Grand Theft Auto VI's reveal last December sent fans into a tizzy, but its then-distant 2025 release window immediately tempered that excitement. While the launch seemed more in reach now that we’re nearly midway through 2024, it appears we’ll have to wait another full year before playing it.

Publisher Take-Two released its 2024 year-end financial report today (thanks, PC Gamer), in which it states that Rockstar is targeting a Fall 2025 release window for GTA VI. This timing is reiterated in a calendar of the publisher’s upcoming releases, posted below.

Click to enlarge

Regarding GTA VI, Take-Two states, “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.” The game is slated to release for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. A PC version has yet to be mentioned. 

Grand Theft Auto VI takes players to a modern-day Vice City (the franchise's parody of Miami, FL) and stars two protagonists, a female inmate named Lucia and her still-unnamed criminal male partner. To say anticipation is high would be an understatement; the premiere trailer garnered over 100 million views in only 24 hours, breaking a YouTube record. 

As we continue the long wait for Grand Theft Auto VI’s launch, check out our video of Game Informer’s two resident Florida Men reacting to the debut trailer. You can also read about Take-Two's recent closure of developers Roll7 (Rollerdrome, OlliOlli World) and Intercept Games (Kerbal Space Program 2).

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, we discuss several of the best indie games you might've missed amidst this month's releases. Specifically, we discuss Animal Well's mysteries, revisiting Hades I, Lorelai and the Laser Eyes, Paper Trail, With My Past, Indika, and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. 

Watch The Video Version:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes), Charlie Wacholz (@chas_mke)

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

00:05:05 - Animal Well

00:18:16 - Hades

00:29:33 - Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

00:38:32 - Paper Trail

00:50:12 - Endless Ocean Luminous

01:01:29 - With My Past Review

01:11:14 - Indika Review

01:24:44 - Killer Klowns from Outer Space

01:31:52 - Housekeeping

Ghost of Tsushima, specifically the Director's Cut, is out on PC today. It's a fantastic game that should be welcomed with open arms as it makes its way to a new platform, but we were specifically curious about how it performs on Steam Deck. The game is not Steam Deck verified primarily because certain features are not supported on Valve's handheld, or other comparable mobile PC game platforms. However, the offline content (the single-player campaign and the expansion) has been specifically adjusted to play well on Steam Deck. You can read port studio Nixxes Software explanation here. And spending a little time with the game shows that the single-player campaign does, in fact, play well on Steam Deck. It's not without its shortcomings – a high-end PC or a PlayStation 5 are still the best ways to play the game – but Steam Deck appears to be a great way to play the game if that's your only option or you want a portable version.

You can check out some gameplay with commentary from myself and Wesley LeBlanc below.

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.

Phoenix Labs, the developer behind last year's Fae Farm and Dauntless, has laid off staff and canceled in-development games as part of a restructuring at the studio. Polygon's Nicole Carpenter is reporting on X (formerly Twitter) that more than 100 people at Phoenix Labs were laid off. 

Shortly after Carpenter reported that, Phoenix Labs released the following statement: 

"Today is an incredibly difficult day. After a long period of evaluating how to navigate our economic structure, we have had to significantly restructure the company to pave a path for a strong future. We are reorganizing Phoenix Labs to focus on our best-in-class live service titles, Dauntless and Fae Farm, and serving their communities.  "This unfortunately means canceling work on all other projects at the studio, which will impact many of our colleagues immediately. We are giving notices to everyone whose roles are affected. This restructure has not come easily, and truly has been the last resort to ensure Phoenix Labs can survive, and thrive in the long term. It's impossible to put into words how deeply we value every talented individual who have contributed their hard work and passion to every project at our studio.  "We are doing all we can to help our departing team members in this interim period and encourage any studios looking for incredible talent to speak with the one-of-a-kind people that have been a part of Phoenix Labs' journey." 

Phoenix Labs released its latest game, Fae Farm, back in September, and Dauntless before that in 2019. 

These layoffs join a string of other disheartening 2024 layoffs and closures, which now total more than 10,000 in just the first five months of the year. 

Square Enix announced earlier this week it will begin layoffs as part of "structural reforms," starting this week. 

Earlier this month, Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall studio Arkane Austin. Take-Two Interactive closed Rollerdrome studio Roll7 and Kerbal Space Program 2 studio Intercept Games alongside major layoffs to its indie-publisher Private Division label. That same week, we learned Deliver Us Mars developer Keoken Interactive had laid off nearly its entire staff. 

Elsewhere in the year, EA laid off roughly 670 employees across all departments, resulting in the cancellation of Respawn's Star Wars FPS game. PlayStation laid off 900 employees across Insomniac, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla, and more, closing down London Studio in the process, too. The day before, Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games announced it laid off 90 employees. 

At the end of January, we learned Embracer Group had canceled a new Deus Ex game in development at Eidos-Montréal and laid off 97 employees in the process. Also in January, Destroy All Humans remake developer Black Forest Games reportedly laid off 50 employees and Microsoft announced it was laying off 1,900 employees across its Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax teams, as well. Outriders studio People Can Fly laid off more than 30 employees in January, and League of Legends company Riot Games laid off 530 employees. 

Lords of the Fallen Publisher CI Games laid off 10 percent of its staff, Unity will lay off 1,800 people by the end of March, and Twitch laid off 500 employees. 

We also learned that Discord had laid off 170 employees, that layoffs happened at PTW, a support studio that's worked with companies like Blizzard and Capcom, and that SteamWorld Build company, Thunderful Group, let go of roughly 100 people. Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive also reportedly laid off 45 people, too. 

