Bully Online, a mod that added online multiplayer to Rockstar’s classic open-world game, is shutting down less than a month after launch. The creators haven’t explained why yet, but fans are already blaming Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, for the sudden demise of the project.
Developed by Fat Pigeon, a collection of modders and fans, and led by Bully content creator Swegta, Bully Online took years to develop and launched on PC on December 15. The mod added new content like mini-games, multiplayer activities, custom vehicles, and competitive racing. Fans were excited to check it out, especially as the original Bully didn’t include online multiplayer and Rockstar seems unwilling to make a sequel or remaster anytime soon. But now, not long after it was released, the mod is shutting down.
On January 14, a message was posted to the official Bully Online Discord server announcing that the mod will be shut down “forever” in 24 hours. According to the Discord announcement, as seen in a message shared by TheNathanNS on Twitter, the devs are stopping development of new content and scripts for the mod, removing the source code from the main site, and deleting any webpages connected to the mod, as well as wiping all account data connected to the project. The modders say players can hop on and enjoy Bully Online for the next 24 hours until the servers are completely wiped and deleted for good.
Why is Bully Online shutting down?
As for why Bully Online is being killed, nobody involved has provided a clear answer. On Discord, the announcement does make it clear that this wasn’t what the modders had planned, saying, “For now though, know this was not something we wanted.” The messages also promise that Swegta will be posting a video in the near future explaining more.
Kotaku has contacted both Swegta and Rockstar Games for more information, but didn’t hear back from either before publication.
Swegta himself also confirmed the news on Twitter, posting on Wednesday that he will make a “proper statement on the situation” on January 21. On the creator’s website, a new message was added that states: “The Bully Online project is shutting down. Thank you all for playing.”
Before we say goodbye to 2025, let’s take a look back and see what were the most downloaded games of the year. It was a great time for sports, shooters, and some new PlayStation VR2 games. Sports favorites topped the charts in US/Canada and EU, with NBA 2K26 and EA Sports FC26, respectively. Juggernaut GTA V found a home in the top three for both regions, with new 2025 release Battlefield 6 claiming second place in the US. Fortnite took top place for free-to-play games, and Beat Saber continues its PS VR2 success.
Check out the full listings below.
PS5 Games
US/Canada
EU
NBA 2K26
EA SPORTS FC 26
Battlefield 6
Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V
EA SPORTS FC 25
EA SPORTS College Football 26
Forza Horizon 5
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26
Battlefield 6
Minecraft
Minecraft
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
ARC Raiders
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ghost of Yōtei
ARC Raiders
MLB The Show 25
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Ghost of Yōtei
Ready or Not
Split Fiction
EA SPORTS FC 26
Hogwarts Legacy
Forza Horizon 5
UFC 5
NBA 2K25
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
It Takes Two
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Ready or Not
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Monster Hunter Wilds
REMATCH
EA SPORTS FC 25
F1 25
*Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included
PS4 Games
US/Canada
EU
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2
STAR WARS Battlefront II
A Way Out
Batman: Arkham Knight
EA SPORTS FC 26
Minecraft
The Forest
Grand Theft Auto V
EA SPORTS FC 25
A Way Out
Grand Theft Auto V
Need for Speed Heat
Minecraft
Mortal Kombat X
Need for Speed Heat
theHunter: Call of the Wild
STAR WARS Battlefront II
The Forest
Batman: Arkham Knight
Gang Beasts
Unravel Two
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
Battlefield V
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
Mortal Kombat X
Stardew Valley
Gang Beasts
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
Unravel Two
Hogwarts Legacy
God of War
Battlefield 4
Overcooked! 2
Assassin’s Creed Origins
Injustice 2
Middle-earth: Shadow of War
*Naming of products may differ between regions
PS VR2 Games*
US/Canada
EU
Beat Saber
Beat Saber
Alien: Rogue Incursion VR
Alien: Rogue Incursion VR
Among Us 3D: VR
Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition
Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition
Metro Awakening
Job Simulator
Job Simulator
Pavlov
Among Us 3D: VR
Metro Awakening
Horizon Call of the Mountain
Arizona Sunshine 2
Pavlov
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
Swordsman VR
Swordsman VR
Arizona Sunshine 2
*PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included
Right up until its early access release, Hytale’s chances of Steam Deck-enabled portability were anyone’s guess. Even the blocky sandbox’s developers Hypixel seemed unsure, announcing a SteamOS-friendly native Linux version (good!) but forgoing an actual Steam release (less good!) and warning Deck owners of Hytale’s absent controller support (definitely not good!).
However, as fellow cube enthusiast Minecraft would know, the Steam Deck doesn’t always let something like an apparent lack of basic functionality keep it down. The device itself provides all the tools you need to get Hytale up, running, and playable, and while the process is hardly a one-click install, the fruit of your toils is a game that Valve’s handheld PC can happily keep going for hours.
Nintendo, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Microsoft continue to collaborate to improve player safety across our platforms. We believe gaming is for everyone and strive to provide experiences that are positive and enjoyable for all, especially for our youngest players. We work to accomplish this by pursuing a multidisciplinary approach, integrating advanced technology, research-driven insights, supportive community efforts, and skilled human oversight.
Since first announcing our shared commitment in 2020, we’ve partnered behind the scenes with Nintendo and Sony Interactive Entertainment on these efforts because we can accomplish more when we work toward the same goal. As we continue to invest in, adapt, and amplify our approaches to player safety, we have also evolved our shared principles to ensure they represent our constant efforts to keep our communities safe. Our latest shared principles reflect new innovations in player safety that have evolved with technological advancements, and new ways in which we collaborate through key industry initiatives and with trade associations.
Prevention: Empower players and parents to understand and control gaming experiences
We provide controls that let players customize their gaming experience. We support parents with the tools and information necessary to help them customize appropriate gaming experiences for their children.
