2025-07-03
There appears to be renewed enthusiasm for Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam after the recent release of Free Title Update 2. The action-adventure game saw a spike of 100,000 additional concurrent players on Valve's PC platform after the patch earlier this week.On June 29, the peak concurrent player count for the day on Monster Hunter Wilds was 19,637 people, according to SteamDB. When the game's massive Free Title Update 2 landed June 30, the daily high hit 133,033 players, showing a reinvigorated playbase on PC--the game is also available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Capcom addressed issues with PC performance as part of the patch, as well as promising further optimizations in the future.The new update added Lagiacrus, Seregios, and underwater combat to Monster Hunter Wilds. Layered weapons were also introduced, and Capcom noted that the seasonal event called Festival of Accord: Flamefete will take place from July 23 to August 6. Before this, Free Title Update 1 arrived in early April for the game, when it was experiencing peak concurrent players on Steam of over 500,000 people.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Microsoft has announced yet another round of layoffs across its gaming division, and Rare will be hit hard by changes at the company. Not only is the veteran developer expected to lose a chunk of its workforce, including some key longtime staff, but its game Everwild has also been canceled.According to VGC--and corroborated by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier--Everwild has been placed on the chopping block following over a decade of work on it. The game was formally revealed all the way back in November 2019, but beyond a trailer for it in 2020, updates on it have been almost non-existent. Anonymous developers speaking to VGC say that Rare couldn't find the right direction for this project, even after it was rebooted.Microsoft later told VGC that it "did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represents years of effort, imagination, and commitment."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Ready or Not has been a huge hit for Void Interactive over on Steam, getting good reviews from critics and consumers alike. However, players have turned against the developer, with the game getting pelted by negative reviews over the past week. The reason? Void removed some material from the game in order to get it certified for its console port."Throughout this console port process we've done our utmost to only make changes when they are flagged as absolutely required by our first party partners, and any changes aim to remain faithful to the original tonality of the game, so there is no reason to be alarmed," Void said in a statement. "Our age rating as it stands for console is ESRB M-rating, PEGI 18, and USK 18 to give an idea. Still, there are other game content requirements that console platforms have in order to exist on their systems, and a portion of these changes will be visible on the PC version."Void went on to describe the changes of the level of gore, but insist for the most part, everything will still be in tact. For example, dismemberment still has a large presence in the game, but is a little more limited.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
We're less than a week away from Amazon Prime Day 2025. While some deals will be available to everyone during the four-day sales event (July 8-11), many of the best offers will be exclusive to Prime members. If you don't have a membership and are between the ages of 18 and 24, you can save big on your subscription. Amazon's new Prime Young Adult subscription drops the price by 50%, lowering the monthly cost to only $7.49 (most members pay $15). Annual subscriptions are also half the cost at $69 instead of $139.Even better, new accounts who qualify for the Young Adults membership get their first six months at no cost, plus 5% cash back on orders--both of which are perks exclusive to this new tier. Join Amazon Prime Young Adult Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
The big headline you're going to hear EA talk about in the lead-up to Madden NFL 26 is how this year's game boasts "the biggest franchise update in over a decade." You'll likely hear some other outlets and content creators repeating this phrase, accepting it as true. You won't read that here, though. Madden's Franchise mode has been in a rough place for years now, and last year's game taught me not to trust what I hear, only what I see for myself.During a hands-off presentation of Madden's next Franchise update at the EA Orlando campus, the team detailed all the things it's adding to my favorite mode. Franchise is something I pour hundreds of hours into year after year, but my interest in the mode is sustained thanks to the fantastic and friendly league I'm in. If I needed the mode itself to keep me invested as a solo player, I'd play it far less, if at all. Madden has been improving on the field year after year lately, but Franchise remains a broken, frustrating experience, and I'm not willing to take EA at its word that this year's update will be so beneficial.Last year, one of the marquee new features coming to Madden 25 was the plethora of new storyline scenarios that could unfold in Franchise mode. Any given week, you might have a team meeting in which you need to gameplan for your opponent, a press conference with a feisty reporter pool, or a sideline chit-chat with a frustrated player. The idea was to infuse the game with true-to-life drama. It's a fun idea on paper, but it was implemented incredibly, sometimes hilariously poorly.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Earlier this summer, developer People Can Fly was hit by layoffs and the cancelation of two unannounced projects. Now, two reports have indicated that one of the canceled games was Outriders 2, the sequel to the 2021 action-shooter that People Can Fly developed for publisher Square Enix.The Thumb Wars was the first outlet to report the story, which was subsequently corroborated by Insider Gaming. In June, People Can Fly explained that one of the canceled games--under the name Project Gemini--was suspended over issues with the game's publishers regarding its failure to give the developer assets it needed to continue. It also noted that the publisher failed to maintain a dialogue with People Can Fly that would allow the two sides to finish the project.Insider Gaming identifies Project Gemini as Outriders 2, and Square Enix as the publisher in question. The outlet reports that Outriders 2 wasn't nearly as close to completion as The Thumb Wars' report suggested, but there were no firm answers about what went wrong between People Can Fly and Square Enix.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