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

[Source: Polygon]

Students across the land are donning gowns and readying their cap-throwing arms. If you’ve got a gaming or tech fan celebrating their big accomplishment, it’s likely you may also be looking for a way to congratulate them on their achievement. We’ve assembled a curated selection of tech, toys, tabletop games, and more to delight the new graduate this year. Read more...

EA Sports College Football finally has a release date, cover stars, and two different editions. The long-awaited return to college football hits PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on July 19.

Gracing the cover of the game’s Standard edition are Michigan Wolverines running back Donovan Edwards, Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers, and Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter. Check out the Standard and Deluxe covers in the gallery below.

 

The cover reveal comes a day before the game's full debut tomorrow. So far, we know that College Football 25 features 134 FBS schools, and it's being developed by Madden developer EA Orlando. The game was first announced in 2021 following a years-long hiatus for college football games due to the 2014 player likeness compensation lawsuit.

Both editions are now available for pre-order. The Standard Edition costs $69.99 and consists of the base game, Alma Mater and Cover Athlete Ultimate Team packs, and Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item. 

The $99.99 Deluxe Edition includes three days of early access (July 16-18), 4600 College Football Points, Heisman Hopeful/Alma Mater/Cover Athlete Ultimate Teams packs, and the Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item.

Lastly, a $149.99 MVP Bundle includes the Deluxe editions of EA Sports College Football 25 and the upcoming Madden NFL 25. 

Activision, the developer-publisher Microsoft and Xbox purchased for $69 billion last year, has formed a new studio called Elsewhere Entertainment, and it is developing a new "narrative-based and genre-defining AAA franchise." The studio is based in Warsaw, Poland, and, according to a report from IGN, it is not working on a Call of Duty-related project. 

This studio, which has been formed behind-the-scenes before today's public unveiling, arrives roughly one week after Xbox closed four Bethesda studios, including Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Redfall team Arkane Austin. While the company has yet to publicly address the closures directly, Xbox president Sarah Bond said in an interview that the closures were about keeping the business healthy in the long-term. It's why news of this new studio might be surprising, given one week ago, the parent company of Activision was closing studios to cut costs. 

"Built from the ground up, Elsewhere Entertainment is a premier and standalone studio dedicated to establishing an environment that inspires bold and diverse ideas," a blog post reads. "The team's underlying mission encourages everyone to explore and collaborate creatively to craft a franchise with an enduring legacy that resonates far beyond games. [The] new studio has full access to Activision's resources and tools as it continues to increase production and development. 

"Elsewhere is opening its search for best-in-class talent from across the industry and around the world to help create a state-of-the-art and next generation gaming experience." 

Elsewhere is currently made up of developers with experience working on franchises like The Last of Us, Uncharted, The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077, Destiny, Tom Clancy's The Division, and Far Cry. 

What kind of game do you hope Elsewhere makes? Let us know in the comments below!

Summer Game Fest will bring together more than 55 developers, publishers, partners, and more, including the likes of PlayStation, Xbox, and various others. The SGF livestream, which kicks off the multi-day event, happens at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET on June 7 from Los Angeles' YouTube Theater. It will feature announcements, first-looks, trailers, and more. 

Ahead of that livestream and the subsequent invite-only Play Days for hands-on gameplay, SGF has unveiled the first wave of partners taking part in this summer's festivities. We've bolded some of the bigger names appearing: 

• 2K
• Amazon Games
• Annapurna Interactive
• Arc Games
• Atari
• Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Blumhouse Games
• Bokeh Game Studio
• Capcom
• Day of the Devs
• Deep Silver
• Devolver Digital
• Discord
• Dolby
• Electronic Arts
• Embark Studios
• Epic Games
• Focus Entertainment
• Funcom
• HoYoverse
• iam8bit
• Indie Angels
• Innersloth
• Ironmace
• Jyamma Games
• Level Infinite
• Magic the Gathering
• Meta
• NCSoft
• NetEase Games
• Netflix Games
• Nexon
• Niantic
• Plaion
• PlayStation
• Pocketpair
• Private Division
• Razer
• Recreate Games
• Riot Games
• S-Game
• Samsung Gaming Hub
• Seasun Games
• Sega
• SNK
• Steam
• Sunblink
• Supercell
• Thunderful Games
• TiMi Studio Group
• Tom Banner Studios
• Ubisoft
• Uncapped Games
• WB Games
• Xbox 

Alongside today's partner news, SGF says it will also stream Day of the Devs: SGF Edition on June 7, immediately following the SGF live showcase. Tickets for the SGF live showcase in Los Angeles are now available for purchase, but if you can't attend in person, it will also stream on YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, X, Steam, and a variety of other international partners. 

SGF isn't the only gaming event happening this summer—check out Game Informer's 2024 summer gaming showcase schedule to see what else is in store. 

What do you hope to see during this year's SGF showcase? Let us know in the comments below!

Manor Lords, the medieval strategy city-builder and one of 2024's surprise hits, has surpassed two million copies sold. The game has only been available in PC Early Access since April 26, meaning it achieved this milestone in only three weeks.

Publisher Hooded Horse announced the sales account for Steam, Epic, GOG, and the Microsoft Store (where Manor Lords is also playable through PC Game Pass). The game quickly caught fire, selling 1 million copies a day after launch. Since then, Manor Lords has enjoyed a consistently high concurrent player count, peaking at 173,000 on Steam in its first weekend.  

Manor Lords is being developed by Slavic Games and puts players in the shoes of a medieval lord tasked with building and growing a city. Players manage their city’s community, infrastructure, economy, and defense/expansion, the latter of which unfold as large-scale tactical battles. The intricate social and production systems combined with an ever-changing world (complete with seasonal and weather changes) result in an organic metropolis that players have taken to in a big way. 

