Romero Games, the studio headed up by John and Brenda Romero, has announced that an unspecified publisher has canceled funding for its new game, and it's believed to be Microsoft.In a post, Brenda Romero said "our publisher has canceled funding for our game along with several other unannounced projects at other studios." She added, "This was a strategic decision made at a high level within the publisher, well above our visibility or control."The wording and the timing suggests that Microsoft was the publisher for this new game, given Microsoft just confirmed it had canceled multiple unannounced games. Romero Games said years ago when its new FPS was announced that it was working with a "major" publisher, and Microsoft would fit that bill. An affected staffer at Romero Games said outright on social media that, "Unfortunately, due to the recent Xbox layoffs, I've lost my position at Romero Games."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Helldivers 2 will be deploying its brand of managed democracy to Xbox Series X|S consoles in August. Officially announced during a livestream, the game is a co-op third-person action game in which players take on the role of a Helldiver, a soldier determined to protect Super Earth and all of its interests by any--mostly violent--means necessary.The PlayStation-published game originally launched for PS5 and PC in early 2024, and it was one of the breakout hits of the year. "We know gamers have been asking for this for some time and we are so excited to bring more Helldivers into our game," game director Mikael Eriksson said in a press release. "We have so much more in store for the future months and years--and the more players we have the more stories we can tell! The fight for Super Earth has only just begun." Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The wide-ranging Xbox layoffs this week also affected Halo Studios, the development team formerly known as 343 Industries that is working on multiple upcoming Halo titles.Engadget reported that at least five people were let go from the team, with between 200 and 300 people remaining at the company going forward. One anonymous developer told the site that they were upset with how Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer spoke about the health and prosperity of the Xbox business in the same memo announcing the dramatic cuts."I wasn't sure what part of that I was supposed to be proud about," this person said.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

One of the games that was said to have been canceled as part of Microsoft's latest wave of cuts was a new MMO from The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. More information has now come to light about this supposed project, which is reported to have been in the works under the codename "Blackbird."IGN reported that Blackbird was a "new, sci-fi IP" and it had been in some form of development since 2018. The report added that ZeniMax Online Studios was making a new game engine for it, which may have contributed to its lengthy development schedule.Pre-production on Blackbird was "going well," the report said, adding that the studio was "actively ramping up" with the belief that the game could enter full production. The report went on to say higher-ups at Xbox approved the game advancing to the next stage of development, with developers on The Elder Scrolls Online and other teams shifting to the game to support this ramp up.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

If you were playing the Switch 2 Edition of Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time on a big-screen TV previously, it may have looked like someone smeared vaseline on the display. That was unintended. Level-5 has now addressed this blurry problem--along with other bug fixes and new additions--as part of version 1.4 of the RPG. You can check out the full patch notes below.The Fantasy Life website details all of the changes as part of the update, including vibration adjustments for the Switch 2 Pro Controller. Level-5 also has introduced new area challenges, recipes, and armor--like the Modern Girl's Hat and Retro Boy's Sandals. There are UI improvements, too, such as seeing the level of each Life from a single screen and whether its rank can be increased.Level-5 showcases how much sharper Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time looks on Switch 2 after the version 1.4 update.Looking ahead, Level-5 has promised a roguelike open world as free DLC for Fantasy Life i. Around the same time last month, the developer also announced the RPG had sold 1 million copies, providing a free gift code to players.