Hades II has launched into Steam Early access, and it’s also Game Informer’s next cover story (which launches on May 14).  Whether you’re a returning fan or a newcomer, it may take a few runs to get your bearings as Hades II sports new progression systems, resources, and new layers to existing mechanics. It can be a lot to dig into, given the game more or less tosses you into the deep end without context for how things work, at least initially. Instead of spending several runs figuring things out, here’s a short, spoiler-free primer explaining some core new features to get you going on the right foot. 

What Are Ashes? 

Ashes are a currency used for unlocking Arcana cards. They serve a similar purpose as Darkness from the first game. They often appear as a reward for completing a room, but you can also purchase more from the Wretched Broker’s shop. 

What Are Arcana Cards, Grasp, And Psyche?

These are unlockable character perks found at the Altar of Ashes, located in The Crossroads. Fans can draw a similarity to the Mirror of Night from Hades 1. Examples of Arcana card effects include gaining two health points every time you exit a location or starting each run with 200 gold. Arcana cards require spending a certain amount of Ashes to obtain (and some require an additional resource). Cards consume portions of your Grasp. 

Grasp of the Arcana (or just Grasp for short) is a meter dictating how many Arcana cards a player can have active at once. Every Arcana card consumes a certain number of Grasp bars. If the Grasp meter has 10 bars, then equipping cards that consume 5, 3, and 2 bars would max it out. If you’re a Transistor fan, this system is similar to how managing Functions worked in that game. 

By spending a large amount of Psyche, another currency obtained by completing rooms, you can increase the limit of your Grasp. For example, instead of having only 10 bars, it could have 12 or 16. This way, you can have more cards active or use more powerful cards that consume a larger portion of Grasp. 

What Are The Purple Bones?

This is another resource/currency called Ancient Bones. It’s a reward for completing encounters and is primarily used to purchase resources from the Wretched Broker’s shop. 

How Do I Mine Ore, Fish, And Compel Shades?

During runs, you’ll come across metal ores prompting you to mine. In the first area, Erebus, you’ll find piles of silver crescent moons, for example. Additionally, certain shades prompt you to “compel” them, and you’ll also encounter fishing holes. 

These situations require one of Hades II’s Gathering Tools. Mining ore requires a pickaxe, fishing holes need a respective rod, and compelling shades require a magical tablet. You gain Gathering Tools at the Cauldron, but you’ll still need to trade specific resources to unlock them fully.

How Does The Cauldron Work? 

The Crossroads features a giant cauldron situated in front of Hecate. This is where you’ll bring resources/currencies gathered during runs to perform “incantations,” which are permanent upgrades for The Crossroads and general quality-of-life perks. 

For example, one incantation summons the Wretched Broker, allowing him to permanently set up shop in the Crossroads. Another unlocks the aforementioned Gathering Tools. One incantation even allows you to view the recipes for other incantations in the menu (before unlocking this, you can only view these recipes at the cauldron itself). One particular incantation is called Fated Intervention; without spoiling, prioritize unlocking this one. It likely won’t have an immediate effect, so be patient. 

One incantation that becomes available early (that you should unlock as soon as it does) is called Divination of the Elements. It allows Melinoe to perceive the elemental affinities of Olympian boons. 

What Are Elemental Affinities?

Olympian boons now have one of four elemental properties tied to them: fire, water, air, and earth. After unlocking Divination of the Elements, you’ll see small icons indicating each element on every boon you encounter. Demeter’s frost-based boons are generally (but not always) water types, while Hestia’s tend to be fire. 

The elemental affinity matters because there are now boons that can only be used if you possess enough boons of a certain elemental type. One may require you to have three wind-based boons in exchange for a powerful ability, for example. This adds another layer of strategy to selecting boons, as you’ll be torn between chasing a long-term investment or short-term power gain. 

Hades II is available now in Early Access on Steam and in the Epic Games Store. Be sure to check out our cover story hub below for exclusive Hades II stories and videos throughout the month. 

Hades II now available in Early Access. Yes, for real. Like right now. Why are you still reading this? Go play it, you've got some gods to kill/flirt with/buy things from/etc!

However, while you're waiting for it to download on PC, why not check out Game Informer's slew of exclusive Hades II content available right now because Supergiant's first sequel is gracing the next cover of our magazine:

• Hades II Cover Reveal
• Beating Hades II's second area and boss fight | New Gameplay Today
• Our Exclusive Hades II coverage hub

If you're hopping into Hades II today, which is now in Early Access after a quick bout of recent technical tests, you can purchase it on Steam or Epic Games Store for $29.99. 

🌒HADES II is HERE !!🌘

Experience the bewitching sequel to our god-like rogue-like, now available in Early Access.