We recognize that for safety features to be useful, they must be easy to use and understand. We promote the availability of our safety tools and provide guidance on how to use them through our platforms, support channels, services, on our websites, and in retail stores to reach more players and parents.
We inform our parents and players about our codes of conduct and terms of use to support positive gaming experiences for everyone. We enforce these policies through a variety of preventive and remedial measures. We design our products with transparency and player empowerment at their core, aiming to make experiences that are intuitive and respect players’ choices.
Partnership: We partner with industry peers, publishers, regulators, law enforcement, and our communities to advance player safety
Our commitment to safety is central, and we believe collaboration benefits the video game industry and all players by fostering safe gaming experiences.
We partner and engage with global and regional industry trade organizations, industry members, regulators, law enforcement, non-profit organizations, and experts to develop and/or advance online safety initiatives. These include Thriving in Games Group, the Family Online Safety Institute, and others.
We conduct shared research to inform policy decisions and to drive industry innovation. Individually, we have engaged with external research centers that study play and wellbeing.
We partner with our community to promote safe gaming behavior and encourage the use of reporting tools to call out bad actors, and we have tools and processes in place to support rapid response to emerging incidents.
We collaborate with ratings agencies such as the ESRB and PEGI, among others, to ensure that our games are rated for the appropriate audience, and work closely with the Entertainment Software Association and other trade associations to share trust & safety information designed to educate and promote positive play experiences.
We invest in leading technology and proactive collaboration to help thwart improper conduct and content. We participate in key industry initiatives, including the Tech Coalition and its Lantern program, that are dedicated to enhancing child safety through technology, knowledge-sharing, and transparency.
Responsibility: We hold ourselves accountable for making our platforms as safe as possible for all players
We make it easy for players to report violations of our codes of conduct and community guidelines, which we work to refine and evolve to support our player communities.
In addition to removing content not suitable for our services, we take appropriate enforcement actions for violations, including restricting players from using our services for misconduct, with escalating restrictions for egregious or repeat violations. We engage in responsible and transparent practices, including the ethical use of all data, and deploy process enhancement technologies with skilled human oversight.
We comply with all applicable laws in the places we do business and respond to legitimate requests from law enforcement. We promptly notify law enforcement if we observe unlawful conduct or where we believe a player is at risk of imminent harm.
We publish our rules and requirements, and we ensure that players who have been reported understand the requirements for continued engagement with our platforms.
This partnership reflects our dedication to collaborating on solutions that enhance player safety and ensure our games are welcoming for everyone. The video game industry has a strong legacy of prioritizing player safety, especially for children. At the same time, we recognize that these challenges require collaboration and shared values, and so we welcome others to commit to the safety and well-being of players everywhere.
Discovering a new game to get lost in for hours can be a phenomenal experience. But sometimes, you need a quick hit — a game you can pick up and play just for a bit and still have a great time. The PlayStation Plus Catalog and Classics Catalog are filled with games that fit that description exactly, offering experiences that you can dip into for a few minutes and have a blast. PlayStation Portal owners, these are great picks for you to cozy up with.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 excellent quick-hit games from the PS Plus Catalog — although they can definitely keep you engrossed for a lot longer. Next time you’ve got a couple of minutes to spare, fire up one of these.
Blue Prince | 2025 | PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
The brilliant idea at the heart of Blue Prince is the combination of first-person puzzler gameplay with roguelike elements. Each time you venture into the mystery-filled Mt. Holly Manor, you’ll chart a new course through the house: Whenever you open a door, you choose the room that appears on the other side. While Blue Prince’s deeper enigmas will keep you obsessed for hours, even a quick run through Mt. Holly will give you a chance to solve a few puzzles and compile a few clues to take in next time.
Publisher: Raw Fury | Developer: Dogubomb | PS5
Cult of the Lamb | 2022 | PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
Cult of the Lamb is part roguelike action game, part base manager, and both sides can be satisfying in long or short bursts. Each foray into its shifting dungeons gives you a chance to earn things to enhance your abilities, improve the buildings, and recruit more followers. Whether you want to spend some time making your followers happy or just lean into dungeon-crawling combat, there’s always something quick and interesting to do to grow your cult.
Publisher: Devolver Digital | Developer: Massive Monster | PS5, PS4
Dead Cells | 2018 | PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
The world of Dead Cells is an eminently deadly one. Your only chance at survival is to amass powerful weapons and traps to try to keep yourself alive as you fight to get as far through the world as you can. As in most rogue-like games, death is to be expected, but even a quick run that ends in defeat has the potential to unlock new tools to enhance your arsenal to get further next time.
Earth Defense Force 5 | 2017 | PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog
Giant insect-like monsters and alien spacecraft are invading, and it’s up to you to stop them. You have a host of weapons to face down hordes of creepy-crawlies, as well as four character classes with different styles of play. Earth Defense Force 5 offers more than 100 missions, but while each will challenge your third-person combat abilities, they’re all fast enough that it only takes a few minutes to enjoy a few rounds fighting off invading extra-terrestrials.
Hotline Miami | 2012 | PlayStation Plus Games Catalog
In the strange, hallucinatory levels of Hotline Miami, enemies are waiting for you, and only careful planning and split-second reactions will keep you alive. As a mysterious masked assassin hunting mobsters, you’ll fight through levels from a top-down perspective where a single hit is enough to defeat anyone — including you. Hotline Miami’s stages are extremely fast-paced and can be intensely difficult, testing your skills in planning and quick reaction. You can finish one in just a few minutes, but this is a game that will have you saying “one more try” with every defeat.
