinoff already has me cursing its creators
After playing only a few levels of Dr. Fetus’ Mean Meat Machine, I was already swearing at the new Super Meat Boy puzzle spinoff.
Mina the Hollower is a pixel-perfect homage to Zelda: Link’s Awakening
If you love Game Boy Zelda classics like Link’s Awakening, you’re going to love Mina the Hollower.
This jaw-dropping puzzler just became my most anticipated game of 2023
Based on a hands-on demo we played at GDC, Viewfinder might just be 2023’s most jaw-dropping game.
Atari is publishing its first VR game, and it’s coming to PSVR2
Atari will publish its first VR game this summer: the nostalgic Pixel Ripped 1978. It's coming to both Meta Quest 2 and PSVR2.
Here’s how to get Redfall Bite Back Edition for free from Nvidia
Nvidia is launching a new GPU bundle that includes the Redfall Bite Back Edition for free, assuming you can stomach the price of an RTX 40-series GPU.
For game developers, GDC 2022 was a battle for reality
Some came to GDC 2022 to hype the Metaverse. Others were there to fix the harsh realities of game development.
Gun Jam unlocks the natural rhythm hidden in Doom
I went hands-on with Gun Jam at GDC, a first-person shooter that turns Doom into a rhythm game.
How DirectStorage loads Forspoken in one second on PC
GDC 2022 brought new details for Microsoft's DirectStorage technology, including the reveal that it can load Forspoken in as little as one second.
Flat Eye turns gas station management into a tech dystopia
Narrative management game Flat Eye imagines a world where our reliance on machines hits invasive new heights.
GDC survey shows crypto, NFTs not popular among game makers
The Game Developers Conference's 10th annual State of the Industry survey revealed some interesting insights into the future of games.
Deathloop, It Takes Two lead GDC award nominations
Both It Takes Two and Deathloop are up for the game of the year award at GDC 2022.
Hades wins top prize at the Game Developers Choice Awards
Hades won Game of the Year and other awards at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
GDC developer survey shows the full impact of the pandemic on gaming
This year's GDC State of the Game Industry survey reveals how much the pandemic impacted gaming.
GDC Awards 2021 nominees include The Last of Us Part II, Hades, and Ghost of Tsushima
The full list of Game Developers Choice Awards 2021 nominees has been revealed. Games mentioned include The Last of Us Part II, Hades, and Ghost of Tsushima.
Digital Trends Live: Walmart delivers, GDC goes online, Xbox Series X update
On this Digital Trends Live, we talk the top tech stories, including Walmart’s two-hour delivery service, the Game Developers Conference goes online, and more.
GDC Summer event will be online-only this August
The Game Developers Conference is hosting GDC Summer in place of the originally canceled March 2020 event and it will only be available online in August.
Game Developers Conference moves to August — if COVID-19 is no longer a factor
GDC's original March event was canceled due to the coronavirus, but it will be moved to August. It will be shorter version of the originally scheduled event.
How to watch Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Project xCloud livestream
As part of the company's Game Developers Conference cancellation plan, there will be a panel titled, "Xbox Series X + Project xCloud = New Chapter in Gaming."
GDC postponed over coronavirus, so gaming companies forge new plans
The Game Developers Conference 2020 has been postponed after coronavirus concerns caused companies like Microsoft, PlayStation, and Epic Games to withdraw.
Game Developers Conference postponed due to Coronavirus concerns
This year's Game Developers Conference has officially been postponed after several major companies dropped out due to concerns over the spread of Coronavirus.
PlayStation, Facebook Gaming, Oculus VR to skip GDC 2020 due to coronavirus risk
The teams behind Sony's PlayStation, Facebook Gaming, and Oculus VR will no longer participate in Game Developers Conference 2020, due to coronavirus concerns.
Coronavirus concerns bump Chinese attendees from GDC 2020
Chinese attendees have been forced to withdraw from the Game Developers Conference due to the coronavirus. Some will send North American employees instead.