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The year is 2025 and the Angry Birds franchise is not only still around, but still getting new games. Developer Rovio has launched the newest Angry Birds game, Angry Birds Bounce, via Apple Arcade.That's the only place you can play the game, so you'll need to sign up for for $7/month subscription service to try it out. Apple Arcade offers a seven-day free trial, too, while three months of Apple Arcade are included when you buy a new iPhone or iPad, so you might want to check to see if you're eligible. In Angry Birds Bounce, the pigs have banished the birds from their islands, so the birds--Red, Chuck, and Bomb--are doing whatever they can to get them back. Players fling the birds at the pigs, but they can now bounce off the walls for a new layer of strategy. Players need to strategically assemble a group of birds and go after specific power-ups to have the best chance at success. In essence, it appears to be a block-breaker game in the mold of Arkanoid.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Lego Star Wars: Darth Vader and Kylo Ren Helmet Bundle (1,363 pieces) $99 (Valued at $150) | Exclusive to Walmart Get deal at Walmart While looking for Lego deals ahead of Prime Day 2025, I stumbled upon an incredible Star Wars bundle offer that you'll only find at Walmart. The retailer has the Darth Vader and Kylo Ren Helmet display model sets for $99 total. At current prices, the pair would cost you $134 if you bought each one separately--the combined MSRP is $150, but Darth Vader is on sale for $64 at multiple major retailers.What's especially notable about this bundle is that the Kylo Ren Helmet just launched in May as a Walmart and Lego Store exclusive; it has yet to receive a discount from its $70 price. Essentially, you have the opportunity to buy a brand-new release and add the popular Darth Vader Helmet to your order for only $29. Walmart's exclusive Lego Star Wars value bundles and gift sets--like this 3-in-1 Jedi Masters Gift Set--tend to sell out fast. Make sure to check back next week, as Walmart is bound to have some enticing Lego deals during its big sale that kicks off June 8 alongside Amazon Prime Day. Lego Star Wars: Darth Vader and Kylo Ren Helmet Bundle (1,363 pieces) $99 (Valued at $150) | Exclusive to Walmart The 529-piece Kylo Ren Helmet released in May as one of the new Star Wars Day Lego sets. The completed build measures 7 x 4.5 x 5 inches. It has movie-accurate details such as the pattern of silver accents surrounding his visor. Like the other Lego Star Wars Helmets, it has a buildable display stand and a name plaque with the Lego Star Wars logo. Lego released this set to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Kylo Ren's first appearance in The Force Awakens.Ben Solo's helmet will naturally look great displayed next to the iconic design it pays homage to: Darth Vader's helmet. The model worn by his grandfather was turned into a Lego set back in 2021. It has remained incredibly popular ever since, which likely explains why it has enjoyed a much longer shelf life than most Lego Star Wars sets.Lego's Darth Vader Helmet is more complex than the others in the lineup today. The 834-piece build measures 8 x 5.5 x 5.5 inches and has an impressive level of detail. Before you place all of the pieces on top of the helmet, you get to put together Darth Vader's life-support system. In a way, it's like you get to perform brain surgery on Lord Vader.Together, these two Lego Star Wars display models for adults contain 1,363 pieces. At the moment, the Darth Vader Helmet is available for $64 (was $80) on its own at multiple major retailers. The $70 Kylo Ren Helmet has yet to be discounted and is exclusive to Walmart and the Lego Store.Check out all of the Lego Star Wars Helmets you can get for retail price or less below. Get deal at Walmart Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian Helmet (584 Pieces) $56 (was $70) See at Amazon See at Walmart Lego Star Wars: Captain Rex Helmet (854 Pieces) $56 (was $70) See at Amazon See at Walmart Lego Star Wars: Clone Commander Cody Helmet (766 Pieces) $70 | Retired, In stock at Walmart Clone Commander Cody is officially retired, but Walmart recently restocked the 766-piece build. You will only find Clone Commander Cody's Helmet at Walmart. See at Walmart Lego Star Wars: Darth Vader Helmet (834 Pieces) $64 (was $80) See at Amazon See at Walmart Lego Star Wars; Kylo Ren Helmet (529 pieces) $70 | Released for Star Wars Day 2025 