🌜Steam: https://t.co/MwAiwL8ZeW
🌜Epic Games Store: https://t.co/bKD6BvLhw6#HadesGame #Hades2 #DeathToChronos pic.twitter.com/jXhqctKj95

— Supergiant Games (@SupergiantGames) May 6, 2024

Are you hopping into Hades II today? Let us know in the comments below!

Hades II, the much-anticipated sequel to Supergian's excellent roguelike, is entering Early Access today and is on the cover of Game Informer Magazine with incredible original art by acclaimed artist Jen Zee. Join Alex Van Aken – who visited Supergiant for the cover story and has played Hades II extensively – and myself for a look at the game's second area and boss fight. Spoilers ahead if you want to experience the locations and enemies for yourself, but otherwise, enjoy this New Gameplay Today episode!

This second area in Hades II is called Oceanus, an underwater realm Melinoë uses to bypass the armies of Chronos, the game's antagonist and Titan of Time. Oceanus is generally more difficult to navigate than Erebus, the first area, due to explosive hazards, more powerful ranged enemies, and darting schools of swordfish. The level culminates in a musical boss fight against a rock band of sirens led by Scylla, a well-known sea monster from Greek myth. Scylla sings while her keyboardist and drummer back her up. Despite sharing one health bar, the individual monsters can be stunned and knocked out of the fight, muting the appropriate instruments in the active music track.

See Oceanus And The Scylla Boss Fight In Action:

Head to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

This month, Hades II graces Game Informer's cover. After playing several hours of the Early Access build (which is publicaly available as of today), we traveled to Supergiant Games' studio in San Francisco to interview several of the core team members – creative director Greg Kasavin, studio director Amir Rao, art director Jen Zee, composer Darren Korb, and voice actor Logan Cunningham – to get the full story of the game's creation. The cover story reveals why Supergiant decided to create its first sequel, how it chose a new protagonist in Zagreus' sister, Melinoë, along with her mythological origins, and how the team is changing its approach to early access and the content it has planned for the future. It also features an in-depth breakdown of Hades II's new features and our impressions of the game so far. 

We want our cover story on Hades II to be a celebration of the game and a peek behind the curtain at Supergiant, with the hope that anyone who reads it will have a more exciting and informed experience when they play the much-anticipated sequel. If you're a fan of the original game or this new installment, we suspect you'll read about what we learned and discover even more about what makes the franchise so special.

The stunning cover art is an original piece by Supergiant's famed artist, Jen Zee. It depicts Melinoë, princess of the Underworld, as her mentor, Hecate, gazes at the moonlit horizon. 

Other features appearing in issue 366 include an interview feature with Digital Eclipse's Chris Kohler about how the studio conceived its Gold Master Series consisting of The Making of Karateka and Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story. Nolan Good discusses the history and continuing legacy of the long-running MMO, Final Fantasy XI. To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons, editor-in-chief Matt Miller visited Wizards of the Coast to preview its upcoming set of new rule books aimed at evolving the tabletop game. Wesley LeBlanc flew across the globe to Seoul, South Korea, to get an in-depth look at Nexon's upcoming free-to-play looter shooter, The First Descendant. For soon-to-be graduating students, cash in that success with your parents using our annual graduation gift guide. In addition, we have previews for titles including Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, The Rogue: Prince of Persia, Monaco 2, and Still Wakes the Deep. 

Not a print subscriber yet but want this issue? Well, you're in luck! Subscribing today – or within the next few days – will net you a print copy of this issue! You can join the ranks of the Game Informer print subscribers through our new standalone print subscription! Just head here to sign up for either one or two years at a fraction of the cost of buying the issues individually! You can even gift a print subscription to your favorite gamer!

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO THE PRINT MAGAZINE

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Print subscribers can expect their issues to arrive in the coming weeks. The digital edition launches on May 14 for PC/Mac, iOS, and Google Play. Individual print copies will be available for purchase in the coming weeks at GameStop.

 

Ghost of Tsushima, the hit 2020 PlayStation-exclusive samurai game, rides onto PC on May 16, and ahead of the game's launch there, developer Sucker Punch Productions has revealed players will not need a PlayStation Network account to play through the game's single-player story mode, as reported by VideoGamesChronicle. However, a PSN account will be required to play through Ghost of Tsushima's multiplayer Legends mode, or if you want to use the new PlayStation PC overlay to acquire trophies and more. 

This follows news from last week where PlayStation announced (and later walked back) that Helldivers 2 players will soon be required to link a PSN account to their Steam account, leading to widespread anger in the game's community. It seems Sucker Punch is looking to get ahead of this by revealing its PSN plans ahead of the game's launch in 10 days. 

Thank you for your feedback.