Manor Lords joins Early Access hits this year, such as Palworld and Hades II. The game’s 1.0 launch is currently up in the air as the game continues to change and improve based on player feedback. It’s off to a great start, though, and we’re curious to see how it evolves throughout its EA period. 

You will need an internet connection to install Assassin's Creed Shadows, but after that, the entire experience can be played offline, Ubisoft has announced. The company did so after word online spread that Shadows requires a mandatory online connection to play the game. 

Following the reveal of Shadows yesterday, which showcased the dual samurai and shinobi protagonists we'll be controlling in 16th-century feudal Japan, people noticed wording in preorder listings and elsewhere that seemingly pointed to the game requiring an always-online connection. This frustrated fans of the series, especially given Shadows, like its recent predecessors, is a single-player game. However, that's not the case and Ubisoft released a statement today to clear the air. 

"Hey everyone, we wanted to share some of the early information on the upcoming launch of Assassin's Creed Shadows, following some questions we've noticed in the community," the statement reads. "Assassin's Creed Shadows will not require a mandatory connection at all times. An online connection will be needed to install the game, but you will be able to play the entire journey offline, and explore Japan without any online connection.  "We are super excited to bring Assassin's Creed to Feudal Japan on November 15 when the game releases, and we cannot wait to show you more along the way." 

As you can see, it's clear Shadows is a game you can play offline, but only after connecting to the internet once to actually install the RPG. 

Assassin's Creed Shadows hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Amazon Luna, PC (via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), and Mac (with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store) on November 15.

For more, check out what we learned yesterday during the Shadows reveal, and then read Game Informer's ranking of the entire Assassin's Creed series.

How do you feel about needing internet to install Assassin's Creed Shadows? Let us know in the comments below!

Reviewed on: Switch
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Arielek
Developer: Arielek
Release: June 10, 2022 (PC), May 15, 2024 (Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One), May 16, 2024 (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch)
Rating: Everyone

Some games provide you with abstract titles that don't fully explain the breadth of the tasks you will be required to complete to reach the end. Please Fix The Road does not suffer from that problem. As you play through 160 bite-sized puzzles, each one simply asks you to do exactly what this game's title says: fix the road, path, sidewalk, or river so that vehicles and animals can reach their destination. But despite the simple premise and casual demeanor, developer Arielek offers no shortage of clever twists on the core concept and, in the process, kept me guessing at what challenges I would face next.

Each puzzle presents a small, charmingly rendered plot of land with at least one broken road. In the lower-left corner, you have designated moves you must make to solve the puzzle. While I initially found this dictation of moves in a specific order restrictive and counter to the more casual experience I expected, it ultimately pushed me towards some incredibly rewarding moments as I likely solved the puzzle exactly as the developer intended. Additionally, it provides breadcrumbs toward the solution; on multiple occasions, I wondered why a certain move was required in a level, only to learn that I was overlooking an important aspect of the puzzle.

 

What starts as a puzzle game where you simply plug the provided tiles where they logically fit quickly escalates to one where you must blow up, rearrange, swap, copy, and rotate entire blocks of land to get characters from point A to point B. Usually, problems are solvable within a couple of minutes; I found some solutions instantaneously. For others, I stared at them for several minutes on end while attempting different solutions. As I reached puzzles numbered in the 80s, 90s, and into the hundreds, that trial-and-error element came more into play as the developer threw increasingly complex puzzles my way.

Thankfully, since the action unfolds on a move-by-move basis, Please Fix The Road gives players an undo button that backtracks to the last action you performed. This is particularly helpful for experimentation. On occasion, when I got stuck, I enjoyed using the hint button, which doles out step-by-step hints but not full-on solutions; if I'm stuck on a particular step, I can receive a hint from the developers about the correct first move I should make. It's helpful without the game just playing itself, even as it completes early moves on your behalf.

It is somewhat frustrating to have the hints play out in sequential order, regardless of any correct moves I had already made; it doesn't matter if I got the first three moves right; the hint mechanic is going to undo all my moves and show me the first move that I already made for the first hint. Thankfully, the vast majority of the time, I relied solely on my own puzzle-solving skills. Some of the puzzles later in the game had me staring in bewilderment at what my first move should be, which can be frustrating but ultimately satisfying once I cracked the code.

The levels are not only well-balanced but well-paced. For each stage that took me longer than normal, an easier puzzle was often right around the corner to help rebuild my confidence. This constant ebb-and-flowing kept me on my toes without killing the momentum I built up as I worked through the many challenges on offer. Completing each puzzle grants extra satisfaction thanks to the fun animations accompanying each solution; from the charming art style, relaxing soundscapes, and gorgeously animated transitions between puzzles, Please Fix The Road's minimalist design conventions appeal to the senses in wonderful ways.

Though the gimmick eventually wears thin and the complexity sometimes outpaces the simple concept by the time you reach the puzzles in the triple digits, Please Fix The Road shows that creativity and clever puzzle design are more important than a robust toolset or wide-ranging player freedom. It delivers a tight, curated puzzle-solving experience that hooks you from the very first puzzle and, through steadily evolving mechanics, delivers satisfaction around every turn.

Score: 8

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Ubisoft has canceled The Division Heartland. First announced in 2021, the game was a free-to-play spin-off of The Division franchise developed by Red Storm Studio.

Ubisoft revealed the cancelation in an earnings report, stating,

“As part of Ubisoft’s efforts to streamline its operations and adapt to evolving market trends, there have been further reorganizations within the Global Publishing teams, both at the APAC region, that is not organized into three engagement hubs, and at the central level. Additionally, in line with the increased selectivity of its investments, Ubisoft has decided to stop development on The Division Heartland and has redeployed resources to bigger opportunities such as XDefiant and Rainbow Six.”