Publisher: Devolver Digital | Developer: Dennaton Games | PS5, PS4
I.Q.: Intelligent Qube | 1997 | PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog
Speedy movements and quick thinking are essential in puzzler I.Q.: Intelligent Qube. In each level, your goal is to clear a series of cubes as they roll toward you by marking spots on the grid beneath your feet. Clearing certain cubes allows you to release blasts that can knock out several cubes at once, but it takes careful planning of where and when to place and use those advantages to fully clear each level. I.Q. is a great way to exercise your mind with a few fast brain teasers.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: G-Artists | PS5, PS4
LocoRoco Remastered | 2006 | PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog
Navigating the colorful world of LocoRoco Remastered isn’t about controlling a character, but about tilting the landscape beneath your round, jelly-like LocoRoco to roll them where you need them to go. Making your way over obstacles or through passageways requires combining many LocoRoco together into one massive being, or breaking them back into several smaller ones. LocoRoco Remastered is a perfect way to unwind with a breezy, lighthearted experience and short, inventive levels that require some out-of-the-box thinking.
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment | Developer: Japan Studio | PS5, PS4
The Pedestrian | 2021 | PlayStation Plus Games Catalog
The Pedestrian is a puzzle-platformer that has you playing as a stick figure like those often seen on road and bathroom signs, navigating from sign to sign on your way through the world. The fascinating presentation offers a lot of clever puzzles, many of which require you to rearrange signs to connect ladders and doors to create paths from one to another. Though the levels are short and sweet, they’ll test your puzzling smarts.
Publisher: Skookum Arts LLC | Developer: Skookum Arts LLC | PS5, PS4
Tekken 3 | 1997 | PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog
Tekken 3 lets you relive the glory days of 3D fighters on the original PlayStation. Though the storied series has gone on to five more mainline installments, Tekken 3 will still put you through your fighting game paces. Movement in three dimensions is key as you fight one-on-one duels against an iconic roster of punishing opponents, but with matches that can be brutal beatdowns lasting just a few minutes, it’s easy to squeeze in a few rounds of Tekken 3 whenever you have a free moment.
Publisher: Namco | Developer: Namco | PS5, PS4
You Suck At Parking | 2022 | PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
You Suck At Parking puts your driving and puzzle-solving skills to the test with top-down levels in which you need to get your tiny car into an equally small parking spot — often by jumping gaps, whipping through hairpin turns, and avoiding crashes in each short, quirky level. But even if you should fly off a cliff or smash into a wall, you can quickly start again for another try.
Publisher: Curve Digital | Developer: Happy Volcano | PS5, PS4
Honorable mentions
The PlayStation Plus Games Catalog and Classic Catalog are chock full of excellent quick-hit games you can play alone or with friends, in genres ranging from sports to shooters, from racing to intense cooperative multiplayer madness. Don’t miss these favs:
If you’ve got a few quick-hit go-to games that we haven’t mentioned, be sure to share your favorites and recommendations in the comments below.
Rockstar has launched an official marketplace where creators can sell mods.
The Cfx Marketplace, described as a “curated digital storefront where talented FiveM/RedM creators can share and sell their work,” is currently only open to a select few creators, but players running their own servers can choose from hundreds of mods — some free, some not — to add new maps, scripts, characters, clothing, vehicles, and more to their games.
Now, as part of that relationship, select creators worked with Rockstar to build and supply the new mod superstore as it rolls out “in phases to ensure the best experience for both creators and server owners.”
As one happy player said, the official marketplace makes it “much easier to find some trusted creators and hopefully more competition.” “Amazing idea! Hope this will be a better way for both creators and server owners to reach more people and find what they need,” added another.
Right now, there are hundreds of mods to choose from, some of which are free, and others, most typically bundles, are available for upwards of $450. The Attractions & Parks Bundle, for instance, includes a Theme Park, Water Park, and Maze Bank Theme Bank for $137.99.
Right now, most mods seem to be for GTA 5, but Cfx.re has mods for both Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2, so we may see more Red Dead 2 mods as the marketplace expands.
Grand Theft Auto is an enduring juggernaut, with GTA 5 having sold 220 million copies to date. Rockstar is yet to detail how GTA Online will change as a result of November’s release of GTA 6, but it seems likely the Cfx Marketplace lays the groundwork for a similar offering in whatever’s next for the game.
It also seems in preparation for whatever other plans Rockstar has for monetising GTA RP when GTA 6 comes out. GTA fans had begun speculating about what Rockstar RP servers would look like when the company announced it was working with Cfx.re back in 2023. That excitement then only increased when popular musician Faheem Rashad Najm a.k.a. T-Pain teased in 2024 that he was working on GTA 6 but had been asked by Rockstar to stop engaging with RP servers like nopixel.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Battlefield Studios has released its first official communication in 2026. Rather than unveil the second season of Battlefield 6, however, the developer instead announced a delay. The currently ongoing Season 1 was initially meant to end on Tuesday, January 20, hence why the developer had to communicate something this week.
Season 1 will now end on Tuesday, February 17, which is also when Season 2 will kick off. Given the current sentiment around the game, this news isn’t surprising in the least.
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In the blog post announcing the delay, BF Studios said that the decision to extend the current season and push back the start of the next one allows for extra time to “further polish and refine” Season 2 content.
The developer did not offer any hints about Season 2, but there’s an incredibly brief teaser trailer featuring a soldier wearing a gas mask emerging from an environment drenched in toxic gas.
Given that Battlefield 6’s battle royale mode Redsec does not utilise the popular encroaching gas mechanic (using an encroaching ring of fire instead), it’s possible that we may be looking at something new in multiplayer akin to Battlefield 1. Of course, this may just be a visual piece that doesn’t reflect the gameplay of Season 2.
