gaming

‘Tis the season for not only holidays but data as well. As companies, brands and the media look back on 2022, data guides conversation and reflection. With recent wrap-ups from the likes of Sony PlayStation and Spotify, Nintendo now joins in on the fun with a comprehensive breakdown of users’ usage info for 2022. Utilizing data as of November 30, 2022, Nintendo offers key points to review. Upon signing into the website, ones most played titles are listed alongside games played at launch and titles revisited for several years in a row. Various generated graphics accompany each category with additional data below listing the five most played titles, noting number of different days the game was played, hours played, what month it was most played and more. Wrapping things up, time spent by gen...

Square Enix’s Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion has officially launched today. To celebrate the game’s release, UK-based tree sculptor Simon O’Rourke also unveiled a one-off tree carving featuring the legendary Buster Sword. Buster Sword is an iconic weapon from the Final Fantasy VII realm that has been yielded by various characters. Simon O’Rourke’s wooden reiteration of the acclaimed blade took around 30 hours to make. The sculptor first had to strip off the tree’s outer layers using various chainsaws, then gradually refine the details using drills, grinders, and rotary tools. Metal inserts were also implemented to reinforce more fragile parts of the tree, while LED lights are added to illuminate the branches for a touch of festivity. [embedded content] Speaking about his creation, ...

The Call of Duty franchise is gearing up for a midseason update across Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0. Arriving alongside new operators, weapons, and festive map changes is a limited-time Warzone Cup game mode inspired by the popular title Rocket League. In the limited-time mode, two teams of three Operators converge at the Al Easima Field where they are given special ATVs equipped with a pulse ability that can push the massive footballs into the other team’s goal. To stall opponents, Players can collect and toss Shock Sticks or activate boost to ram enemy vehicles. The winner is decided either when a team scores five goals or when the five-minute time limit is elapsed. Available in this mode are Operators including soccer stars Neymar Jr., Lionel Messi, or Pa...

With The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt next-gen update set for a December 14 release on the Sony PlayStation 5, many are wondering if they should bother with the replay and what the update adds to one of the “greatest video games ever made.” First up, the update makes use of the DualSense Controller’s capabilities for a more immersive experience. “The developers approached this task in a way that would give the player a visceral connection to not only Geralt but also throughout the wider Witcher world using the fantastic DualSense 5 technology,” comments Engineering Director for Management and Audio, Colin Walder. “Feeling every swing and strike, every casted Sign, and the earth under your boots is a real joy, and coupling this with new immersive 3D Audio creates those added layers of immersion in ...

It’s official, Playstation 4 and 5 users can now access and share their annual wrap-up and gaming achievements. Much like Spotify Wrapped, Sony’s Playstation 2022 Wrap-Up will include personalized stats for gamers, everything from total hours played to the number of trophies earned throughout the year. To access your very own PlayStation end-of-year roundup, simply log in with an existing PlayStation account on the official 2022 Wrap-Up webpage. After logging in, users will be prompted to view their stats from the following sections: total play time, top games, trophies earned, as well as PS Plus-related data. After choosing one of the categories above, it will redirect the user to view a more detailed breakdown which can be shared via social media. Those who own and played any PlayStation...

Square Enix has dropped a whole new teaser, along with confirmed release dates for its Final Fantasy XVI game. The latest installment to the Final Fantasy franchise is scheduled for release in June 2023 for the Playstation 5 as a timed exclusive, and it won’t be available on other gaming platforms until the end of the year. The game’s producer, Naoki Yoshida confirmed earlier this year in a conversation with IGN that, while Final Fantasy XVI will draw inspiration from other AAA open-world games, it will function as more of an “area-based” game. The latest teaser also provided glimpses of actual gameplay along with cinematic cut scenes, highlighting the central theme of revenge for the game’s premise. Playstation 5 owners can look forward to playing Final Fantasy XVI as early as June 22, 20...

Netflix has unveiled the first game that it will be debuting from its partnership with Ubisoft. Valiant Hearts: Coming Home is a mobile title, available exclusively to Netflix subscribers in 2023, following its world premiere at The Game Awards. Valiant Hearts is set during World War I, painting a harrowing and emotional narrative about sacrifice, friendship and the struggle to survive. The game follows four different heroes and their experiences in the war. Netflix says the game pays tribute to the Harlem Hellfighters, the first African American infantry unit to fight in WWI. Players will embark on a series of challenges, difficult choices and exploration, all of which are underlined with themes of brotherhood and unity. The game is being directed by the original team from Valiant Hearts:...

The official date for the release of Diablo IV has just been confirmed by Blizzard Entertainment. Thought to originally be slated for an April release date next year, a new cinematic trailer revealed at The Game Awards indicates that the official date is June 6, 2023. In the epic teaser, we see the ongoing Eternal Conflict of heaven and hell where soldiers are doing battle against the demon spawn of hell. Things get interesting when Inarius shows off his power and approaches the battlefield on his own to hunt down Lilith. If the game is as dark as the trailer, fans that grew up with the franchise are in for a treat when this game drops. In other gaming news, Hideo Kojima reveals Death Stranding 2 with a four-minute teaser. Read Full Article

Hideo Kojima‘s next project has just been revealed at this years Game Awards and it is in fact a sequel to Death Stranding. Teased as Death Stranding 2 (Working Title), Kojima revealed that the follow-up game was already in the works prior to the global pandemic, but was forced to rewrite the entire story as he was tired of “predicting the future.” He elaborated on the notion with, “I had the story written before the pandemic, but after experiencing the pandemic, I rewrote the whole thing from scratch. Also didn’t want to predict any more future, so I rewrote it.” The teaser is pure Kojima as it leaves viewers with a number of questions all the while sprinkling in some quotable one-liners and epic music. From the teaser we see a grown Lou, the return of Lea Seydoux as Fragile and an aged S...