The Division Heartland had been quiet for some time after its reveal, including being delayed. It eventually resurfaced with closed beta tests, but scarce updates on its existence caused doubt and confusion among fans. The game was billed as a PvEvP survival action experience with players controlling a Division agent tasked with protecting a small town from enemy factions and chemical contamination. 

Despite the cancellation, we know it doesn't mean the end of the franchise. Ubisoft announced The Division 3 last September, with series creator Massive Entertainment back at the helm. That game currently has no release window. 

Heartland joins an expanding graveyard of canceled Ubisoft projects over the past few years. In January 2023, the publisher canceled its upcoming team-based arena battler Project Q and three other games in development. In 2022, the battle royale Ghost Recon Frontline, Splinter Cell VR, and two unannounced games were also axed. An unannounced sequel to Immortals Fenix Rising was also reportedly scrapped last July. 

After teasing its reveal earlier this week, Ubisoft has officially unveiled Assassin's Creed Shadows with its first cinematic trailer, revealing dual protagonists in the process. As many speculated, Shadows puts players in control of Japan's first African samurai, Yasuke (a real historical figure), and a female shinobi character, Naoe. It will be released on November 15.

This dual protagonist approach isn't too surprising given it's Ubisoft Quebec developing the game – it did the same with Kassandra and Alexios in 2018's Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Jacob and Evie Frye in 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate – but it's exciting nonetheless. According to the game's PlayStation preorder page, players can, "Switch seamlessly between two unlikely allies as you discover their common destiny," confirming you can control both in the story. The trailer also showcases the beauty and scale of the feudal Japan we'll be exploring in Shadows. 

Check it out for yourself in the Assassin's Creed Shadows reveal trailer below: 

Elsewhere in the game's PlayStation preorder listing, Ubisoft says players can explore the "captivating open world of feudal Japan, from spectacular castle towns and bustling ports to peaceful shrines and war-ravaged landscapes," while adventuring through unpredictable weather, changing seasons, and reactive environments. The changing seasons line seems to indicate the narrative of Shadows could take place over a long period of time, or at least a year. 

As a shinobi Assassin, Naoe uses stealth to avoid detection and agility to confuse enemies whereas Yasuke, a legendary samurai, uses lethal precision and power. You unlock new skills, gear, and progression independently for each character. Plus, as you explore the world, you can create your own network of spies to be your eyes and ears across Japan, and different allies will have unique skills to help you accomplish missions. 

"Create a fully customizable hideout for your growing shinobi league as you train your crew, craft new gear, interact with key characters, and choose your base's layouts, decorations, and accessories," the preorder listing reads. 

Here's another look at Yasuke and Naoe: 

 

Shadows is an exciting entry in the sprawling Assassin's Creed series. It's finally bringing players to feudal Japan, something the fanbase has wanted for years and years, and it's the next open-world mainline RPG installment since 2020's Assassin's Creed Valhalla. While last year's Assassin's Creed Mirage was quite enjoyable – read Game Informer's review here to find out why we gave it an 8 out of 10 – it was a throwback to the more linear worlds of the Assassin's Creeds of yesteryear; Shadows is the series returning to its newer open world format that began in 2017 with Assassin's Creed Origins. 

Assassin's Creed Shadows launches November 15, 2024, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S,  Amazon Luna, PC (via the Ubisoft Store and Epic Games Store), and Mac (with Apple silicon via the Mac App Store).

For more about the series, head to Game Informer's Assassin's Creed Mirage hub for exclusive behind-the-scenes details, videos, and more. After that, check out Game Informer's ranking of the entire Assassin's Creed series. 

Are you excited for Assassin's Creed Shadows? Let us know which protagonist you're most excited about in the comments below!

Platform: Switch
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios
Release: June 25, 2024
Rating: Everyone

Last month, I had a chance to play Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble, the first all-new entry in the Super Monkey Ball (SMB) franchise in more than a decade. While I went into the demo skeptical that the series, which experienced its best years in the early-to-mid 2000s, could feel like a modern experience in 2024, I emerged from the demo impressed by the gameplay improvements, single-player level design, and the game's approach to multiplayer (you can read my full preview here). 

Shortly after the preview, I had a chance to dig deeper into Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble with several of the developers behind Ryu Ga Gotoku's franchise that isn't about the seedy underbelly of the Japanese organized crime to learn how the team worked to modernize the franchise while still remaining true to its roots.

Recently, we've received some remakes and remasters, but no new entry for many years. Why did the franchise take such a long break?

Nobuhiro Suzuki, Producer: We believe this is the result of a combination of factors. Whether it was due to development resources being refocused towards other large titles, the creators leaving the company, sales numbers, and more, the SMB development line disappeared and there was a period of time when production came to a halt. However, after releasing two remakes, Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD in 2019 and Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania in 2021, and after receiving positive feedback from our fans, we decided to release a completely new title, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble. We hope fans are excited to play this first brand new entry in over a decade!

With that unique position in mind, what were the primary goals of Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble?

NS: Following the release of those two remakes, Banana Blitz HD and Banana Mania, our goal is to firmly establish the revival of the SMB franchise with this completely new title. To that end, we set out to make a new entry that firmly inherits or captures the best qualities of past SMB titles while also feeling like an all-new game with 16-player online battles, refined game and character designs, and the addition of new characters and storylines. 

With such a big gap between the last all-new, non-remake/remaster release, were there any updates to the design and gameplay best practices that needed to be applied to this latest entry to ensure it feels modern in 2024?