Just so you are aware, A PSN account is required for Legends online multiplayer mode and to use PlayStation overlay. It is not required to play the singleplayer game.

— Sucker Punch Productions (@SuckerPunchProd) May 3, 2024

If you're unfamiliar with Ghost of Tsushima: Legends, it's a standalone multiplayer experience that allows you and up to three other players to fight enemies in special missions, defeat waves of foes, and complete raids. A PSN account will be required to play Legends, but if you want to play through the game's story (and Iki Island expansion), you won't need one. 

Ghost of Tsushima hit PlayStation 4 on July 17, 2020, before launching on PlayStation 5 with a Director's Cut on August 20, 2021. This is the version of the game hitting PC in 10 days on May 16, 2024.

For more about the game, read Game Informer's Ghost of Tsushima review, and then read about why the Director's Cut of Ghost of Tsushima is a must-play for fans. 

[Source: VideoGamesChronicle]

Are you going to play Ghost of Tsushima on PC? Let us know in the comments below!

Update, 5/6/2024:

PlayStation will not be requiring Helldivers 2 players to link their Steam accounts to PlayStation Network accounts following widespread backlash from the game's community. This follows days of turmoil amongst players, leading to Helldivers 2 on Steam dropping from a "Mostly Positive"-rated game to "Mixed" for all reviews and "Mostly Negative" for recent reviews. Even the first Helldivers started receiving bad reviews as a result of this, according to developer Arrowhead Game Studios' CEO Johaan Pilestedt. 

"Helldivers fans – we've heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update," a post made today on X (formerly Twitter) reads. "The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward. 

"We're still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we'll keep you updated on future plans." 

Following this news, Pilestedt took to X to thank PlayStation for the change while noting how impressed they are with the Helldivers 2 community. 

Firstly, I am impressed by the willpower of the @helldivers2 community and your ability to collaborate. Secondly I want to thank our partners and friends at @PlayStation for quickly and effectively making the decision to leave PSN linking optional. We together want to set a new… https://t.co/2rayksgH1v

— Pilestedt (@Pilestedt) May 6, 2024

With this change not moving forward, the Helldivers 2 community can hopefully return to killing bugs and automatons in the name of democracy, with no need for linked accounts or review bombing. 

The original story continues below...

Original story, 5/3/2024:

Developer Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony Interactive Entertainment have announced that Helldivers 2 on Steam will soon require a PlayStation Network account to play. All new players from May 30 will have to link their Steam account to a PSN account, and all current players will have to do so by June 4. 

Up until this point, a PSN account was not required to play Helldivers 2 on PC via Steam, and with the sudden switch-up, players have taken to the game's Steam reviews to express their frustration. Admittedly, the game's rating is still "Very Positive," with roughly 80% of user reviews falling into this category, but that 80% is lower than it has been in the weeks prior. And now, if you look at the game's recent reviews, you'll find plenty of negative ratings over the required PSN account change. 

SIE says due to "technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire." That expiration begins on May 6 for new players and June 4 for current players. 

While frustration is understood, it's important to note a PlayStation console is not required to create a PSN account – creating one is free and can be done online, no PlayStation 5 required. SIE encourages players to do so ahead of the June 4 change. 

"We understand that while this may be an inconvenience to some of you, this step will help us continue to build a community that you are all proud to be a part of," the announcement reads. 

For more, read about the Democratic Detonation premium Warbond that drops into Helldivers 2 this week, and then read about how the latest Helldivers 2 update increased the level cap, added blizzards and sandstorms, and more. Check out Game Informer's Helldivers 2 review to find out why we think it's a must-play game. 

What do you think about these changes? Let us know in the comments below!

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When Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope – then simply known as Star Wars – hit theaters in 1977, it changed cinema. The grand scale, eye-popping visuals, and relatable cast of characters made it an instant classic and established the IP as one of the biggest of its time. However, it was its sequel, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back, that demonstrated that not only was creator George Lucas’ magnum opus more than a one-off fluke, but he had established a universe ripe for expansion. Read more...

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, special guest Niki Grayson (Giant Bomb, If You're Driving Close Your Eyes) joins Alex and Charles to discuss the wild mix of intellectual property featured in Funko Fusion, the best LEGO games, our time playing the Hades II Technical Test, and Game Informer's Tales of Kenzara: Zau review. Lastly, we've been catching up on new releases and ongoing games, including Fortnite's collaboration with Avatar: The Last Airbender, Halo Infinite, whimsical rock-climbing in Surmount, and No Rest For The Wicked.

Watch the Video Version:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Charles Harte (@ChuckDuck365), Niki Grayson (@Godsewa)

The Game Informer Show is a weekly gaming podcast covering the latest video game news, industry topics, exclusive reveals, and reviews. Join host Alex Van Aken every Thursday to chat about your favorite games – past and present – with Game Informer staff, developers, and special guests from around the industry. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.

