Last July, SAG-AFTRA authorized a voice actors strike against the major video game publishers, largely over the issue of AI protections. Nearly 300 days later, that's still the final point of contention between both sides. Now, the publishers have released what they characterize as the "best and last" offer for actors. And the actors have fired back with their counteroffer, all in the court of public opinion.As noted by Variety, the latest contract proposals between the studios and the actors have found common ground on most of the terms for a new deal. That includes 24% wage increases over the life of the contract. But the two sides' lack of agreement over generative AI continues to prolong the strike.Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game publishers, told Variety that, "We are hopeful the union will not choose to walk away when we are so close to a deal."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The new GTA 6 trailer is finally here, but what song is playing in it? Whereas the first trailer from December 2023 used Tom Petty's "Love Is A Long Road," this one features the song "Hot Together" by The Pointer Sisters. The song was written by Sharon Robinson and originally released in 1986.Similarly to how the lyrics to "Love Is A Long Road" seemingly bore a connection to the story of GTA 6, that may also be the case for "Hot Together." The song is about a couple and their intense, passionate physical and emotional love. The tune tells the story of lovers who could be "hot together.""We both know that it could feel good, so good / You led me through the crowded room / And out into the night / You kissed me like you did before / In the quiet of the moonlight," is one of the verses from the song.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Stardew Valley is a massively popular farm sim, where you take over your late grandfather's farm as an escape from the overwhelming city life. If you haven't played Stardew Valley before, your options aren't limited, as it can be played on nearly every modern platform, in addition to now having more features like multiplayer that weren't present some years ago. Here's everything you need to know about how to play Stardew Valley.Table of Contents [hide]How to play Stardew ValleyDoes Stardew Valley have cross-play?How to play Stardew ValleyStardew Valley is available on nearly every modern and popular platform. This includes Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS, and Android. It can be played on Xbox Series X|S and PlaySation 5 via backward compatibility, and will likely be playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility, though this is not yet confirmed. It typically costs $15, and is on Xbox Game Pass for both console and PC.Does Stardew Valley have cross-play? Stardew Valley currently does not have cross-platform multiplayer, and it seems likely that it never will. That means if you want to play multiplayer, everyone will need to be in the same family of platforms, like Xbox or PlayStation. If one person is on Nintendo Switch and the other is on PC, for example, you cannot play together.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Starfield's latest beta update is now available for testing on Steam, with developer Bethesda Game Studio's official patch notes detailing new Creation Kit options, display settings, and a whole heap of bug fixes.The update brings a few additions to the game's Creation Kit, where players can both create and download official Starfield user-made mods. Update 1.15.214 ups the size limit for Creations to 2GB, allows Creations to be bundled together in the Creations Store, and adds the ability for users to import new icons into the game through the Creation Kit.There are also a number of new display options. A "Very Low" option for the game's various display settings have been added to help "improve performance" on some devices, and Bethesda has additionally added support for 32:9 and 32:10 resolutions, as well as more 16:9, 16:10, and 21: 9 resolution options.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has outlined an enticing slate of games coming to its new Switch 2 system over the next few months. But while a new, mainline Zelda adventure may be a ways off, fans will still get to experience a new Zelda story with Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment.Set during the Imprisoning War, the apocalyptic battle that took place before the events of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Age of Imprisonment follows Rauru, Zelda, and other champions of Hyrule as they strive to repel Ganon's dark forces. Although Nintendo has only offered a brief glimpse at the game so far, it's already clear it will feature the large-scale battles and speedy combat the Warriors series is known for.Ahead of its release, here's everything we know so far about Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. For more on the Switch 2 itself, be sure to check out every confirmed and rumored game so far and everything coming to Nintendo Switch Online at launch.