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.
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.
Blizzard says Overwatch endorsement system helped slash toxicity by 40 percent
Blizzard said that toxicity in Overwatch is down 40 percent, thanks largely to the addition of two social features to the game last year. One of these features is the endorsement system, which allows players to reward teammates and opponents who show good behavior during a match.
Intel Command Center lays foundation for next year’s ‘Arctic Sound’ GPU
Intel revealed its new Command Center driver software at GDC 2019. The updated interface will control current Intel integrated graphics, but it also lays the groundwork for next year's Intel video card. New features include one-click optimization and a completely revised interface.
Digital Trends Live: MySpace server failure, neuroscience in marketing, and more
On episode 90 of Digital Trends Live, host Greg Nibler discussed trending tech news such as MySpace losing 50 million songs due to a server failure. Smart Home editor Kim Wetzel also stopped by the studio to discuss the differences between the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home Mini.
Google Stadia GDC presentation: Here’s all the news you missed
Google announced its new game streaming service Stadia during GDC 2019. Here is all the news from the event, including news on YouTube streaming and quickly accessing your favorite new games. Stadia is set to launch in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and most of Europe in 2019.
Is Google launching a game-streaming service? Watch our GDC livestream to see
Google is presenting its 2019 GDC keynote on Tuesday, March 19. Here is how you can tune in to watch the event as it unfolds, as well as finad out what could be shown during the presentation. Google's Project Stream service could be among the topics covered during the keynote.
Google gaming console controller design, features reportedly revealed in patent
A newly discovered patent may have revealed the design and features of the controller for the rumored Google gaming console. The patent itself is a for a notification system, but it comes with technical sketches of a controller that resembles the DualShock controller for the PlayStation 4.
Google’s Project Yeti hardware may be revealed at Game Developers Conference
Google will reportedly unveil its gaming hardware for Project Yeti at the Game Developers Conference in March. The console will be powered by the game streaming technology featured in the recently concluded Project Stream beta test, which allowed users to play Assassin's Creed Odyssey right on Chrome.
‘Red Dead Redemption 2,’ ‘God of War,’ ‘Spider-Man’ lead GDC Awards nominees
The nominees for the 2019 Game Developers Choice Awards have been revealed, with Red Dead Redemption 2, God of War, and Spider-Man leading the way. The winners will be announced during this year's Game Developers Conference on March 20, in conjunction with the Independent Games Festival Awards.
Senior Gaming Editor
As Digital Trends’ Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran of the industry who first began writing about games professionally as a teenager, Giovanni brings a wealth of knowledge and historical context to Digital Trends’ gaming coverage. He brings that expertise to everything he writes, from interview features to reviews. His specialty is criticism and he’s committed to raising the bar for video game reviews. Just read his ambitious UFO 50 review as proof!
Giovanni majored in Film and Photography at Ithaca College, and that skill set had intersected with his games writing through his career. He previously worked as a Segment Producer on Polygon’s daily gaming show, Speedrun, and has contributed video content for sites like Prima Games and Hard Drive. He’s always willing to experiment with new media, whether that be via podcasts or creating videos for Digital Trends’ YouTube channel. He has previously written for Inverse, Fanbyte, The Inventory, and more. He began working with Digital Trends in 2019 as a Destiny 2 guides contributor before moving into his current role as Senior Editor.
His love of gaming dates back decades. Giovanni grew up in Massachusetts with his mother’s hand-me-down Atari 2600. He was hooked from that point on, spending his childhood obsessively playing Sega Genesis or Super Smash Bros. Melee with his friends. He carried that passion into college, where he hosted and produced Ithaca College’s own studio format video game news show. Since then, he has been committed to giving back to the video game industry that raised him by providing honest criticism, sharp analysis, and thorough coverage.
Giovanni is currently based in Brooklyn, New York where he works alongside his cat, Mirah. On weekends, you can find him birdwatching in local parks or watching professional wrestling, his second love behind gaming.