Matt Storm, the freelance audio editor for The Game Informer Show, edited this episode. Matt is an experienced podcast host and producer who's been speaking into a microphone for over a decade. You should listen to Matt's shows like the "Fun" And Games Podcast and Reignite, a BioWare-focused podcast.  The Game Informer Show – Podcast Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Intro

10:40 - Hades II Technical Test

17:55 - Funko Fusion

33:50 - Fortnite and LEGO Fortnite

45:40 - Halo Infinite

49:10 - Tales of Kenzara: Zau Review and 2024 Metroidvanias

01:03:30 - Dabbling in Surmount and No Rest For The Wicked

After The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reinvented the series in 3D and became its new gold standard, Nintendo followed up with a surreal sequel in Majora's Mask. Set two months after the events of Ocarina, Link finds himself transported to an alternate version of Hyrule called Termina and must prevent a very angry moon from crashing into the Earth over the course of three constantly repeating days. Majora's Mask's unique structure and bizarre tone have earned it legions of passionate defenders and detractors, and one long-time Zelda fan is going to experience it for the first time to see where he lands on that spectrum.

Join Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard today and each Friday on Twitch at 2 p.m. CT as they gradually work their way through the entire game until Termina is saved. Archived episodes will be uploaded each Saturday on our second YouTube channel Game Informer Shows, which you can watch both above and by clicking the links below. 

Part 1 - Plenty of Time
Part 2 - The Bear
Part 3 - Deku Ball Z
Part 4 - Pig Out
Part 5 - The Was a Bad Choice!
Part 6 - Ray Darmani
Part 7 - Curl and Pound
Part 8 - Almost a Flamethrower
Part 9 - Take Me Higher
Part 10 - Time Juice
Part 11 - The One About Joey
Part 12 - Ugly Country
Part 13 - The Sword is the Chicken Hat

Watch on Twitch!

If you enjoy our livestreams but haven’t subscribed to our Twitch channel, know that doing so not only gives you notifications and access to special emotes. You’ll also be granted entry to the official Game Informer Discord channel, where our welcoming community members, moderators, and staff gather to talk games, entertainment, food, and organize hangouts! Be sure to also follow our second YouTube channel, Game Informer Shows, to watch other Replay episodes as well as Twitch archives of GI Live and more. 

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC this month, and while we know this sequel will be locked to 30 FPS on consoles, PC players will be able to tap into higher frame rates. Ahead of the game's May 21 launch, developer Ninja Theory has revealed the PC specs and system requirements for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II and to play the game at its best, you'll need quite a powerful system. 

If you're familiar with Ninja Theory's work, you likely already know it pushes the envelope with technology so it might not come as a surprise your PC will need to do the same. But if you're new to this team, or just want to check if you're ready for the game later this month, we've got you covered. 

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II PC Specs And System Requirements

Below is a chart released by Ninja Theory detailing everything you need to know about running Senua's Saga: Hellblade II at its most demanding, recommended specs, and even at the bare minimum. And as you can see, it's a game that requires a lot of power (click the image to enlarge). 

Hellblade II hits Xbox Series X/S and PC on May 21. 

For more, watch the latest Hellblade II trailer here, and then read about Hellblade II's photo mode and what to expect from it at launch. After that, watch this Hellblade II gameplay trailer. 

Is your PC prepared to run this game? Let us know in the comments below!

XDefiant, the free-to-play first person shooter starring factions across Ubisoft's catalogue of franchises, finally has a release date and it's out very soon. Ubisoft announced today that XDefiant drops onto PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (via Ubisoft Connect) on May 21. 

This is the day the XDefiant preseason will take begin, giving players a chance to enjoy the shooter before its official first season begins. This release date reveal follows various betas and tests for the game, which at one point, resulted in the game getting indefinitely delayed last year. 

"Thank you to everyone who participated in the Server Test Session," an XDefiant blog post reads. "It was exciting to see all the love for the game and the great feedback that was shared. Coming out of the test, we are excited to say that we will launch our Preseason on May 21 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Preseason will last 6 weeks before going into our seasonal cadence." 