In addition to Rare's Everwild, it appears another canceled game at Xbox from the latest round of restructuring is a long-in-development MMORPG from ZeniMax Online Studios.According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Microsoft has canceled "Blackbird," the codename for the project from makers of The Elder Scrolls Online. Schreier said the game had been in development since 2018. No other details about the project were revealed."As one illustration of just how sloppy and chaotic today's mass Xbox layoff has been, some employees at Zenimax Online Studios are now watching their Slack accounts abruptly get locked out. No message from HR, no word on whether they still have a job, just an ominous Slack deactivation," Schreier added.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
The breadth and depth of Microsoft's latest layoffs continue to come into focus, as a report now claims that Call of Duty developer Raven Software and Forza Motorsport studio Turn 10 have been affected. This is in addition to the layoffs at Sea of Thieves developer Rare, Candy Crush studio King, and The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios.According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, "many" of the Xbox-owned game developers are facing layoffs due to Microsoft's broader push to cut 4% of its workforce globally. The cuts to Turn 10 are reportedly very significant, with "nearly 50%" of staff affected, Schreier said.Raven Software is the main co-developer on Activision's upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 alongside Treyarch. Raven also works on Call of Duty: Warzone. Turn 10 Studios, meanwhile, is known for its work on the Forza Motorsport series, the latest entry of which came out in 2023 for PC and Xbox Series X|S.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Mecha Break has officially launched, and like several other live-service games, there's a new event to take part in. The first one is Christian's Challenge, and this will run until July 27.Christian's ChallengeTaking part is simple, as all you have to do is accumulate more Mission Tokens than the character Christian every week. The deadline for this is 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET for each Sunday that the event is active, and Mission Tokens and rewards are tallied weekly. To see if you're making any progress, you can check Christian's haul through the event interface. If you manage to come out on top, you'll get the following goodies:Head accessory: Disguise GlassesInsignia: Christian (also usable on outfits)Leg accessory pistolChristian patternRally OrderThe other event to take part in is Rally Order. In this mode, you'll select a theme--Rainfall, Sinslayer, Tempest, Skyred, Monarch, or Overlord--to form a tactical unit. You'll need to use invitation codes to invite other players to squad up with you, and doing so will earn your team Mission Tokens. One thing to note here is that you'll be unable to switch themes or join other units once you've formed a tactical unit, but if you're the sole member, you can disband the team. This will free you up to either select a new theme or accept invitations to join another unit.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Xbox's Perfect Dark reboot, first announced in 2022, has been canceled. Its developer, The Initiative, is also shutting down, Microsoft has confirmed.First reported by Windows Central and corroborated by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, the cancellation of Perfect Dark and closing of The Initiative come as part of Microsoft's latest round of layoffs, which are affecting an estimated 4% of the company's workforce. That translates to around 9,000 people losing their jobs, many of them across Microsoft's various gaming studios.The Initiative was formed in 2018 and based in Santa Monica. Billed as a "AAAA" studio, it was led by former Crystal Dynamics studio head Darrel Gallagher and made up of developers from Respawn, BioWare, Naughty Dog, and more. In 2021, The Initiative announced it would partner with Crystal Dynamics, developer of the most recent Tomb Raider games, to assist on the Perfect Dark reboot.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Season 4 Reloaded is now live in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone, and the update is themed around cartoon content and a Beavis and Butt-Head collaboration. Data miners have now discovered a potential American Dad crossover in the new game files, meaning more cartoon skins could be on the way.Data miners have leaked Call of Duty bundles for both Stan and Roger from Seth MacFarlane's American Dad animated sitcom. These leaks also suggest a price of 2,800 CoD Points ($25) for each bundle, which is typical for the pricing on most bundles for Call of Duty's big IP crossovers.Here's the American Dad Stan Smith Skin in game.(via @realityuk_) pic.twitter.com/jgihDmsZz7 — CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) July 2, 2025 It's uncertain when this American Dad collaboration might arrive. If this content is indeed still planned for Call of Duty, it's possible it might arrive with Season 4 Reloaded to continue the cartoon theme, or this could be planned for a later crossover event in Season 5.