See at Walmart See at Lego Store Lego Star Wars: Jango Fett Helmet (616 pieces) $70 | Released for Star Wars Day 2025 See at Amazon Best Star Wars Lego Deals ahead of Prime DayDarth Vader + Kylo Ren Helmet Bundle -- $99 ($134)Millennium Falcon (921 pieces) -- $68 ($85)R2-D2 (1,050 pieces) -- $80 ($100)R2-D2 (2,314 pieces) -- $235 ($240) | RetiredThe Mandalorian - Fang Fighter vs. TIE Interceptor (957 pieces) -- $95 ($100) | RetiredAttack of the Clones - Acclamator-Class Assault Ship (450 pieces) -- $40 ($50)Darth Vader Helmet (834 pieces) -- $64 ($80)The Mandalorian Helmet (584 pieces) -- $56 ($70)Captain Rex Helmet (854 pieces) -- $56 ($70)Clone Commander Cody Helmet (766 pieces) -- $69.75 | RetiredThe Dark Falcon Starship (1,579 pieces) -- $144 ($180)A New Hope - Tantive IV (654 pieces) -- $60 ($80)A New Hope - Boarding the Tantive IV (502 pieces) -- $45 ($55)The Phantom Menace - Podrace Diorama (718 pieces) -- $54 ($80)Return of the Jedi - Home One Starcruiser (559 pieces) -- $56 ($70)Droideka Model (583 pieces) -- $52 ($65)The Clone Wars - Coruscant Guard Gunship (1,083 pieces) -- $112 ($140)Luke Skywalker X-Wing Mech (195 pieces) -- $12.48 ($16)More Lego Star Wars DealsThe Clone Wars - Yoda's Jedi Starfighter (253 pieces) -- $35 | RetiredThe Mandalorian - Baby Yoda with Hover Pram (1,048 pieces) -- $85 ($100)The Mandalorian - Baby Yoda Figure (1,073 pieces) -- $80 ($90)The Mandalorian - AT-ST Raider (540 pieces) -- $40.49 ($50)Book of Boba Fett - Boba Fett's Throne Room (732 pieces) -- $90 ($100)Revenge of the Sith - ARC-170 Starfighter (497 pieces) -- $56 ($70)Ahsoka’s Jedi Interceptor Spaceship (290 pieces) -- $36 ($45)Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Jedi Starfighter (282 pieces) -- $24 ($30)Bob’s Starfighter (305 pieces) -- $32 ($40)501st Clone Troopers Battle Pack (119 pieces) -- $16 ($20)Paz Vizsla and Moff Gideon Battle Set (289 pieces) -- $35 ($40)Clone Trooper & Droid Battle Pack (215 pieces) -- $24 ($30)TIE Bomber (625 pieces) -- $52 ($65)Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Shuttle (599 pieces) -- $62 ($80)Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter (412 pieces) -- $48 ($60)Ahsoka Tano’s Duel on Peridea (382 pieces) -- $44 ($55)BARC Speeder Escape (221 pieces) -- $24 ($30)Jabba's Sail Barge UCS (3,942 pieces) -- $480 ($500)Skeleton Crew - The Onyx Cinder (1,325 pieces) -- $130 ($140)Lego Star Wars Preschooler Set DealsYoung Jedi Adventures - Crimson Firehawk (136 pieces) -- $30 ($50)The Mandalorian - Mando & Grogu's N-1 Starfighter (92 pieces) -- $24 ($30)Tenoo Jedi Temple (124 pieces) -- $23 ($40)More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders The Criterion Collection 50% Off Movie Sale - Here Are The Best Deals Little Nightmares 3 Amazon-Exclusive Mirror Edition Is Up For Preorder Lego's First Visual History For Adults Is 60% Off In Early Prime Day Deal + Show More More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders Links (5) Amazon Restocks Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Earth Dancer Edition All Four Discontinued Donkey Kong Lego Sets Restocked At Amazon Death Stranding 2 Collector's Edition Is In Stock Ahead Of Tomorrow's Launch Donkey Kong Bananza Game & Amiibo Bundle Available At Walmart Marvel's Spider-Man Magic: The Gathering Preorders Restocked At Amazon Info from Gamespot.com

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took the gaming world by surprise when it became one of the best reviewed games of 2025 so far, and sold over 3.33 million copies. It hit levels of online conversation and praise often reserved for the Elden Rings and Legend of Zeldas of the world. Part of that praise has described Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as revitalizing the turn-based genre, something that isn't really true unless you only play Final Fantasy games. But with the high praise from critics and positive reception from fans, it seems likely that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will influence future RPGs, and that can have both positive and negative repercussions. There are some aspects that maybe shouldn't be taken for other games, but there are systems in here that other RPG developers absolutely should learn from.RPGs should steal character-specific combat mechanicsSciel's foretell system creates a simple loop to build more complicated builds around.On paper, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's use of character-specific combat mechanics just feels like a different version of classes or jobs in turn-based combat, but it goes beyond that. While a knight will excel at different aspects of combat than a mage, the flow of combat for each is typically either the same or has small differences, like the type of buffs and debuffs you can apply to each character.The combat differences in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 go far beyond class differences, and allow for great class building as a result. For example, the way that Maelle's stance changing works encourages far different Lumina builds compared to Monocco or Lune, creating five characters that feel like distinct individuals, and not just class archetypes.