As for that seasonal cadence, Ubisoft has already outlined the first four season, which together will encompass the game's Year 1 roadmap. You can check it out below: 

As for what to expect in XDefiant's preseason, there's a lot of content on offer, and it's all free: 

Factions

• Echelon (Splinter Cell)
• Phantoms (Ghost Recon Phantoms)
• Cleaners (The Division)
• Libertad (Far Cry 6)
• Dedsec (Watch Dogs 2, after unlocking or purchasing)

Maps

• Arena
• Attica Heights
• Dumbo
• Echelon HQ
• Emporium
• Liberty
• Mayday
• Meltdown
• Midway
• Nudleplex
• Pueblito
• Showtime
• Times Square
• Zoo

Modes

• Domination
• Hot Shot
• Occupy
• Escort
• Zone Control

Ubisoft says a new Ranked Mode Practice Playlist will be live in the preseason, too, giving players a practice go at the game's upcoming ranked mode where players battle it out in 4v4 competitive matches. This playlist will include 4v4 versions of Domination, Occupy, Escort, and Zone Control. 

All rewards earned during the previously held Server Test Sessions and Insider Sessions will be available at launch in the preseason. 

Here's another look at what to expect in XDefiant's 6-week preseason:

For more about the game, read Game Informer's XDefiant impressions after going hands-on with the game, and then check out this XDefiant New Gameplay Today for a look at how it plays. 

Are you hopping into XDefiant later this month? Let us know in the comments below!

Indika is very strange. The third-person adventure stars the titular character, a nun who hears voices from the devil himself. His demonic influence manifests into world-distorting gameplay sequences as Indika explores the rural wilds of early 20th-century Russia. Tack on bizarre pixel art flourishes and other overt video game elements, and we can't tell if Indika is taking itself seriously or not. But we do know that we want to keep playing it.

Join editors Marcus Stewart and Kyle Hilliard as they explore an early section of this attention-grabbing adventure available now on PC (and PS5 and Xbox SeriesX/S later this month). 

Head over to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

Keoken Interactive, developer of Deliver Us The Moon and Deliver Us Mars, has laid off nearly its entire staff. The studio’s two founders are the only remaining employees.

Founders Keon Deetman (CEO) and Paul Deetman (managing director) announced on social media that after the studio failed to secure funding during the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) in March, it had “exhausted all our possible options for publishing, work for hire, and co-development.” As a result, the remainder of its staff has been let go. GameIndustry.biz confirmed that 13 employees were affected, 11 of which were full-time and 2 freelance contractors. 

The Deetmans have made a call for any studios with open positions to hire its affected staff. The founders plan to stay in business and have vowed to rebuild, which includes launching a Kickstarter to crowdfund Deliver Us Home,  a sequel to Deliver Us Mars. 

It was clear Keoken was in trouble when the founders posted a video in March revealing it had been unable to land a publishing deal after spending two years pitching five games to over 40 publishers. Instead, the founders decided to publicly reveal these projects to help garner interest, one of which was Deliver Us Home and two were Deliver Us The Moon spin-offs, including a VR game. 

Keoken once employed 45 employees, but the headcount was reduced to 20 by March 2024 before four more employees were let go that month. In an interview with GameIndustry.biz, the Deetmans revealed they had gone months without collecting a salary to help stay afloat. 

Universal Orlando Resort has released a new video detailing what to expect at its Florida-based Super Nintendo World when it opens as a land in its Epic Universe theme park next year. In it, the company confirms the land will have three rides, including the Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness coaster that's expected to open later this year in Osaka, Japan's Super Nintendo World. 

The video includes digital fly-overs of the park, showing viewers what it will look like when it opens next year. If you've seen Super Nintendo World in Japan, this park looks nearly identical, with both the Donkey Kong Country (and mine cart coaster) section and the Mushroom Kingdom with Peach's Castle, Mt. Beanpole, the Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge augmented-reality ride and Yoshi's Adventure dark ride. 

Check it out for yourself in the new Super Nintendo World overview video below: 

As you can see, the Donkey Kong Mine Cart Madness coaster will feature state-of-the-art track technology that allows it to create the illusion that riders will actually jump off the tracks, just like in the Donkey Kong Country games. 

Like in Hollywood's Super Nintendo World, which does not have the Yoshi's Adventure ride or the Donkey Kong expansion as a result of space at the location, and Osaka's Super Nintendo World, guests can purchase Power-Up Bands to play in interactive Key Challenges to earn coins and more. Plus, returning locations like the Toadstool Cafe restaurant and more will be at Orlando's iteration of the park. 

Here's a look at some of the locations to expect when Universal Epic Universe opens next year: 

 

For more details about the park, read Game Informer's breakdown of everything coming to Epic Universe next year. After that, check out photos from our visit to Japan's Super Nintendo World, and then watch this vlog of our day at the theme park. 

Are you excited for Epic Universe and Orlando's Super Nintendo World? Let us know in the comments below!

Update, 2:47 p.m., May 2, 2024:

Earlier today, we learned that Take-Two Interactive, the company-publisher behind the Grand Theft Auto series, had closed Rollerdrome studio Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games. Both of those games, and many others including the recently released No Rest for the Wicked, were published by Private Division, an indie-publishing arm under Take-Two.