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What we are getting news of today, however, is the game’s next patch. This extension update is going to arrive next week, on January 20, when Season 1 was supposed to end. It’s bringing new weekly challenges to the game, but its biggest addition is yet another Bonus Path to the battle pass. You can also expect the free daily login rewards to continue, alongside other periods of double XP.
Similar to other Bonus Paths, the new Frostfire Bonus Path can be completed alongside the Season 1 battle pass. You’ll need 110 Bonus Path Points in total if you want to earn everything it has to offer, with each tier requiring 10 points. It is worth noting, however, that Frostfire Points are only earned through weekly challenges, meaning there won’t be any bonus challenges associated with it.
Frostfire includes several new customisation rewards, of course, such as a Weapon Package, soldier skin, XP boosts and the usual run of unlocks.
Though the latest blog post may be devoid of any real details on Season 2, BF Studios confirmed that Battlefield Labs will play a larger role in offering a preview of what’s to come, so it’s entirely possible that the testing initiative will soon open its doors to players with an early look at some of the maps and other content planned for Season 2.
Actors, writers, producers, are getting murdered one by one in cold blood. No one is safe. Who is pulling the strings behind these apparently unrelated murders? Double-dealing, backstabbing, betrayal. Nothing is what it seems in the world of stars. Take a peek behind the curtains, learn what’s going on behind the glistering façade. Meet a varied cast of characters, discover their secrets and ambitions. Quarantine Zone: The Last Check
But be careful… they may end up in a body bag. Examine the crime scene, find clues, piece together what happened, find the culprit! Reveal what’s the true reason behind these Confidential Killings. You’ll have a few ‘ahah!’ moments, but they’re very much in-line with the usual gritty detective narrative: revenge, blackmail, scorn, killings gone awry.
Features and System Requirements:
Collect clues, analyze evidence, interrogate suspects, and piece together fragmented information to uncover the truth.
Your decisions influence the storyline, character relationships, and multiple possible endings.
Characters react to your actions, suspicion levels, and past decisions, making each playthrough feel different.
Screenshots
System Requirements
Minimum
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i3 (2nd Gen or newer) or AMD equivalent
Memory: 4096 MB RAM
Graphics: Integrated Graphics
Storage: 1 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
Installation Guide
Turn Off Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
High on Life 2, the sequel to Squanch Games’ FPS with foul-mouthed weapons, is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. After much fan speculation and rumors, a Switch 2 port has been confirmed for April 20. The physical edition for Switch 2 is available to preorder now for $60 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. High on Life 2’s digital editions are currently slated to launch February 13 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Unfortunately, the physical edition for PlayStation 5 has been pushed back and will now launch alongside the Switch 2 version in April.
While you wait for the sequel to arrive, you can catch up or revisit the first game by picking up High on Life’s “Game of the Year Edition” for Nintendo Switch when it arrives at Amazon on January 23. Limited Run Games also just announced a physical edition of High on Life for Switch 2. If you’d rather not wait, you can snag the Switch edition and immediately upgrade to the Switch 2 version for free. The Switch 2 Upgrade Pack offers marked performance boosts and visual enhancements.
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know about High on Life 2 preorders below. We’ll update this story as we learn more about the Switch 2 edition.
High on Life 2 Preorder Bonuses
High on Life 2 preorder bonus
All High on Life 2 preorders come with a visor skin that can be worn by a handful of the game’s talking weapons. Since this is the High on Life franchise we’re talking about here, the visor has the following text printed on the front: “I PRE-ORDERED HIGH ON LIFE 2.”
Preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 physical editions from GameStop include an exclusive steelbook case while supplies last. The steelbook’s artwork mirrors the standard game box’s cover. If you preorder online, you will need to print your order confirmation page and visit a GameStop in your area to pick it up on launch day–if it’s available, that is. GameStop’s freebies typically disappear fast.
The Nintendo Switch 2 version of High on Life 2 is a Game-Key Card edition, which means you’ll need to download the full game before playing for the first time. This also means it’s likely to consume a decent chunk of storage space. For reference, the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the first game is just over 30GB–and the sequel will likely be larger.
We’ll update this story when High on Life 2’s file size is confirmed. In the meantime, if you don’t yet own a microSD Express, check out the Samsung P9 256GB microSD Express for $35 (was $55) to double your storage space for cheap.
Performance benchmarks haven’t been revealed yet, but the original High on Life is quite good on Switch 2. It features higher resolutions, better and more consistent frame rates, crisper textures, better lighting, and more welcome features.
High on Life 2 for PS5 is available to preorder at multiple major retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and GameStop.
The initial batch of physical copies for PS5 were sold directly from Limited Run Games until October 2025. Limited Run also had a physical edition for Xbox Series X as well as a $180 Collector’s Edition for consoles and PC.
Limited Run Games closed preorders on High on Life’s “Game of the Year Edition” for Switch last May, and these days it sells for above MSRP on marketplaces such as eBay. As such, anyone who is interested in owning a physical copy of High on Life for Switch should secure a preorder from Amazon ahead of its January 23 retail launch.
High on Life’s physical edition includes the base game and the High on Knife paid DLC. You can claim the High on Life Switch 2 Upgrade Pack for free on the eShop. The upgrade targets 1080p resolution at 30fps in docked mode and improves practically all areas of the game from a visual perspective. It also adds support for Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, which is a neat perk.
If you’re willing to wait, however, the first numbered Limited Run Games release for Switch 2 is High on Life. And unlike the sequel, the full game will be on the card. The downside is that preorders don’t open until February 1, and LRG currently estimates a July-September shipping window.
For Switch 2 owners, however, there is a downside to the free upgrade path. As previously noted, High on Life’s Switch 2 edition is 30.5GB. Meanwhile, the original Switch version is only 9.7GB. So even though the Upgrade Pack is 3MB, you’ll need to download approximately 21GB of data. The Switch physical edition is effectively partial Game-Key Card for Switch 2 players.