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Former Sony Online Entertainment chief John Smedley and his new team at Distinct Possibility Studio have unveiled their first game, Reaper Actual. And while some aspects of this first-person shooter may seem very familiar to CoD fans, it's set in a very large-scale persistent online open-world with a map that's bigger than anything in Call of Duty Warfare. Up to 200 players can join a single server in some of the epic battles teased in the announcement video below. At least for now, Reaper Actual is strictly for PC, and it's essentially the fusion of an MMO and a FPS. The game is set on an island called Marova, which is overrun by rival factions vying for control. As a Reaper, players can sell their services to the various factions on the island, and use all manner of vehicles and weapons to achieve their goals.Because the factions are already at odds with each other, the enemy AI characters will wage war with or without players' involvement. Players can choose to take sides or take advantage of the chaos for their own purposes. Players can also create their own bases to defend, and raid the bases that belong to other players or AI. In turn, AI characters and rival players can invade your base as well.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Lego Star Wars: C-3PO Display Model (1,138 Pieces) $112 (was $140) See at Amazon See at Disney Store Star Wars fans can get the C-3PO Lego display model for an awesome price at Amazon or the Disney Store. Normally $140, the large-scale replica of the famous protocol droid is on sale for only $112 ahead of Prime Day 2025. The 20% discount knocks $28 from the price, making this the best deal yet on this cool building set. In fact, this is the first-ever discount at Amazon. Lego released the 1,138-piece C-3PO figure last August as part of its 25th anniversary lineup celebrating its prolific partnership with Star Wars.We wouldn't expect this deal to remain in stock for long, especially at Amazon. It's also not the only Lego Star Wars deal that is bound to disappear soon. Walmart has an exclusive Lego Star Wars Helmet bundle that saves you $50 on replica Darth Vader and Kylo Ren Helmets. Lego Star Wars: C-3PO Display Model (1,138 Pieces) $112 (was $140) The completed C-3PO Lego statue is just over 15 inches tall and attaches to a brick-built base for display. His head is movable and both arms have multiple points of articulation, allowing you to strike different iconic poses from the movies. This model is based off of C-3PO's appearance in the Original Trilogy, so his right leg from the knee down is silver. The highly detailed model looks strikingly similar to the real C-3PO.Along with the main statue build, you'll get an information placard and a C-3PO minifigure that connects to it. Like other 25th Anniversary Lego Star Wars sets, C-3PO comes with an exclusive brick with the anniversary logo featuring R2-D2. See at Amazon See at Disney Store Lego Star Wars - C-3PO StatueSpeaking of C-3PO's droid buddy, R2-D2's 25th Anniversary Lego set is also on sale for a great price at Amazon. You can get the 1,050-piece R2-D2 building set for $80 (was $100). The completed R2-D2 figure measures 9 x 6 x 4 inches and has multiple interactive features, including a rotating head, detachable periscope, removable third leg, and a few cool Easter eggs. The set also has an information placard with R2-D2 minifigure as well as an exclusive 25th Anniversary Darth Malek minifigure.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Veteran actor Michael Madsen, who played Toni Cipriani in Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto III and was known for his work in numerous Quentin Tarantino films, has passed away. He died today, July, 3, and was 67.Madsen was found unresponsive at his Malibu home and was pronounced dead at 8:25 AM PT, a spokesperson for the LA County Sheriff's Department told The Hollywood Reporter. His rep Liz Rodriguez told the site, "We understand Michael had a cardiac arrest."In the world of video games, Madsen is known for playing the mobster Cipriani in GTA III. Danny Mastrogiorgio portrayed him in GTA Liberty City Stories. He also had roles in True Crime: Streets of LA, Driver 3, Dishonored, Dishonored 2, and most recently Crime Boss: Rockay City in 2023.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