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Sony UBP-X700U 4K Blu-ray Player (2025 model) $218 (was $300) Get deal at Amazon Get deal at Best Buy Ahead of Prime Day 2025, Amazon is offering a stellar deal on the new 2025 edition of Sony's popular UBP-X700U 4K Blu-ray Player. The UBP-X700U launched a few weeks ago--Amazon started selling it on June 9--but you can already save more than $80 on Sony's newest mid-range media player. Physical media enthusiasts can snag this $300 4K Blu-ray player for only $218 for a limited time at Amazon or Best Buy. You could use some of the money you're saving on Criterion Collection Blu-rays while they are on sale for 50% off.Alternatively, you can get the more budget-friendly Sony BDP-S1700U 1080p Blu-ray Player for $85 (was $95). This is also a brand-new release from Sony and is currently the best-selling new media player on Amazon. Sony UBP-X700U 4K Blu-ray Player (2025 model) $218 (was $300) Sony Blu-ray players have a solid reputation, and the X700U model on sale offers a number of features found in some of Sony's high-end line of Blu-ray players. It plays 4K Blu-rays in native 4K UHD (2160p) resolution and supports HDR10, which improves picture brightness.It comes with an HDMI cable, but we'd recommend grabbing a second 4K cable if you don't have a spare. That's because the player has two HDMI out ports. The main one is for video and audio, and is the only one you must use, but the second output is dedicated to audio. Separating audio from video output produces a richer, clearer sound, so dual ports are common on dedicated 4K Blu-ray players. It's one of the benefits of using a media player for Blu-rays instead of a game console like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. You can grab an Amazon Basics 4K HDMI cable for $6 right now.The UBP-X700U also has a Coaxial SPDIF, which can be connected to speakers, soundbars, and TVs. In- terms of audio support, the UBP-X700U is equipped with high-end audio enhancements, including Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.One of the coolest features of dedicated Blu-ray players like the X700U is picture upscaling. The X700U can read 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and DVDs. When enabled, the built-in tech will enhance the resolution of standard Blu-rays and DVDs.While we haven't tested the 2025 edition of the X700U, the upscaling feature on previous iterations was quite impressive. Standard 1080p Blu-rays can look pretty darn close to 4K resolution, and 480p resolution DVDs are substantially better. Honestly, without upscaling tech, DVDs generally look terrible on modern 4K and HD panels. That said, upscaled output varies, and sometimes there are jagged edges or noticeable oddities that won't be appealing to viewers looking for an authentic experience. Get deal at Amazon Get deal at Best Buy For a higher-end 4K player with built-in streaming and voice assistant capabilities, check out the Panasonic DP-UB820-K. This is one of the most popular premium models on the market today. Normally $500, you can get it for $404 ahead of Prime Day.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
The Last of Us has been a major hit for HBO since its premiere in 2023, but the series is facing a creative change behind-the-scenes moving forward into Season 3. Neil Druckmann--the co-creator of The Last of Us video games and the co-showrunner of the series--has announced his departure from the show.Naughty Dog shared the announcement on social media, noting that Druckmann is leaving The Last of Us to focus on his duties at the studio and to work on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the next game from Naughty Dog.pic.twitter.com/baQee9IpHO — Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) July 2, 2025 "Co-creating the show has been a career highlight," wrote Druckmann. "It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Microsoft laid off numerous Xbox developers, canceled games, and closed at least one studio this week as part of the company's latest round of significant cuts. The company still has 40+ projects that remain in the works, and it's now been reported that everything shown during the Xbox Games Showcase in June remains in development.Windows Central reported that "everything" in that showcase is "safe." Some of the games on display in the showcase included Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, The Outer Worlds 2, Grounded 2, Keeper, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Clockwork Revolution. Some games not shown at the event, like State of Decay 3, are going forward as well, the report said. Separately, a source told Variety that "every game" on display at the event in June is "continuing on."In terms of games that are not going forward, Rare's Everwild and the new Perfect Dark have been canceled--neither appeared at the Showcase, fueling theories about what that could mean. Microsoft's Matt Booty said in a memo to staff that "several unannounced projects" have been canceled as well, and one of them could be the reported MMO Blackbird from ZeniMax Online Studios.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com
2025-07-03
Limited Edition Echo Dot Spider-Man Stand $30 (was $40) / Bundle it with a new Echo Dot for $32 (was $50) See at Amazon While Prime Day 2025 doesn’t officially begin until July 8, there are already some great early deals on Amazon devices. The fifth generation Echo Dot, for example, is just $32--the lowest price we’ve seen this year. And if you’re a Marvel fan, consider pairing it with the Limited Edition Echo Dot Spider-Man Stand. Modeled after Spider-Man’s iconic mask, it’s a fun choice for a kid’s room or game room. The stand is seeing its first-ever discount ahead of Prime Day, dropping the price to $30 (was $40). Limited Edition Echo Dot Spider-Man Stand $30 (was $40) / Bundle it with a new Echo Dot for $32 (was $50) This fun little Echo Dot Stand is compatible with the 4th and 5th generation Echo Dot. It’s designed so you can easily slot the smart speaker into the top of the mask, with a small cutout on the back for the power cable. The coolest part of the stand? Spidey’s eyes will glow, as the light ring on your Echo can shine through its translucent cover. The light adjusts automatically--so the darker the room, the brighter his eyes.The stand doesn’t bring any additional functionality to your Echo, but it’s a fun way to display it in your home. It also won’t hinder your ability to operate the smart speaker, as all its buttons and ports are still easily accessible. As mentioned, this is the first discount we’ve seen for the stand, and it's prominently featured on Amazon's home page, so we wouldn't be surprised if it sells out. See at Amazon Amazon Prime Membership Get exclusive deals and free games ahead of Prime Day. See plans at Amazon Amazon Prime Day Smart Speaker & Display DealsUnless otherwise stated, all of the deals below are for the newest editions of Amazon's various Echo smart home devices.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com