Now, in a new update from GamesIndustry.biz, the publication reports that Take-Two has shuttered the "vast majority" of Private Division's teams in Seattle, New York, Las Vegas, and Munich, according to one of its sources. When GamesIndustry.biz reached out to Take-Two for confirmation, the company issued the same statement that can be read in Game Informer's original story below. 

The original story continues below...

Original story, 9:48 a.m., May 2, 2024:

Take-Two Interactive, the company behind games like Grand Theft Auto V that also acquired mobile giant Zynga in 2022 in the second-biggest deal in games history, has closed Roll7 and Intercept Games, the studios behind Rollerdrome and Kerbal Space Program 2, respectively. After a report from GameDeveloper.com indicated Take-Two was laying off 70 people at Intercept Games, Bloomberg released a report confirming that Take-Two was shuttering both Intercept Games and Roll7. 

The publication reports that Take-Two is closing the London-based Roll7 and offering severance to staff. A notice filed with the Washington State Employment Security Department indicates that Take-Two is planning to close a Seattle-based studio with 70 employees, which aligns with Intercept Games' employee count and location. 

While Take-Two hasn't yet addressed the closures, it gave the following statement to IGN regarding the layoffs and the status of Kerbal Space Program 2, which launched into Early Access last year. 

"On April 16, Take-Two announced a cost reduction program to identify efficiencies across its business and to enhance the Company's margin profile while still investing for growth. As part of these efforts, the Company is rationalizing its pipeline and eliminating several projects in development and streamlining its organization structure, which will eliminate headcount and reduce future hiring needs. The company is not providing additional details.  "On April 18, Private Division successfully launched Moon Studio's No Rest for the Wicked. The label continues to make updates to Kerbal Space Program 2 and plans to release Wētā Workshop Game Studio's Tales of the Shire: A Lord of the Rings game in the second half of 2024." 

These closures arrive roughly a month after Take-Two announced it was laying off 5% (579 employees) at its various companies while canceling projects in the works. The publisher also acquired Gearbox Entertainment in late March. Roll7 won a BAFTA award for Rollerdrome last year and also developed 2022's OlliOlli World.

The hearts of the Game Informer staff are with everyone who's been affected by layoffs or closures. 

[Source: Bloomberg, IGN]

This article originally published on June 7, 2018

With the announcement of Fallout 76, fans are scrambling for clues that will shed light on the new game. A few concrete details come from the pre-existing information on Vault 76. Most vaults in Fallout were built for a specific purpose, and according to references in Fallout 3, Vault 76 supposedly held 500 people for exactly 20 years before opening and repopulating the surface.

Repopulation is important and all, but is this the most interesting route for a new Fallout? Playing a wastelander on a noble quest is something we’ve already done several times, but a game built around the events of a specific vault is an intriguing proposition. We delve into canon Fallout lore to reveal a bounty of bizarre and disturbing scenarios, any of which could make for an excellent spinoff.

Vault 12

Vault-Tec, the company who built the shelters spread across America, is a notoriously unethical corporation in the Fallout universe. In collaboration with the U.S. Government, Vault-Tec built most of its vaults around “social experiments,” testing the effects of isolation and other variables in the tightly controlled underground communities. 

Vault 12 is one of the most twisted of these experiments. Foregoing the very purpose of a fallout shelter, Vault-Tec intentionally left the door unsealed. Awash in deadly radiation, the survivors of Vault 12 were permanently transformed by Vault-Tec’s negligence.

Ghouls are familiar to anyone who’s played a Fallout game. Zombie-like in appearance, their rotting flesh is a product of exposure to massive amounts of radiation. Despite this, they’re often surprisingly empathetic characters, with thoughtful dialogue and a depth of experience taken from their horrifying life experiences.

One of the biggest hubs of ghouls is Necropolis, a city players may run across in the original Fallout. The massive population stems from, you guessed it, the residents of Vault 12.

Here’s the pitch: Survival horror on a community scale. Players try to maintain life as a resident in the vault while people get sick and decay. You decide who gets Rad-X and who has to bear the brunt of the radiation then manage the dividing populations as people turn to ghouls and lose sympathy for their fellow residents. Imagine a combination of some of the haunted vaults in Fallout 3 and the oppressive wartime decisions of This War of Mine and you’ve got Fallout: Vault 12.  

This, for a whole game.

Vault 29

One criticism of Bethesda’s Fallout games was the removal of the ability to kill children. Although sadistic, the complaint had two main pillars. Firstly, Fallout 1 and 2 had the ability; it benefited the player in no way and made virtually every NPC in the game hostile, but it was technically possible. Secondly, kids in the Fallout games have been historically ... very annoying.