One of the internet’s largest music marketplaces has banned content “that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI”. Bandcamp announced the new policy today, which also prohibits the use of AI tools designed to “impersonate other artists or styles”.
Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp.
Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited in accordance with our existing policies prohibiting impersonation and intellectual property infringement.
The announcement comes after a surge in awful AI-generated music acts last year. The most infamous was probably The Velvet Sundown: at its peak the non-existent psych-rock four-piece was attracting 500,000 monthly listeners, but now generally only attracts around 160,000. Mind you, that is still a heck of a lot, especially for music so bland it sounds unmistakablylike AI (though the same could have been said for Wolfmother in 2005, had generative AI existed back then).
Bandcamp isn’t a subscription streaming service like Spotify or Apple Music, but it’s worth comparing policies. Spotify is lenient when it comes to AI-generated music, though it has announced it’s working on AI disclosures for music—probably something like Steam’s mandatory AI disclosures, though with “industry-standard credits”. Apple Music has been less transparent, though like Spotify and Bandcamp, it unambiguously forbids AI-generated impersonations.
It’s a welcome and bold move on Bandcamp’s part, though I’m sure it won’t be long before the “wholly or in substantial part” clause is tested. Spotify is often criticized for its ruthlessly low royalty payouts and algorithmic sleights of hand, but it’s also terrible because it’s flooded with irredeemable AI filler, not to mention the production companies it reportedly uses to fill its playlists with muzak, all the better to dampen its already-miserly royalty payouts to actual artists. (It’s a bad company and a bad service and I think you should stop using it).
Bandcamp managed to escape a brief stint under Epic Games in 2023, and it’s probably for the best, because its policies might not be well-received by Epic boss Tim Sweeney. Last week Sweeney dismissed the need for AI disclosures, and in November, defended the use of AI-generated voices in Arc Raiders.
As Tyler Wilde put it last week, it’s not weird to want AI disclosures on games. As for AI use in general, Mollie Taylor puts it bluntly: It’s more important than ever to call out developers for egregious AI usage if we want videogames to remain interesting.
Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
Horror driven by obligation, time pressure, and the quiet weight of an impossible debt.
Drawing on Northern Italian storytelling traditions.
Step inside a single night where every choice feels costly and every delay carries meaning.
Horror doesn’talways come from monsters.
Sometimes it comes from obligation. From silence. From a debt that cannot be repaid.
When the team at Studio Ortica, based in Turin, Italy, began working on Loan Shark, they weren’t interested in building a traditional horror experience filled with combat encounters or overt shocks. Instead, they wanted to explore something more familiar, more uncomfortable, and deeply rooted in lived experience: the quiet dread of owing something you can never truly give back.
That idea, debt as horror, is not abstract in Northern Italy. It is cultural.
A Different Kind of Italian Horror
Turin is a city shaped by restraint. Long winters. Industrial history. Catholic architecture that towers over daily life without spectacle. Unlike the sun-washed imagery often associated with Italy, this is a place where stories tend to unfold inward, where consequences matter more than spectacle, and where morality is often framed as an unavoidable reckoning rather than a heroic choice.
These influences run quietly through Loan Shark.
Italian storytelling tradition, from post-war literature to regional folklore, often avoid clear heroes and villains. Instead, they focus on inevitability. On characters trapped by circumstance. On moral decisions that are technically “choices,” but never feel free.
Loan Shark adopts that sensibility fully.
You are not a warrior. You are not a saviour. You are a person who made a bad deal and now has to live inside it.
The Weight of Obligation
At the heart of Loan Shark is a simple premise: a single night, a single boat, and a debt that cannot be delayed.
Rather than treating debt as just number on a screen, the game treats it as a presence. It shapes how you move. When you act. What you fear. The true weight comes from the atmosphere itself: from strained conversations and the constant awareness that time is slipping away whether you act or hesitate.
This approach mirrors how obligation is often depicted in Italian narrative traditions. Debt is rarely loud. It doesn’t announce itself. It waits.
In Loan Shark, fear doesn’t come from what is chasing you. It comes from what you already owe.
Catholic Guilt Without Preaching
Northern Italy’s Catholic heritage is not presented in Loan Shark through overt religious imagery or doctrine. Instead, it appears in something more subtle: moral consequence without absolution.
Many games offer binary morality systems. Good choices and bad ones, rewards and punishments. Loan Shark deliberately avoids this framing. The choices you make are rarely framed as ethical victories. They are compromises. Delays. Attempts to survive one more moment.
This reflects a worldview where guilt is not erased by good intentions, and where consequences arrive regardless of how well-meaning you believe yourself to be.
You are not asked to redeem yourself. You are asked to endure.
The Sea as Indifference, Not Romance
Although Loan Shark takes place on the water, the sea is not romanticised. It is not freedom. It is not escape.
In Italian storytelling, nature is often indifferent rather than hostile, unmoved by human struggle. The sea in Loan Shark behaves the same way. It does not attack you. It does not help you. It simply exists, absorbing sound, swallowing light, and reminding you how small your situation really is.
This indifference amplifies the horror. There is no villain monologue echoing across the waves. No dramatic storm to signal danger. Just the steady understanding that no one is coming.
Designing Fear Through Restraint
Studio Ortica’s small team of Nicola Dau, Luca Folino and Tremotino leaned heavily into restraint as a design philosophy. The game’s scale is intentionally narrow: one setting, one night, one unfolding spiral of consequence.
This wasn’t a limitation as much as it was a creative decision.
By reducing scope, the team was able to focus on tone, pacing, and psychological pressure. Every interaction matters. Every silence lingers. Every sound carries weight.