Daisuke Takahata, Director: Based on the data we pulled, such as the number of people who cleared each world of Banana Mania and comments from various playtests, we updated the game with a level of challenge that new players (as well as longtime fans) will enjoy. Compared to the past titles, the difficulty level of the early worlds is now milder (in previous games, things were too difficult right from the beginning). We also made it so that the first time you boot the game, you will be taken to a tutorial that will help you learn how to play the game and use the controls. The same goes for the camera, where we made some small adjustments to the default settings to help make things feel smoother. Players will also be able to fine-tune these settings in the Options menu, which we think longtime fans will appreciate.

The physics in Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble feel good. How did the team go about overhauling the physics, and how did you know you got them just right?

Jack Ko, Programmer: Banana Rumble's physics actually builds upon those in Banana Mania, which in turn was based heavily on the original GameCube version's physics. We made special adjustments to the movement in the previous game to make it viable as a remake, but thanks in part to comments from fans, we were made aware of a few elements that might contribute to some of that unintuitive behavior caused by the physics in Banana Mania. With Banana Rumble being a new entry to the series and having its own new stages, it means that this time around, we were able to focus on making the movement feel simpler and more intuitive.

Additionally, the physics system is extensively parameterized, meaning that designers can make adjustments to different parts of it on the fly. With internal testing happening at least once a week during development, tweaks were made incrementally and whenever needed. We knew we had it right when anyone could just pick it up and be able to immediately roll out like a pro.

Why was the Spin Dash such an important inclusion in this entry? What do you think it most adds to the experience?

NS: In creating this all-new game, we wanted to add the right technique that would give users a wider range of play and challenge. Also, in order to implement the 16-player battles, we needed something that would really emphasize the user's technique so they can overcome the competition. As a result, the Spin Dash was implemented. While the Spin Dash is simple to perform, we believe it adds a lot to the game; for beginners, it's an exhilarating element that allows them to sprint and bounce off obstacles, and for advanced players, it can serve as a way to find shortcuts and quickly reach the goal. We are very pleased how players have been responding to it.

This question may be better asked to the localization team, but with the Super Monkey Ball franchise so reliant on puns and wordplay related to bananas, did the team ever consider calling it "Peel Out" instead of "Spin Dash?"

NS: To be honest, we didn't think about it at all. [Laughs] We wanted to make it easier for users to understand just by looking at the name, so we made it straight out "Spin Dash."

When creating a level in Adventure mode, what factors must be considered to create an effective stage?

Yukio Oda, Designer: As for "what elements," our basic idea is to combine "various elements" in a complex and effective manner. For example, if we break down a stage into smaller pieces, you can see that the "path" includes various elements such as "thickness," "curve," "slope," "moving path," and so on. Depending on how these parts are combined, the stage can be easy or difficult, interesting or boring. The Monkey Ball team has a lot of expertise in these combinations, all accumulated over many years with the series, and we always aim to create an interesting stage based on that know-how. But the first step in creating a single stage starts with the inspiration of the stage designer.

How does the team balance fun with challenge when designing stages?

YO: The stages created by our stage designers are regularly playtested by dozens of people inside and outside the team. Not only do we pick up a variety of opinions, but we also analyze data such as the percentage of clear rates and times, and we are constantly making adjustments to make the stages even better. We are also strongly aware that the Monkey Ball series has been characterized by its contrast between having very easy stages and very challenging stages. Sometimes, even if a playtester finds that a stage is deemed "too difficult," there are cases where we end up leaving it the way it is. However, we are always pleasantly surprised when, after launch, we see users uploading videos showing how they were able to complete extremely difficult stages with ease. 

The stages I played were very enjoyable and sometimes over-the-top, but they were just in the first two worlds. How wild should players expect the challenges in Adventure mode to become?

DT: We are glad you enjoyed the early stages of the game! As we announced, there are 200 all-new stages to be found in Banana Rumble's Adventure Mode, all spread across different worlds. The final world, in particular, has a variety of exciting gimmicks waiting for players, which will prove challenging even for fans who started with the previous titles. Stay tuned for a "very wild" challenge!

Can you talk to me about the process of designing the Battle modes? They bring such enjoyable twists on the Super Monkey Ball formula, and I've always found the minigames/side modes to be as enjoyable as the main Adventure mode.

YO: Thank you very much! When it comes to the game design of Battle Mode, we paid close attention to how "control" and "sense of speed" were expressed during gameplay, as they are key characteristics of this series. We also took care to ensure that the skills players learned and improved upon by playing through Adventure Mode can be utilized in Battle Mode as well. One of the main features of this game is its emphasis on "ease of understanding" – basically, we made sure not to make the rules overly complicated when adding any twists and turns, so players are able to enjoy themselves.

Where would you like to see the Super Monkey Ball franchise evolve from here? Do you think there is a place for multiple releases in a shorter time window than we've seen in recent eras?

NS: First of all, as a basic premise, we will continue to carry on the fun and originality the SMB series is known for, and make sure SMB fans can fully enjoy their time with it. On top of that, we would like to evolve the series to a level that offers something that incorporates a variety of exciting new ways to play that is altogether unique to Sega. With the support of our players, we believe we will be able to continue to release new games on a regular basis. We would really appreciate everyone's support for Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble and the Super Monkey Ball series!

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble arrives on Switch on June 25. For more on the upcoming series revival, head here to read our full, hands-on impressions.

Purchase

HBO/Max has released the first look at Pedro Pascal's Joel and Bella Ramsey's Ellie in Season 2 of The Last of Us, and the scenery looks familiar. As Season 2 shoots are underway, images from filming have begun to leak, but today's images are the first official shots from the upcoming season, which is due out next year. 