Enter Vault 29, population: children. Another perversion of an experiment by Vault-Tec, no one over the age of 15 was allowed into the shelter. The only confirmed survivor, a mutant named Harold, emerged from the vault in 2090 and would go on to become one of the wasteland’s most influential residents.

Here’s the pitch: A dark, violent version of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. Harold entered the vault at age five and experiences his entire adolescence in the underground tunnels, so players would experience his life one year at a time. The early years would be chaos, both from the initial panic of being without adults, but also because we’d experience them as a kindergartner.

As time wears on, we’d mature and start to learn about the political structure of the vault. I’m picturing Battle School from Ender’s Game with multiple factions with different leaders and styles, all led by charismatic children. Like Ender’s Game, this game would still have truly bleak themes and conflict without resorting to kids toting firearms. As Harold, we’d come to understand the dynamic of the different factions, and fight to become a part of the most influential groups.

This, but ya know. Radioactive.

Vault 43

Twenty Men. Ten Women. One Panther. That’s the idea for Vault 43, a shelter that really calls into question Vault-Tec’s understanding of the word “experiment.” Nothing is known about the outcome of this vault, and that might be for the best.

Here’s the pitch: Asymmetrical multiplayer. The men and women work together to try and build a society that’s democratic, charitable, and most importantly, panther-proof. Meanwhile, the panther is slinking in and out of the shadows, testing the defenses and eating anyone who strays too far from the beaten path.

The game’s pace could play out similarly to Evolve. In the early rounds, the panther is weak but the residents don’t have access to many resources. As time goes on, the men and women can fortify doors and board up air vents, but they won’t be able to stop the panther from accessing more radioactivity than Dr. Manhattan. Sure, the humans have numbers on their side, but how many people is enough to stop a radioactive, mutant panther?

This, but it breaks. A lot.

Vault 53

Intended to test the inhabitants’ resilience to everyday inconveniences, appliances in Vault 53 were designed to break every few months. With 1000 residents, this meant a near-constant stream of necessary repairs to maintain basic living conditions. One can only imagine the psychological toll of living inside deliberately faulty infrastructure, especially when that infrastructure is absolutely necessary to keep out the devastation on the surface.

Here’s the pitch: A smaller and more intimate take on Fallout, styled after indie titles like Papers, Please. Each day would bring new items to repair and new pressures to consider. For instance, the vault’s quartermaster needs his air circulator fixed. You have the skills to do this, but your family also needs more nutrients than daily rations allow. Do you repair the unit and hope that your good faith sways him, or refuse to give his unit back until he delivers the needed food?

Repairs would gradually get more complex, and the needs in the vault would grow more dire. As more systems in the shelter failed, there’d be no way to satisfy everyone. Vault 53 demands you make sacrifices; where those sacrifices come from is up to you.

Vault 69

Vault 69 begs the question: was anyone at Vault-Tec ever a scientist?

The vault had the standard thousand residents, but only one of those residents was a man. Less the product of principled hypotheses and more that of a giggling middle schooler, Vault 69 has virtually no available information.

Here’s the pitch: Uhh, no comment on this one

This, but not a dog. A puppet.

Vault 77

Although we don’t have the name of the sole resident of Vault 77, we do have a significant amount of information on his circumstances. Locked into the shelter alone, it took more than a year for him to open the crate marked “Government Issue: Puppet Ration.” Once he did, he swiftly descended into a delusional and codependent relationship with the inanimate objects.

After developing an intimate bond with one in particular (a puppet sporting a Vault-Tec jumpsuit similar to his own), the man eventually left the vault. Accompanied by the puppet and a tamed giant ant named “Mr. Pinch,” his expedition into the wasteland was an unwilling miasma of violence and death, led by the whims of his puppet.

Here’s the pitch: Styled after A Way Out, this linear adventure would be a mandatory co-op experience. I’ll get this out of the way now; yes, the player assigned to the puppet would have to spend the first hour or so in a box. It’s important to the characters’ motivations. Once the two players are united however, it would largely be the puppet’s show.

The puppet could tell the human character where to walk, which quests to take, who to kill. Although the human may have locomotion, the puppet ironically holds all the power.

Fallout is a series that embraces both the devastation and the absurdity of post-apocalyptic life. It’d be great to see Bethesda to keep experimenting with the style of games in its unique universe. Just, for the love of god, stay away from Vault 69.

Head here to read our review of the first season of the Fallout TV show. And here are the lessons someone should (and shouldn't) take from Fallout. For a more serious take, check out our exhaustive history on the making of Fallout 4.