This design approach aligns naturally with console play, particularly on Xbox, where immersive audio, controlled pacing, and focused play sessions allow atmosphere to do the heavy lifting. Loan Shark is designed to be experienced deliberately with lights low, and attention fully engaged.
A Horror That Trusts the Player
Perhaps the most Italian aspect of Loan Shark is its refusal to explain itself too much.
The game trusts players to read between the lines. It trusts implication. It allows discomfort to exist without immediately resolving it. In a medium often driven by explicit feedback and constant reinforcement, this restraint feels almost radical.
But it is also deeply human.
Fear, after all, is rarely about what we see. It is about what we already understand and cannot avoid.
Bringing a Local Voice to a Global Audience
While Loan Shark is shaped by Northern Italian sensibilities, its themes are universal. Debt, obligation, desperation, and moral compromise are not bound by borders. They resonate precisely because they are familiar.
Studio Ortica’s achievement lies in refusing to sand down those cultural edges in pursuit of mass appeal. Instead, they leaned into specificity trusting that authenticity would travel.
On Xbox, Loan Sharkstands as an example of how small, focused games can deliver powerful emotional experiences without spectacle. It is horror built from atmosphere, storytelling, and uncomfortable truths rather than mechanical escalation.
And in doing so, it offers something increasingly rare: a quiet, unsettling experience that stays with you long after the screen goes dark.
Not because of what it shows you — but because of what it asks you to live with.
Loan Shark
Dark Product
☆☆☆☆☆
★★★★★
$4.99
You’re an indebted angler, trapped in a vicious cycle of borrowing and desperation. One dark, endless night at sea you haul up something unnatural: a talking fish named Cagliuso. It promises you riches — but its bargains come with terrifying strings.
In LOAN SHARK, the nets you cast bring more than fish. They pull you toward sacrifice, secrets, and a deadline you may never meet. The “loan shark” isn’t just metaphoric — something is stalking the waters, your time is running out, and every deal you strike pushes you deeper into the unknown.
Fallout 4‘s New England wasteland is full of all manner of abominations. You can now add a mutant snail masquerading as a cardboard cutout of Todd Howard to that list. Twitch streamer Blurbs modded it into the game for his latest playthrough. The scariest part? Let Howard catch you and you automatically die. “It just works.”
That’s a famous line the veteran Bethesda designer uttered on stage at E3 2015 when describing crafting in Fallout 4. It is not a good way to describe Blurbs’ latest mod, which includes other wasteland hijinks like NPCs randomly exploding and dogs raining from the sky. A video uploaded to YouTube shows all of it in action:
Blurbs took a snail mod for Fallout 4 and swapped the model with a picture of Howard, with the condition that the player dies if the two ever collide. Easy to avoid because it moves so slowly, unless you aren’t paying attention and the Starfield director quietly ambushes you from behind.
My favorite part is the low-budget cardboard cutout slowly following Blurbs around the map, even when he’s in the middle of a conversation with an NPC. In fact, seeing the 2D developer poking out of the far side of the frame is the most terrifying part of the whole thing. Let’s see how many other games killer Todd can be modded into before Fallout 5 launches.
In 2025, Microsoft paved the way for the top Xbox franchises to make the leap to Sony’s PlayStation 5. Now, a report suggests that there was clear winner among the Xbox ports: Forza Horizon 5, which hit PS5 four years after its debut. Despite that gap, it reportedly outsold the next four Xbox on PS5 games even when their sales totals were combined.
Alinea Analytics has shared its breakdown of the top 5 best-selling Xbox games for PS5 in 2025. Forza Horizon 5 led the list with 5.1 million, followed by Gears of War Reloaded in a distant second place with 572,000 copies. Coming in third with 491,000 copies was Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, while Flight Simulator came for a landing at fourth with 166,000 copies. Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 rounded out the top five with 50,000 in sales. According to Alinea, there was only a single PS5 console-exclusive game that outsold Forza Horizon 5 in 2025. That title was Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which moved 5.2 million copies on PlayStation 5 last year.
Here’s how Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 stacks up against some other 2025 Xbox-to-PlayStation ports. Big deep dive on Forza’s PlayStation success in the new free Substack. Link’s in my bio. pic.twitter.com/pXSQSzgUHD
This lines up with Alinea’s earlier report that Forza Horizon 5 made $300 million in sales from PS5 alone. Assuming Sony took its standard 30% of sales, that would leave Microsoft with an estimated $210 million. It’s an impressive total, and it suggests that PlayStation 5 owners were very eager to get their hands on that game.
Back in September, Microsoft officially revealed Forza Horizon 6, which is the first in the series to take place in Japan. However, Microsoft is holding back on a PS5 release for that game until a later date. At launch, Forza Horizon 6 will only be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC. Alinea’s report notes that it may be a mistake to make PS5 users wait to play the game. But given the performance of its predecessor, it seems likely that Forza Horizon 6 will be a hit on PlayStation as well.
Forza Horizon 6 will be released later this year, but a specific date hasn’t been announced.
Humble’s new Decked Out Collection bundle features seven games that are great for Steam Deck users looking to add a little something new to their handheld’s library. If you have some trips planned for the months ahead, these are sure to keep you entertained on any long journeys.
The seven games in this bundle (which you can see in full below) have a total value of $129, but through the bundle you can get them all for as low as $12. That’s a sweet offer to jump on, though keep in mind it’s only live for 15 more days. If the selection has caught your eye, now is the time to grab it.
Humble Bundle Decked Out Collection
Decked Out Collection
0
$5 gets you two games, $12 gets you seven games.
As mentioned before, paying as low as $12 will set you up with all of the games above. However, you can also pay just $5 for Vampire Survivors and Nidhogg 2, if you’re not looking to splash out on multiple games.