Pascal's Joel appears to be in the barn where a very important and intense scene between he and Ellie takes place, while Ellie appears to be inside a wintery location, likely somewhere in the game's beginning where snow is abundant. 

Check out the first official look at Season 2 of The Last of Us for yourself below: 

 

Pascal and Ramsey are obviously returning cast members for the series, and they'll be joined by various newcomers in the show next year. Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever will play Abby, while Young Mazino joins as Jesse. Manny, Mel, Nora, and Owen will be played by Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Top Gun: Maverick), Ariela Barer (Runaways), Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), and Spencer Lord (Riverdale), respectively. 

We won't spoil these characters' roles in The Last of Us Part II, which is likely to match their roles in HBO's The Last of Us Season 2, but if you know, you know. 

Fans of Naughty Dog's Last of Us games eagerly await the second season of HBO's The Last of Us. The first season debuted in January of last year, covering the events of the first game and its Left Behind DLC. HBO quickly confirmed the show would be getting a second season, which is set to premiere next year.

We loved the first season and can't wait to see how it adapts The Last of Us Part II, which got the remaster treatment in January. It seems we aren't alone either – The Last of Us' premiere was HBO's second-largest debut since 2010, and viewers stuck around for the entire season. 

The first season of The Last of Us has already won eight Emmy awards. For more, read Game Informer's review of The Last of Us and then read Game Informer's review of The Last of Us Part II. 

What do you think of Ramsey and Pascal's looks as Ellie and Joel in Season 2? Let us know in the comments below!

Hi-Fi Rush is getting one final patch today to address some minor issues in the game. Plus, the Hi-Fi Rush X (formerly Twitter) account has reconfirmed a physical edition of the game is coming from Limited Run Games. 

This update from the Hi-Fi Rush X account comes roughly one week after Xbox shut down the game's developer, Tango Gameworks, alongside Redfall studio Arkane Austin, and two more Bethesda teams. While there won't be any more Hi-Fi Rush content coming from Tango Gameworks, hopefully today's patch puts the game in the best playable state possible so that future players can enjoy the 2023 hit. 

Thank you all for your continued support.

We’re working to release the physical edition of Hi-Fi RUSH with our partners at Limited Run Games, as well as a final patch to address some minor issues releasing later today.

❤️

— Hi-Fi RUSH (@hifiRush) May 15, 2024

The closure of Tango Gameworks arrived roughly a year after the team delivered the extremely well-received Hi-Fi Rush, which by Xbox's own admitted metrics, was a big success. A few days after the closure of these studios, Xbox president Sarah Bond addressed the situation, stating that it's about keeping the business healthy in the long-term. 

For more, read Game Informer's Hi-Fi Rush review, and then read Game Informer's profile on the life and career of Hi-Fi Rush creator John Johanas. After that, check out this Game Informer feature about exploring Tokyo's Shibuya with Tango Gameworks. 

Have you played Hi-Fi Rush? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

Warner Bros. has announced when Mortal Kombat 2, the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat film adaptation, will arrive in theaters and IMAX, and it's coming next year. More specifically, Mortal Komat 2 will hit the silver screen on October 24, 2025, meaning we still have about one and a half years to go until we see what's next for these characters. 

Mortal Kombat 2 will arrive in theaters and IMAX on Oct. 24, 2025. pic.twitter.com/ayWHhFe2Hu

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) May 14, 2024

The first Mortal Kombat movie in this rebooted film series hit theaters on April 23, 2021, and Game Informer had a great time with it – read our 8 out of 10 review to find out why here. Here's hoping we enjoy the sequel just as much, if not more. 

Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid will return to direct Mortal Kombat 2, and it will be written by a new writer, Jeremy Slater (alongside McQuoid), who wrote Disney's Moon Knight series. Alongside returning cast and characters, The Boys Karl Urban will join the fight as Johnny Cage. 

For more Mortal Kombat, read Game Informer's Mortal Kombat 1 review, and then check out John Cena's Peacemaker debut in the game here.  

Are you excited for Mortal Kombat 2? Let us know in the comments below!

The Casting of Frank Stone, the upcoming narrative horror game set in the Dead By Daylight universe by Until Dawn developer Supermassive Games, has its first gameplay trailer. The game was first announced at the 2023 Game Awards. 

The story unfolds in 1980 in the town of Cedar Hills, a town scarred by the murderous killer Frank Stone. It stars four friends who set out to create a horror film at a derelict steel mill dubbed Murder Mill. Naturally, that goes as horribly as you’d imagine, and players must survive by making choices that decide the characters’ relationships and fates. Sudden quick-time events can also be the deciding factor between whether someone lives or dies. 

Similar to Supermassive’s previous titles like The Quarry and the Dark Pictures Anthology, The Casting of Frank Stone can go down multiple paths based on your choices. Players will also solve environmental puzzles and gather clues to learn more about Cedar Hills

The Casting of Frank Stone still has no release date, but it will launch later this year for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. 

Studio director Amir Rao gave us an office tour while visiting Supergiant Games for our Hades II cover story trip. Enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at the studio that previously brought you Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, and Hades!

See The Supergiant Games Office Tour: 

During our trip to Supergiant Games for our Hades II cover story, we had a chance to speak with one of the studio's original seven employees and its principal voice actor, Logan Cunningham. From providing the voice of Rucks in Bastion to Red's titular Transistor to Hades himself, Cunningham has played a vital part of every Supergiant title. In this rare interview, we ask Logan how he entered the world of voice acting, how he joined Supergiant Games, and which characters are his favorites to play (and which he'd want to redo). 