EA has announced that Anthem servers will be sunset on January 12, 2026, effectively making the game unplayable."Anthem was designed to be an online-only title so once the servers go offline, the game will no longer be playable," EA said in an update. "If you previously purchased Anthem, the game can still be downloaded from a digital library and played until January 12, 2026."Anthem will also be removed from the EA Play playlist on August 15, 2025, and EA says that the sunsetting of the game has not led to any layoffs at developer BioWare. Anthem joins a growing number of live-service games that have had the plug pulled on them. Other high-profile games that faced a short shelf-life included Marvel's Avengers, Battleborn, and Super Bomberman R, and in an extreme example, Sony's Concord, which was pulled after a disastrous two weeks.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

It's starting to feel a little bit like Fortnite is overrun with different battle royale modes. We already had the standard BR that everyone knows, along with OG and Reload, each with no-build variants. Then, just a few weeks ago, Epic tossed in the new mobile-oriented Blitz Royale, a mini battle royale with 32 players, for good measure. Can all these different modes continue to live alongside each other?I think they can, so long as they each have a niche they can carve out among the greater Fortnite audience. Regular Battle Royale is the catch-all for general audiences, OG is for the folks who prefer a stable experience that rarely changes in major ways--or just those who have nostalgia for the Fortnite of yesteryear--Reload is for the sweats, and Blitz Royale, though it might seem extremely swift and sweaty at first glance, is actually the more casual alternative to all of those existing modes.If you only played Blitz Royale right when it launched, you may not see it. When the mode initially dropped, it was pretty intense and full of sweaty folks, which was to be expected for an entirely new mode that everybody was trying out for the first time. But it didn't take long for things to mellow out as the player count normalized.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Mecha Break is a free-to-play multiplayer shooter that offers a ton of content and customization for the various mechs you can unlock. Of course, some of that content is locked behind an in-game paywall, as is standard with the free-to-play model of video games. However, Mecha Break takes things a step further than a single universal currency, as there are three different currencies you can earn during your time as a mech pilot.Below, you can see what the three currencies are, how to earn each one, and what you can spend your currency on in Mecha Break. If you're just hopping into Mecha Break, make sure to also check out our full Striker tier list so you know which mechs are best to unlock first.Table of Contents [hide]How to get more Corite in Mecha BreakHow to get more Corite in Mecha BreakThe first currency we'll talk about is Corite, which is the premier currency that you'll always be chasing in Mecha Break. Corite is used for a majority of the microtransactions in the game, and, as you might expect, can be purchased using real-life money through the in-game store.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sony Inzone Buds - Wireless Noise-Canceling Gaming Earbuds $158 (was $200) Get deal at Amazon Sony Inzone H9 Wireless Noise-Canceling Gaming Headset $198 (was $300) Get deal at Amazon Sony Inzone M10S 27" OLED Gaming Monitor (1440p) $714 (was $1,100) Get deal at Amazon PC and PS5 gamers can get the best noise-canceling gaming earbuds for a terrific price thanks to Amazon's early Prime Day 2025 deals on Sony Inzone gear. The Sony Inzone Buds are up for grabs for $158 (was $200). You can choose between a white/black model that matches the PS5 console color scheme or an all-black edition similar to PlayStation's Midnight Black collection. Amazon is also offering a $100 discount on the Sony Inzone H9, a premium over-ear wireless headset with ANC, and a nearly $400 discount on Sony's M10S 27" OLED Gaming Monitor.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com