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Art of Marvel Rivals $54.24 | Releases September 2 Preorder on Amazon Since it launched last year, Marvel Rivals has positioned itself as not only one of the best superhero games to play right now, but also one of the best-looking. Developer NetEase assembled an all-star squad of artists to help bring the game to visual life, and at long last, all of that terrific art is being collected into a new full-color hardcover book. Priced at $54.24, The Art of Marvel Rivals will launch on September 2 and preorders for it are now open. The Art of Marvel Rivals $54.24 | Releases September 2 A celebration of the game, the bold character designs in it, and the iconic locations players battle each other in, the Marvel Rivals artbook clocks in at 208 pages in size. Published by Dark Horse--who'll also be releasing a Starfield artbook later this year--this hardcover will explore how Marvel icons like Iron Man, Namor, Storm, and many more were redesigned for the game, alongside the many unique outfits that they wear into battle. There'll also be a deep dive into Marvel's most recognizable locales like the spires of Yggsgard and Hydra's Hive World to help flesh out this tome. Preorder on Amazon Dark Horse has done a great job with its art books over the last couple of years, and its publications typically cover some of the biggest games of recent memory. Right now, you can grab books dedicated to The Last of Us, Doom Eternal, and Assassin's Creed Shadows, to see how these games were visually designed from the ground up. There are also art books for several Marvel video games, like Marvel's Spider-Man: The Art of the Game for $37.78 (was $40) and The Art of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Deluxe Edition for just $57 (was $100), which gets you the art book as well as an eye-catching slipcase cover and an art print. Check the lists below for a selection of more of our favorite art books available now.More Marvel Video Game Art Book DealsThe Art of Marvel Rivals -- $54.24 | Releases September 2The Art of Marvel's Avengers -- $24.81 ($40)The Art of Marvel's Avengers: War for Wakanda -- $32.15 ($40)The Art of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy -- $17 ($40)The Art of Marvel's Spider-Man -- $37.78 ($40)The Art of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales -- $31.60 ($40)The Art of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Deluxe Edition -- $57.10 ($100)The Art of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 standard edition -- $28.43 ($50) Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Destiny 2's second expansion of 2025, titled Renegades, is coming in December, and it is a Star Wars-inspired adventure. Revealed today by developer Bungie in a cinematic trailer, Renegades is designed to evoke the style of the Star Wars franchise, and it appears to even add lightsabers to the players' arsenal.The trailer was included as a surprise teaser at the end of Bungie's livestream detailing The Edge of Fate, an expansion coming out on July 15. While we do not know much about Renegades beyond its December release date and its inclusion of a lightsaber, the developer mentioned in the livestream that the team is taking explicit inspiration from Star Wars and other space westerns.As the second expansion of 2025, Renegades is part of Bungie's new development roadmap for Destiny 2. Rather than its past focus on seasonal storylines, Bungie is planning to continue the cadence of two expansions per year with free updates scattered in between releases.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Bungie has revealed its plans for the next long story arc for Destiny 2. The developers have revealed a "multi-year saga" in the form of the Fate Saga. The beginning of this new chapter of Destiny's story, there will be four expansions to start us off known as the Year of Prophecy.Starting on July 15, 2025 with The Edge of Fate, players will journey to the mysterious planetoid Kepler and find more questions than answers about the universe at large. After that on December 2, 2025, we will get the expansion Renegades. As per Bungie's new content roadmap plans, there will now be two expansions a year going forward. So now with more densely-packed expansions than what players have seen with Episodes and less waiting time, more content will be seen quickly rather than the 1-2 year gap between expansions as before.In between each expansion there will also be what Bungie is dubbing "Major Updates," with overhauls to the sandbox, new events, modifier and challenge updates, new gear and Artifact mods, and more. On September 9, 2025, the first major update of the Season of Reclamation, titled Ash & Iron, will release. Then, as part of Renegades and the Season of Lawless, the Shadow & Order update will drop on March 3, 2026. The most-enticing detail here is that each major update will not cost anything, nor will it be vaulted or taken away. Major updates will be free to all Destiny 2 players, and the content they bring will always be part of the game at large. These updates will be approximately the size of the Into the Light seasonal update with lots of events and new content to find.