Game Informer: When did you first discover that you were good at creating or imitating voices?

Logan Cunningham: I don't think there was ever a moment that I discovered that. I always did that. From when I was a kid, my brother and I, we would record stupid little... almost like our own little radio plays but based on Star Trek: The Next Generation, just with a cassette recorder. I don't know; maybe it started there. The first time I think I realized I had a voice that people consider to be nice was in elementary school because my English teachers would always ask me to read from whatever book we were studying at the time. But I never set out to be a voice actor. [I] certainly [had] no formal training. There's not really any formal training for voice acting that I think exists. Everybody falls backward into it, just like I did. From my understanding, from my experience with everyone, every voice actor that I meet, I ask them like, 'Oh, how did you start?' and it's always the same story. 'I did one, then I did another, a third one, and now 15 years later here I am'. And my case is a little different in that the way I got my first job was from knowing one of the people who started Supergiant Games and then also knowing [Supergiant composer] Darren Korb.

Did you have any go-to characters you liked to imitate? Or was there a character you concocted that became your primary voice?

I was pretty much weaned on Star Trek: The Next Generation, so I think even at, like, six I had a pretty good Patrick Stewart. But not really. I didn't really focus on anybody in particular. If I encountered a voice that I liked, I would just sort of do it – not for anyone, just for me. Just on my own in the bathtub, which I still do.

The most sacred places to practice: the shower, the bathtub.

It's where you're at your most vulnerable. 

Yes, quite literally. When you first made your big leap into doing voice acting, as you mentioned, coming on with Supergiant, what was that initial conversation like?

It was literally my friend Amir [Rao], who I knew had left his job at Electronic Arts with his friend Gavin Simon, and they moved from LA back to San Jose, which is where we're all from, Amir, me, and Darren, into his dad's house and they started a startup; which was a game developer, which I don't even think I knew that term at the time. All I knew was a friend of mine was making a video game. And they had gotten to the point where they wanted to try something with voice-over, and so now they needed an actor, and I was the actor that they happened to know personally. And they had no money, and so I was cheap. And I was roommates with Darren in New York at the time, who was already involved. He came on board maybe, like, December '09? And then I recorded the first lines of Bastion [in] February; yeah it was Presidents Day weekend 2010. Yes, it really did just start with me doing a friend of favor.

When you look back on your first big role as a voice actor with Bastion, how did you feel about that performance at the time? And how do you feel about it now that you've had a chance to reflect on it over a decade later?

I was just trying to get through it. I had no idea what I was doing. None of us did. Darren and I certainly, that was our first time working on a video game in any capacity, but I just approached it as an actor. I just tried to keep the character consistent and give it as much life as I could. I had a lot of help from Greg [Kasavin] writing an amazing character and amazing story. Once we were working on Transistor, the Transistor performance is pretty much just me, but just kind of at a whisper. And with Rucks in Bastion, the narrator, what made a good take during those sessions was if the voice was right. And then in Transistor, what made a good take was if the performance was right.

Hades

To jump ahead to Hades II, what new characters do you provide the voice for in the game?

I'm not going to say. I'll let people guess and figure it out. Hades, I can confirm because he's in the trailer.

How did it feel when you first heard Supergiant was doing its first sequel? How did it feel to be returning to a world for the first time instead of preparing for a whole new one?

Really happy and I wasn't surprised at all. At all. Because we loved making that game so much. It was so clear, to me anyway, that we weren't done with it. There was so much still left to do and explore and characters to meet and stories to tell. So I was thrilled.

I was excited, too, especially because I really enjoyed your work as Hades in the first game. Can you talk about the process of preparing for that role, what that looked like, and what you felt you needed to bring to that role to bring that character to life?

Just imagining not the worst dad possible, but a very difficult one who's just a workaholic, is constantly busy and never has time for you, is really powerful, and has a really important job. And because of it, [he's] miserable most, if not all, the time but is also still kind of a person and has a past and regrets and all those things that make a character interesting. But yeah, coming up with the voice was a lot of fun because it is basically just Tywin Lannister and Tim Curry as the Lord of Darkness in Legend, if you've ever seen that movie. So yeah, getting to play around with that.

The Voice of Supergiant Games

Here are all of the characters Logan Cunningham has voiced in Supegiant's first four games. 

Bastion - Rucks

Transistor - The Transistor

Pyre - The Voice, Bertrude, Dalbert, Lendel, Ignarius

Hades - Hades, Poseidon, Achilles, Charon, Asterius, The Storyteller

Of all the characters you've voiced in your games, do you have any ones that stand out as your favorite or most cherished characters? Do you feel particularly close to them the way some actors do about a role or character that they've played?

Favorite is probably a tie between Rucks and Hades. Rucks because he was the first and my introduction to Supergiant; my foot in the door, if you like. Hades, because he was so much fun to do. It's really fun to play someone who's just, like, a bastard. He's just like a s****y person. But what often comes to mind is the Transistor, actually. Like, if I have the opportunity to sort of do that one over, I might. Or I will at least heavily think about it. My kind of immediate reaction once I played the thing from start to finish was like, 'Okay.' I wasn't quite sure I was playing that guy. I felt I was maybe playing somebody else.

Now that you've been doing this for so long, and you mentioned before not being formally trained, what were some of the on-the-job training lessons you've learned over the years to improve as a voice actor?