If you decide to pay a little more than the $12, your money is actually divided up between publishers, Humble, and a charity, which is American Cancer Society through this bundle. That’s a nice little bonus on top of the games, if you’re able to give a bit extra.
Outside of this bundle, there’s plenty more to check out right now on Humble Bundle. If you’re on the lookout for even more PC games to add to your library, January’s Humble Choice lineup is live. With a Humble Choice membership, which costs $14.99 per month, you can take advantage of this month’s selection which features a great variety of games, including Sonic Frontiers, Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered, and six other titles. What better way to keep busy over the winter months, right?
Hannah Hoolihan is a freelancer who writes with the guides and commerce teams here at IGN.
Update: Slikey has posted a fresh tweet about Hypixel’s efforts to tackle Hytale’s teething issues. “We are already working on a patch for bugs and crashes,” it reads. “That will hit the pre-release patchline once we have a good chunk of fixes. We are working on any auth issues. Please make sure your time is synced and also saw a report about Norwegian OS language causing issues.”
Hytale‘s early access went live a short time ago as I write this. While plenty of folks look to have gotten in already, its devs have issued some guidance for the many others who’ve reported running into error messages or having their downloads stick.
The team lead by Hypixel co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme who’ve swiftly resurrected the Minecraft-esque sandbox after buying the rights from Riot Games had predicted launch day might see some teething troubles due to a bottleneck of eager Hytalers, and it certainly seems those concerns weren’t misplaced.
If you have a car or boat, it can be difficult to keep things tidy if you don’t have an appropriately sized set of tools. A handheld vac is just what you need to save the day. We’ve found one that you’ll absolutely love using, and it won’t break the bank. The Dyson Car+Boat Handheld Vacuum delivers strong cordless suction in a compact form factor that’s perfect for tight spaces, using Dyson’s digital motor and cyclone technology to maintain consistent performance from start to finish. This handheld vacuum weighs about 4.2 pounds, making it easy to maneuver around vehicle interiors, storage compartments, and other confined areas without strain.
Designed specifically for mobile environments, the vacuum has super strong suction as well as a mini motorized tool that uses a rotating brush bar to lift dirt and hair from upholstery and carpets. A Crevice tool helps reach narrow gaps between seats or along trim lines, while the Combination tool transitions between a wide nozzle and soft brush for dusting hard surfaces.
These attachments connect directly to the vacuum body, so you don’t lose them somewhere else. Plus, the bin holds about 0.14 gallons of dirt and debris and uses Dyson’s point-and-shoot mechanism to get rid of extra dirt.
Cordless operation plays a major role in how this vacuum fits into real-world cleaning routines, eliminating the need to manage cords or find nearby outlets. The balanced handle design keeps weight centered in the hand, which helps during longer cleaning sessions across multiple surfaces. Two power settings let you prioritize either maximum runtime or increased suction depending on the mess you are dealing with. That means the vacuum is super flexible. It can handle loose dust, sand, pet hair, and embedded debris with confidence.
Battery performance remains consistent throughout the cleaning cycle, with fade-free suction designed to deliver steady airflow until the charge is depleted. Recharging is handled through the included charger, and the vacuum is ready for repeated use without complex setup. Plus, it has washable filters so you don’t have to keep spending money on things like that.
Beyond cars and boats, the vacuum adapts well to stairs, furniture, shelves, and other areas where larger machines feel cumbersome. The compact body makes storage simple, and switching attachments is quick when moving between different surfaces. Dyson includes a two-year warranty, adding reassurance around long-term reliability and support.If you want an easy to use vacuum that’s perfect for keeping your car or boat (or other vehicle or small space) tidy, this is a great choice to get started with.
The Sims 4’s first update of the year is here, though it may not be quite what you might have expected. The game’s latest patch mainly centres around a collaboration with Coach, the luxury fashion brand.
This obviously isn’t the game’s first collaboration with a known brand, though this one does include a lot of free items and accessories that anyone can make use of, even if they don’t care about Coach.
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The Coach Collection brings nine new items to The Sims 4. They range from clothes and accessories you can use with Create a Sim, to decoration items available in Build Buy. There’s also The Carriage House, a new Gallery household where you can find three new roommates.
There’s a nice bit of variety in the options available, some casual and others more practical for your Sims to wear. Then there’s The Bag Room, which can also be grabbed from the Gallery. The room simply serves as a way for you to show off your Coach bags and trunks collection.
In case you missed it, The Sims’ development team recently shared an update on some of what we can expect in 2026, both for The Sims 4 as well as other projects currently in the works. It even included further confirmation, if any was needed, that Project Rene is a dedicated mobile off-shoot, and not — as many had long believed — The Sims 5.
The blog post also included a statement about EA’s imminent change of ownership, which many fear could alter the series’ inclusive and diverse nature, and the decisions made by its various teams.
The Ministry of Defense Research & Development teams have emerged from their laboratories with the latest suppression technology and spec ops fashions to bring the Helldivers a new set of gear to live out their dream of furtive expeditions on fringes of the galaxy. The Redacted Regiment Premium Warbond* will be available for acquisition on January 20!
Weapons & Stratagems
Redacted Regiment will outfit you with two primary weapons. The R-72 Censor is a mid-range precision rifle with an integrated suppressor that will ensure you’re undetectable on the battlefield. But if you need to put a few more bullets down range, you can opt for the AR-59 Suppressor, which is a fully automatic assault rifle with a non-removable suppressor.
To complete your loadout for covert reconnaissance, you can equip the P-35 Re-Educator dart-firing secondary pistol. Each round releases a chemical agent that induces delirium in organic targets and delirium-like malfunction in inorganic ones.
If stealth isn’t your tactic, you can try to go the commando route with the B/MD C4 Pack stratagem. This backpack has six adhesive C4 charges and a wireless detonator set up for either individual or simultaneous detonation–that should let you be as strategic or destructive as you like while pushing the button from a minimum safe distance.