The late legend Kobe Bryant has served as the cover star for NBA 2K24 and, for many, a strong incentive to reach the top Collector Level in the game's MyTeam mode. As the NBA playoffs' first round wraps up, many fans are more disappointed than excited with the most recent NBA 2K title, as developer Visual Concepts has pulled back on a promise made prior to launch. 

In the lead-up to the game's release date, the NBA 2K24 developer Visual Concepts released a blog post running down the features of its card-collection mode, MyTeam. In that blog post, the developer laid out several features and rewards for the then-upcoming title. It took special care to devote a section to an upcoming Collector Level reward, Kobe Bryant. 

In that post, the developer highlights just how crucial Collector Level rewards are to the overall MyTeam experience. "Collector level rewards have always been important in MyTEAM, and last year the rewards came as surprises with a hidden end goal," the blog post from prior to launch stated. "So let's look forward a few months and reveal that Kobe Bryant will be the top reward in the Collector Level, and this reward will be available in April, during Season 6."

First reported by The Washington Post's Herb Scribner, with further reporting done by Forbes' Paul Tassi, NBA 2K24 has changed its top Collector Level reward to not include Kobe Bryant. Instead, players can now choose from two previously released 100-overall cards. However, according to multiple community members, the most recent 100-overall card, Yao Ming, is not an option for players to choose from.

Centering a Collector Level reward around such an iconic and beloved player likely encouraged many to grind (or spend) to achieve the top Collector Level and obtain the reward. Many players have taken to social media and the NBA 2K Community Discord server to voice their displeasure. As of this writing, neither the official NBA 2K nor NBA 2K MyTeam account has posted anything regarding the situation, and the "developer-supported and community-run" NBA 2K Subreddit contains zero posts about the missing reward. However, the MyTeam Subreddit has multiple player-posted threads regarding the problem.

The only community-facing comment from the NBA 2K team that I have found was posted on the official NBA 2K Community Discord. That comment matches the comment provided to me by a 2K spokesperson when I requested comment from the publisher. You can read the entire statement provided by a 2K spokesperson below.

2K strives to deliver the very best NBA 2K24 MyTEAM experience to the community. Please note that a change to a reward has occurred. Players who achieve a top Collector Level will now receive an Option Pack for two picks out of ten previously released 100 OVR Cards. We appreciate that players have dedicated time and effort throughout the year to achieve this reward and 2K is committed to ensuring players continue to earn valuable content as their reward.

I followed up requesting additional information on why the change was made, but the spokesperson declined to comment further. Some online speculation has posited that licensing issues are to blame, but there is no confirmation or evidence to support that theory outside of 2K's unwillingness to comment further at this time.

NBA 2K24 arrived on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC on September 8, 2023. While the gameplay is one of the stronger elements of the title, among our reviewer's chief complaints involved the increasingly intrusive microtransactions that permeate multiple long-term modes within the game. This controversy surrounding one of the most monetized modes does little to refute that criticism. You can read our full review here.

The Batman: Arkham series redefined the superhero genre and changed the course of action games in the decade following Arkham Asylum's release. While four mainline entries – Asylum, City, Origins, and Knight – delivered similar gameplay, a smaller spin-off game, 2016's Batman: Arkham VR, let players step into the shoes of the Caped Crusader using their PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, or HTC Vive headset. Batman: Arkham VR felt more like a tech demo than a fully fleshed-out game, but its relatively high sales showed that the appetite was there. Today, Oculus Studios announced another VR title set in the Batman: Arkham universe titled Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Though Rocksteady Studios, the developer of Asylum, City, and Knight, was behind Batman: Arkham VR, the developer that most recently released Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League does not appear to be involved with Batman: Arkham Shadow. Instead, Camouflaj, the studio behind République and Iron Man VR, is in charge of Batman: Arkham Shadow. 

Details are scarce, but Camouflaj founder and studio head Ryan Payton penned a letter on behalf of the team, which is posted on the studio's website. "From the start, Batman: Arkham Shadow is being crafted to be the ultimate VR game and take full advantage of the Meta Quest 3," the letter said. "Leaning into our eight years of dedicated VR game development history has enabled us to not only create a distinctly Arkham-feeling game but done in a way that leverages the immersive magic only VR can provide."

"Batman: Arkham Shadow is the largest Camouflaj development project to date and marks our second release as a first party member of Oculus Studios, following 2022's critically-acclaimed release of Marvel's Iron Man VR for Quest 2," the letter later said.

When combined with the key art, the teaser trailer seems to hint at The Ratcatcher being the main villain in this title. Check out the very brief teaser video below.

We can expect a full reveal at Summer Game Fest 2024's livestream, set for June 7 at 2 p.m. PT. Batman: Arkham Shadow is coming exclusively to Meta Quest 3 later this year.