All kinds of vocal warm-ups. Whereas at the start, it might take me a couple of hours to get ready. Now I am pretty much good to go in 20 minutes to half an hour. I know how much time I need to spend with the script if I'm lucky enough to have the time to see the lines beforehand because very often, it's just 'Hey, who are we doing today? Achilles? Great, all right'. And it's mostly in the recording session itself, I'll get a chance to read the line, whatever the next line is that we have to do, I'll get to read through it once or twice and then I just have to go for it. So, I guess I've gotten more efficient. But I think everyone at Supergiant, certainly all of us who worked on Bastion and we're all still there, we've all gotten more professionalized, I guess.

I always wonder about this with voice actors because I find myself doing this. You mentioned before it's fun to sort of do a voice when you're alone, you're around the house just doing a voice; do you ever find yourself doing that with any of the characters you've played in the past? Do you ever just go around the house and start talking as Hades randomly since you mentioned how much fun it is to occupy that role? Or do you sort of retire them once the project is over? 

I don't really, but I will find myself doing, randomly at times, voices that inspired some of those characters. I still love just walking around my place just doing lines from Deadwood as Al Swearengen, which was a huge influence on Rucks. At the very least, it's a nice vocal exercise. But it's just kind of one of those silly, crazy things that actors do, and one of the reasons it's good that I live alone.

Bastion

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing voice acting or to aspiring/young voice actors who want to improve?

Make sure you're an actor, that you know how to act. Because it's not just doing funny voices. I think it used to be that way years and years ago. It's not anymore. Keep working, keep improving. Take classes, take every opportunity you have. If you know people who are making things, work with them. If you know a decent amount of those people who are making stuff, one of them might make it and remember you and take you along. That is absolutely what happened to me.

How would you compare your experience working on Hades II to previous games? Has this felt the most challenging or the most exciting? How do you feel about what is being asked of you for this game compared to what you've done before?

Not necessarily more challenge. It's just different. What I will confirm, and I think this has been confirmed maybe in other places, there are a number of returning characters that I did in Hades in Hades II in addition to some new ones, which are the ones that I can't talk about. So there might be a character of mine from the first one where Melinoë, the protagonist, might mention, 'blah, blah, blah' to 'blah blah blah' and that'll inform the performance. There is a kind of melancholy that I've certainly felt with a lot of the characters that I've been doing in the sequel compared to the original, Hades 1, which hopefully adds interesting layers. I don't know, we'll see. We're still working on it.

Is there a character you've played from the Supergiant Games that you most identify with on a personal level?

Is it weird to say Charon?

Why is that?

He's someone who doesn't say words and generally would like to be left alone, I think [laughs]. I can imagine running a store just like, 'Ah, get what you want, get out.' I identify with that.

Transistor

What is the thing that you're most proud of with Hades II, both in regards to what you're bringing to it as an actor and what the game is doing to build upon the first game? What are you most excited about for players to experience?

I won't be able to speak to my own work on it until it's done. All I know is just I'm working on it, I'm doing it. Darren, who's my director, is happy with what I'm doing. I seem to be delivering what he's asking. Greg seems to be satisfied as well. It's feeling good. It's sounding good to me. I'm just happy that [Hades II] is happening, that it exists, and that it is already as good as it is. And that people are beginning to discover that on a larger scale. 

Hades was such a massive success for the studio. As someone who was there from the humble beginnings, how have you personally internalized Hades' overwhelming success?

I get recognized occasionally on the street for Hades, which is very strange. And that's largely I think due to the NoClip stuff that we did. In support of Hades once 1.0 came out, we did some videos for Twitter, for YouTube, and, obviously, through NoClip, quite a few of our faces got out there in a way that they hadn't before. Pre-Hades, the sort of public faces of Supergiant, the recognizable faces, were basically Greg and Amir. And Darren, on occasion. But now it's me at the bar that I go to all the time, and some, like, 23-year-old kid coming up to me like, 'Sir, are you are you...? And I'm like, 'Yeah, yeah, I am'. And it blows his mind, and in my head, I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm him. Somebody's got to be. It's me, yes. Thank you for playing, nice to meet you, good to see you.' So that's been an alteration or an accommodation I've had to make my life since release. Obviously, winning the BAFTA was huge. I was much more excited for all the other people who won BAFTAs. Greg and Jen [Zee] in particular, who I feel have gone unrecognized for their amazing work for far too long. 

How has it felt seeing Supergiant's growth from what it was in the beginning to where it is now?

We just have more resources now. Certainly, from my perspective, from my role there, I'm privy to this; we have access to a much higher, I don't know if caliber is the right word, but we are able to at least get in contact with and have conversations with and possibly even cast actors that we wouldn't have been able to get 100 feet in front of, or even 100 miles, even five years ago. And now, that seems to be something within our reach and is within reach, and I'm excited for people to discover that as well.

But at its heart, we're the same. We're the same people. Amir and Darren and me, we still make each other laugh with the same jokes that we made each other laugh at when we were 17 or whatever. We still share, whenever we do get together, horror stories, war stories from making Bastion. From Transistor, how terrified we all were making that one. The kind of wild child that is Pyre and how we didn't learn really how to describe that game until it was out.  But we're kind of like a shark: we don't really stop. We don't take too many breaks. We just move on. We finish something once we're happy with it, and then we let it out.

We're in a better place now than we were. Hades was our first experience with our Early Access, and that worked out really well for us. And we're doing the same with this one. We were pretty still early on with Hades, and we knew that Early Access was something we were going to do, I remember talking to Amir about it and him just saying 'Yeah, this is the game we've made so far that I'm least worried about'. Because of Early Access, anything that's wrong with the game, we'll just fix it before we ship it. So we're not gonna have to wait three years until we ship a completed thing to figure out if people like it or not. Or even know what it is or how to describe it.

Hades II is available now in Early Access on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Be sure to visit our cover story hub for more exclusive features and videos about the game.