But you might want to wage a little more unconventional warfare by diverting the enemy away from you. In that case, you’ll want the TM-01 Lure Mine, which is a throwable anti-personnel mine that will stick to surfaces and emit lights and sounds to attract nearby targets and then detonate when they’re in close proximity.
Armors, Capes, and more
Redacted Regiment comes with two armors and two capes perfect for recon roleplay. You can get the look of a real operative with the RS-89 Shadow Paragon light armor–covered in multitudinous pads and pouches to hold all your tactical EDC items–or fly under the radar with the RS–67 Null Cipher medium armor that’s coated in a radar-absorbent polymer and null-signature heat baffle to turn you into a real sensor ghost. Both armors are fitted with the Reduced Signature passive, which reduces your noise level and the range at which the enemy can detect you. The enemies of Democracy will have to get real close before they can spot you.
These pair perfectly with the Pillar of the Abyss and Triangulation Veil capes and player cards. You’ll also receive a new victory pose, Target Sighted, to let your squad know you’ve got your eye on the enemy.
The new booster, Concealed Insertion, will equip your Hellpod with a smokescreen to deploy on impact, so your dive can be on the down low.
You’ll also be able to claim a new player title, [Redacted]. Maybe you can’t share the details of your assignment, but you can let them know you’ve seen some real action.
Redacted Regiment is coming January 20, Helldivers. Get ready to infiltrate and perform a surgical strike–they’ll never see you coming.
*Requires base game, paid purchase of Super Credits, and game progression to unlock.
Date wizards, match gems, and level up in this match-3 visual novel with a lot of heart and a little spice. Form deep relationships with faeries, sirens and werewolves, each with their own endearing personalities and challenges. Make choices that affect your relationships, and their destinies.
Welcome to Heartspell: Horizon Academy, a magical dating game with a lot of heart and a little spice!
You’re the newest student at the Horizon Wizarding Academy, an eclectic institution deep in the spirit realms. There you’ll learn magic, meet fellow students, and uncover secrets that threaten the very foundation of the academy. Heartspell is a game about dating sirens, werewolves, fairies, and a host of other wizarding students. Solve puzzles and build relationships as you explore the stories of deep, nuanced characters populating a rich world brimming with fantasy, wonder, and just a little spice. BULT: Hunting simulator
Eleven main characters, each with their own art, voice, story, and gameplay mechanics. Characters can be played through romantically or platonically, in any combination. Choices never block things off, so you can experience the 20+ hours of content without needing to replay anything. Choices at every turn! From love lives to epic destinies, your decisions will shape the lives of the people around you. Match-3 gameplay with a magical twist as you learn spells from other students that unlock new gameplay possibilities. Multiple difficulty modes, including Story for players who aren’t interested in puzzle gameplay. A range of accessibility options, including screen-reader support for story mode.
Features and System Requirements:
Romantic Visual Novel Shape relationships through dialogue choices.
Magic Academy Setting Attend classes in a world of spells and secrets.
Multiple Love Interests Each character has a unique story path.
Choice-Driven Story Your decisions affect relationships and endings.
Stylish Anime Art Expressive characters and vibrant visuals.
Screenshots
SystemRequirements
Minimum
OS *: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-4690K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 2 GB or AMD Radeon R7 360, 2 GB or Intel Arc A380, 6 GB
Storage: 400 MB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
InstallationGuide
TurnOff Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
Realistic waterfowl hunting simulator. Calls, decoys, a boat, and your hunting skills — everything you need to track down your prey in open hunting grounds. Feel the thrill of real hunting without leaving your home. For a successful hunt, you have at your disposal. Weapons: Choose shotguns and ammunition that suit your hunting tactics; Mobility and Stealth: Use a boat and camouflage net, and pay attention to the pattern on your clothing; The Art of Luring: Manage flock behavior by setting up decoys and using various calls. BULT Hunting simulator Steam game
Game Features:
Wildlife AI With Bayanay System
Ducks are not just flying targets. Our unique AI system gives each duck its own instincts: they flock together, search for food, react to weather and time of day, and most importantly — they notice your mistakes…
The basic principles of bird flight are also simulated: takeoff and landing trajectories, speed dynamics, wind influence, and course changes.
Realistic shotgun ballistics
Every shot is based on real-world ballistics data. Shot mass, initial velocity, air resistance, spread pattern. Everything is calculated to make every shot feel as real as in an actual hunt.
Natural Location
An open-world map inspired by the wilderness of Yakutia: foggy marshes, lake shores, and hunting grounds created with a focus on realism and immersion
Authentic Atmosphere
Recordings of real bird calls and dynamic sound processing allow you to determine the direction and distance to the source by ear alone. Feel at the center of a living ecosystem where every sound matters. Respect rare species listed in the Red Book: this simulator teaches not only precise shooting, but also a responsible attitude toward the environment.
Features and System Requirements:
Realistic Hunting Experience Track and hunt wildlife in natural environments.
Varied Weapons & Gear Use different tools for strategic hunts.
Open Outdoor Maps Explore forests and wilderness areas freely.
Stealth-Based Gameplay Plan movements and approach targets carefully.
Immersive Atmosphere Realistic sounds and environments enhance realism.
Screenshots
SystemRequirements
Minimum
OS *: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5—6600 (3.3Ghz) or AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (3.2Ghz)
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 470 4GB
DirectX: Version 12
Storage: 5 GB available space
Support the game developers by purchasing the game on Steam
InstallationGuide
TurnOff Your Antivirus Before Installing Any Game
1 :: Download Game 2 :: Extract Game 3 :: Launch The Game 4 :: Have Fun 🙂
