gaming

Naomi Osaka — four-time Grand Slam champion, outspoken activist and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur — is joining Fortnite‘s Icon Series with a range of outfits and accessories. Inside the collection, Fortnite has crafted several fantastical iterations of the tennis star’s style, including the “Naomi Osaka Outfit,” which arrives with the “Royale Racket Pickaxe/Back Bling,” and the “Dark Priestess Naomi Outfit,” which comes with the “Portalforger Paddle Pickaxe/Back Bling.” Additionally, the Naomi Osaka Set includes the “The Queen’s Cloudcarriage Glider” and the “Cursed Hazeboard Glider,” along with a new “Serve Stance Emote.” Osaka is only the latest star to join the Epic Games title’s ever-expanding Icon Series, following the likes of Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak, Major Lazer, Marshmello, ...

Wordle fans who have found the original word game to be too easy will now be able to simultaneously solve eight different puzzles with a more difficult version, Octordle. Other versions of the game including Quordle, where players solve four Wordles at once and Dordle where two are solved at the same time, have gained great traction for those looking for an extra challenge for their daily word game. With Octordle, players have 13 guesses to identify all eight words simultaneously. Similar to Quordle, once you have solved one puzzle, the gridlocks off, narrowing the player’s concentration for the other words. While Wordle has recently been purchased by the New York Times other renditions of the game are not affiliated with the publication. Recently, fans of the game have complained that the...

With titles like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and now Elden Ring, Japanese video game developer FromSoftware has built up a reputation of creating games that are difficult to beat over the years, and it’s not looking to change that anytime soon. In a recent interview with The New Yorker, famed FromSoftware game designer Hidetaka Miyazaki says that creating hard games is part of the company’s DNA. “We are always looking to improve, but, in our games specifically, hardship is what gives meaning to the experience,” the creative explained. “So it’s not something we’re willing to abandon at the moment. It’s our identity.” He went on to elaborate that he doesn’t see dying in-game as a failure but as part of a process that will ultimately bring an even greater reward. “I’ve never been a...

Earlier this week, Goldin Auctions announced that an ultra-rare mint condition, 1998 holographic “Illustrator” Pikachu Pokémon card sold for $900,000 USD. This card, which shattered the previous record of $375,000 USD, is now the most expensive Pokémon card ever sold. Only 40 of these cards are known to exist with the one sold to be in a condition of “near mint 7.” Only one other copy of the card has bever been graded with the same near-mint condition. When the card first hit the auction block in early February, the offers came in as low as $75,000 USD, however, a bidding war in the following weeks took the price to new heights. To put the price in perspective, a mint nine condition Illustrator Pikachu sold only for $195,000 USD in 2019, while a near-mint seven copy sold for $375,000 USD i...

Sony has now seemingly patented new graphics technology for its PlayStation 5, suggesting that an upgraded console could be on its way. According to new reports, the gaming giant’s PlayStation 5 architect Mark Cerny has registered a new patent that details a system for “accelerated ray tracing with asynchronous operation and ray transformation.” The filing was first spotted by Twitter user Onion00048 and while the diagrams don’t really capture how much more enhanced the console’s graphics capabilities will be, it’s expected to be a significant upgrade for games offering ray tracing, which often requires a drop in either framerate, resolution or both. Of course, it’s also important to note that many tech companies often file a whole range of patents revolving around new features, and often ...

New leaks have surfaced suggesting that there are still a lot of maps to come for Halo Infinite. According to a dedicated Halo Twitter account @HaloHub, data miners discovered a list of more than 20 maps before the game itself actually launched last year, and more than 10 are still unreleased. The account also says that the dozen or so maps are currently “in the pipeline for the game in various stages of development,” although no precise timeline has been given as to when they’ll eventually hit the game. The decision to add more maps wouldn’t come as a surprise. Since launch, the player base for Halo Infinite has dropped quite significantly: its 250,000 peak is now down to just roughly 30,000 on average. Injecting new maps to the game would help to bring more players back while satisfying ...

With The Batman arriving at theaters in just a few days, celebrations of the movie are in full swing, and now to extend its tradition, Robert Pattinson‘s brand new Batmobile will also be joining Rocket League. Starting this week, players will be able to purchase the all-new Batman Bundle, which will include the Batmobile’s body itself using a Dominus hitbox, the car’s engine audio, wheels, boost, and trail as well as a Dark Knight matte paint finish, a Reel Life decal and a special Goal Explosion themed after the Caped Crusader. The entire bundle will go for 1,100 in-game credits at the Rocket League item shop. Playable vehicle aside, the game itself will also be bringing back Gotham City Rumble as a game mode for a limited time. For fans of The Batman, the bundle and game m...

Pokémon fans will soon be able to play the next two installments in the Pokémon mainline series. The ​​open-world games Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are coming to Nintendo Switch in late 2022. The news was unveiled in a 14-minute Pokémon Presents live stream for Pokémon Day 2022 on Sunday. At the start of the game, Trainers will have the option to choose between three different starter Pokémon: Sprigatito the Grass Cat, Fuecoco the Fire Croc or Quaxly the Water Duckling. Sprigatitio has the Overgrow ability, while Fuecoco has the Blaze ability. Quaxly, meanwhile, has the Torrent ability. The Pokémon Company referred to the landscape as an “open world where various towns with no borders blend seamlessly into the wilderness.” The games will feature new regions, from countryside pasture...