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The May 2025 lineup of PC games for Humble Choice subscribers has been revealed, and this month, you can look forward to an action game that feels like it came straight out of the PS2 era, spine-tingling horror, and a fantastic game starring a motley crew of pirates. Sign up for Humble Choice In case you've missed out on it, Humble Choice is a $12 monthly subscription service that offers a monthly batch of PC games that are yours to keep forever, even if you decide to cancel your membership. There are other perks to this membership as well, including exclusive discounts at the Humble store and access to the Humble Vault--an additional rotating library of games that's only available to members.Humble Choice May 2025 GamesThe Thaumarturge: Deluxe EditionAmnesia: The BunkerEvil WestShadow Gambit: The Cursed CrewEiyuden Chronicle: Hundred HeroesStar Wars: Bounty HunterUltrosCorpse KeeperOne of the big highlights here is Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew, a delightful blend of stealth and strategy, infused with a swashbuckling spirit. A genuine treat for anyone who enjoys stealth and meticulously planning their next move, the game was sadly the final title developed by Mimimi, as the studio shut down several weeks later. It's a genuinely fun gem of a game, and it was one of GameSpot's personal faves in 2023.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Grand Theft Auto VI now has a release date and a new trailer, so it's understandable to think that Rockstar Games might have opened preorders for the open-world crime game. For other games, a publisher might begin preorders after confirming a release date and posting a flashy trailer to capitalize on the hype. But no, that's not the case for GTA 6.Although we now know GTA 6 is set for release on May 26, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, retailers are not yet taking preorders. You should avoid any retailer currently trying to take your money to reserve the game, as it's likely a scam.Rest assured, when Rockstar announces preorder details for GTA 6, we'll report back with all the details. In addition to a standard version, it's expected Rockstar will offer premium-edition versions of the game, just like it did with GTA 5.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Crypt Custodian Physical Edition $30 for PS5 | $35 for Switch | Releases August 29 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart One of last year's best and most inventive metroidvanias is getting a physical release this summer. Crypt Custodian, one of the few games in the genre played from a top-down perspective, is slated to launch on August 29 for Nintendo Switch and PS5. It originally launched as a $20 digital-only title for all three console platforms and PC, but like many physical releases these days, Crypt Custodian is skipping Xbox. Fans can preorder Crypt Custodian's physical edition at Amazon or Walmart. Crypt Custodian Physical Edition $30 for PS5 | $35 for Switch | Releases August 29 This simple release gets you the base game on your platform of choice. There are no preorder bonuses or extra content included, but you do get a boxed copy of the game to add to your collection.The PS5 version costs $30, while the Nintendo Switch edition goes for $35. Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Crypt Custodian is the latest game from Kyle Thompson, the same developer behind two other excellent metroidvanias, Islets and Sheepo. While it continues the metroidvania gameplay design of those previous games, Crypt Custodian changes up the perspective to a top-down presentation akin to Hyper Light Drifter and classic Zelda games rather than a side-scroller. Players take the role of Pluto, a deceased cat who is now a janitor in the afterlife. The game features a varied, interconnected world to explore that's filled with upgrades to collect, secrets to uncover, and bosses to take down. Along the way, players will also complete side quests for the other lost souls stuck in limbo.If you're looking for physical editions of other recent indie metroidvanias, the psychedelic side-scroller Ultros is also getting a physical Switch release on August 28, and preorders are available now. A physical PS5 version of Ultros already launched and is available now, including a Deluxe Edition that includes three art cards, magnets, a digital artbook, digital soundtrack, and more.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

This story contains spoilers for HBO's The Last of Us.Isaac loves a good frying pan.In the newest episode of HBO's The Last of Us, Jeffrey Wright's character, Isaac, tortures a prisoner with a frying pan by burning his captor's hand with it. But it's not just any frying pan--it's a Mauviel.This is a very high-end cookware company founded in France back in 1830. Isaac gives a tense monologue to the prisoner, a Seraphite/Scar, telling him he struggled talking to women but was good at cooking so he would prepare food to impress his dates.He says he was good enough to use quality tools but didn't have the money. So he would go to Williams Sonoma stores and stare at Mauviel cookware, dreaming of one day--long into the future--being able to afford a Mauviel saucepan. In the end, Isaac was right, "just not how I planned."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Polybius: A Novel by Collin Armstrong $29 See at Amazon One of gaming's most fascinating urban legends becomes reality in a new novel published last week by Simon & Schuster imprint Gallery Books. Polybius, the debut novel by Collin Armstrong, transports readers to a small town during the golden age of arcade machines. Unfortunately for the citizens of Tasker Bay, the new game at their local arcade is about to wreak havoc on their daily lives. There are surprisingly few novels from major publishers centered around video games, and this one is definitely worth a read. Polybius is a fast-paced and thrilling tale that mixes psychological horror with sci-fi.Polybius is available now in hardcover ($29), ebook ($15), and audiobook format ($13.64 or 1 Audible Credit). Amazon included Polybius on its list of the best sci-fi and fantasy novels of May 2025. Polybius: A Novel by Collin Armstrong $29 The novel regularly switches narrative perspectives, but the main characters who drive the plot forward are teenagers Andi and Ro. Andi is a part-time employee of Home Video World, and Ro is a regular at the arcade who crushes on Andi from afar.When Home Video World acquires a new arcade cabinet of unknown origins, players, including Ro, immediately become transfixed by the advanced graphics and gameplay. Though not a gamer herself, Andi is a programmer with experience fixing the machine boards. After observing the obsessive and concerning behavior from Polybius players, she opens the cabinet to learn more about its tech and code. Believing the game is dangerous, Andi and Ro begin searching for the answers they need. All the while, Tasker Bay descends further into madness with each passing day.Polybius does a great job of turning the town of Tasker Bay into a compelling character of its own. Armstrong accomplishes this, in part, by utilizing numerous third-person perspectives beyond Andi and Ro, including Home Video World's sketchy owner, the town doctor (Andi's mom), the sheriff (Ro's dad), and multiple of Andi's and Ro's friends. These subplots are interspersed throughout, giving the novel a panoramic structure that showcases the different ways in which Polybius creates pandemonium.Even as someone who was already well-versed in the Polybius urban legend before reading the novel, the story's strong execution more than makes up for those "spoilers." That said, if you don't know the ins and outs of the urban legend, which dates back at least 25 years, you might as well read the novel without any additional research. I'll leave it at that.Bestselling horror author Richard Chizmar compared Polybius to Stranger Things in a blurb that appears on the dust jacket. After reading all 352 pages in two late-night marathon sessions, I can definitely see the similarities between Tasker Bay and Hawkins. And just like Stranger Things, amidst carnage and chaos, Polybius feels like horror-sci-fi comfort food. See at Amazon More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders Tomtoc Releases Nintendo Switch 2 Version Of Its Popular Form-Fitting Travel Case Lego Star Wars Day Sale Is Live - Get Two Free Sets With Jango Fett's UCS Starship All The Nintendo Switch 2 Games You Can Preorder Now + Show More More Gaming, Tech, and Entertainment Deals & Preorders Links (5) Studio Ghibli Movies With Collectible Steelbooks Are Available For Cheap 8BitDo Halts US Shipments Due To Tariffs, But You Can Get Great Controller Deals (For Now) You Won't Find Switch 2 Consoles On Amazon, But You Can Get Games & Gear Nintendo Switch 2 Preorders Sold Out - Games & Accessories Available Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Preorders Are Available Now Info from Gamespot.com

If you're interested in taking the plunge into the world of Monster Hunter, Fanatical has brought back one of its best bundles of the past year for a limited time. The Build Your Own Monster Hunter Bundle lets you get the Steam versions of Monster Hunter World and Rise for only 10 bucks. Fanatical previously offered this bundle last summer and earlier this year in the lead-up to the release of Monster Hunter Wilds. You have until June 2 to snag it this time around.We'd recommend snagging each game's sprawling expansion, too. You can get the base games as well as Rise's Sunbreak DLC and World's Iceborne DLC for only $18. Build your bundle at Fanatical Monster Hunter Game Bundle (May 2025)Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak2 for $10 / 4 for $18 / All 8 for $25Monster Hunter RiseMonster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak ExpansionMonster Hunter WorldMonster Hunter World: Iceborne ExpansionCosmetic DLC:If you can add the Deluxe Edition cosmetic DLC for the base games and expansions for an additional $7. The complete Monster Hunter Bundle costs $25.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The new Grand Theft Auto VI trailer illuminated many new details about the highly anticipated open-world game, including the fact that main character Jason is absolutely shredded. The trailer opens with a shirtless Jason climbing down off the roof after doing some repairs. A close-up of Jason reveals he's got cannons for arms, a built back, and some impressive chest gains.But how much can Jason bench? A sequence later in the trailer shows Jason on the beach, throwing up some impressive weight. In the trailer, we see Jason benching what appears to be 275lbs. Using weight plates from the amazingly fictional brand "GAINZ," we can see the outer-most plate is 25lbs. The inner ones look like 45-pound plates, so all of that weight combined with the bar (we are assuming it's the standard 45 pounds) and that comes to a mighty 275 pounds.No matter what anyone says, a 275-pound bench is impressive. In gym and lifting culture, a bench press of 225 is the standard for what aspiring lifters hope to achieve. Given Jason's general buff-ness, I'm not surprised to see him putting up more, and having a well-rounded physique in general.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com