ReportWire

Tag: Destiny

  • Beyoncé declared the fifth billionaire musician by Forbes

    [ad_1]

    Beyoncé has joined the ranks of billionaires, according to Forbes, becoming the fifth musician to be crowned the elite status.The Grammy Award-winning superstar now stands alongside Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and her husband Jay-Z, according to a report published by the outlet Monday.The 44-year-old’s financial ascent follows a landmark year in her career. Beyoncé took home the industry’s top trophy, winning Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys for her country album “Cowboy Carter,” released the year prior. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the award for Best Country Album.With 35 Grammy wins and 99 nominations, she is the most-awarded artist in the history of the awards, including those she won with Destiny’s Child, a chart-topping girl group that helped launch her storied career.The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, Reuters reported, citing Live Nation.In 2024, music charting site Billboard named her the greatest pop star of the 21st century, highlighting “her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.Her 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” drew massive crowds, with fans – known collectively as the BeyHive – flocking to see her perform across Europe and North America.In Stockholm, where she kicked off the tour, fanfare drove up hotel and restaurant prices and even slowed down Sweden’s declining inflation, according to economists.In addition to her musical achievements, Beyoncé has built a diverse business empire. She has launched successful clothing and hair care lines, and expanded into the beverage industry with a whisky brand named after her great-grandfather, SirDavis. Her entrepreneurial ventures have contributed to her growing fortune.Beyoncé’s road to superstardom began in the early 1990s, when she appeared on “Star Search” as part of Girl’s Tyme, a six-member group. She later joined Destiny’s Child, which became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 90s and early 2000s.The group’s other members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, reunited with her on stage earlier this year during her “Cowboy Carter” tour in Las Vegas.Since Destiny’s Child announced its hiatus in 2001, Beyoncé has released a series of acclaimed solo albums, starting with “Dangerously in Love” in 2003, which won five Grammy Awards the following year.She has headlined major music festivals, including becoming the first woman of color to lead the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2018.In 2023, she surpassed conductor Georg Solti to become the most awarded artist in Grammy history.

    Beyoncé has joined the ranks of billionaires, according to Forbes, becoming the fifth musician to be crowned the elite status.

    The Grammy Award-winning superstar now stands alongside Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and her husband Jay-Z, according to a report published by the outlet Monday.

    The 44-year-old’s financial ascent follows a landmark year in her career. Beyoncé took home the industry’s top trophy, winning Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys for her country album “Cowboy Carter,” released the year prior. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the award for Best Country Album.

    With 35 Grammy wins and 99 nominations, she is the most-awarded artist in the history of the awards, including those she won with Destiny’s Child, a chart-topping girl group that helped launch her storied career.

    The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, Reuters reported, citing Live Nation.

    In 2024, music charting site Billboard named her the greatest pop star of the 21st century, highlighting “her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.

    Her 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” drew massive crowds, with fans – known collectively as the BeyHive – flocking to see her perform across Europe and North America.

    In Stockholm, where she kicked off the tour, fanfare drove up hotel and restaurant prices and even slowed down Sweden’s declining inflation, according to economists.

    In addition to her musical achievements, Beyoncé has built a diverse business empire. She has launched successful clothing and hair care lines, and expanded into the beverage industry with a whisky brand named after her great-grandfather, SirDavis. Her entrepreneurial ventures have contributed to her growing fortune.

    Beyoncé’s road to superstardom began in the early 1990s, when she appeared on “Star Search” as part of Girl’s Tyme, a six-member group. She later joined Destiny’s Child, which became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 90s and early 2000s.

    The group’s other members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, reunited with her on stage earlier this year during her “Cowboy Carter” tour in Las Vegas.

    Since Destiny’s Child announced its hiatus in 2001, Beyoncé has released a series of acclaimed solo albums, starting with “Dangerously in Love” in 2003, which won five Grammy Awards the following year.

    She has headlined major music festivals, including becoming the first woman of color to lead the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2018.

    In 2023, she surpassed conductor Georg Solti to become the most awarded artist in Grammy history.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • No. 11 BYU controls own postseason destiny entering UCF matchup

    [ad_1]

    (Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

    No. 11 BYU controls its own destiny for a spot in the Big 12 championship game, but UCF is ready to play spoiler with its own postseason berth on the line as the two teams clash Saturday afternoon in Provo, Utah.

    It’s simple for the Cougars (10-1, 7-1 Big 12): win and in.

    For the second straight week, BYU is listed as the first team out of the College Football Playoff, so the conference championship — which would be BYU’s first as a member of the Big 12 — is key for the Cougars to keep their CFP hopes alive.

    The Cougars can also punch their ticket to the title game before they even kick off if Arizona State loses to Arizona. BYU can also get in with a loss through a combination of wins by Utah and Arizona State, as well as a loss by Texas Tech.

    But the Cougars and coach Kalani Sitake are focused on handling the Knights (5-6, 2-6) and doing the dirty work themselves, especially on senior night.

    ‘I look at all these (seniors) and it’s awesome. I’m so proud of what they’ve been able to build here and the culture that’s thriving with them,’ Sitake said on Monday. ‘They’ve had a lot of wins and they’ve ushered us into the Big 12 and had some success now the last couple years. We just have to finish it strong for them.’

    BYU is coming off a 26-14 win over Cincinnati in which Big 12 leading rusher LJ Martin set a career high with 222 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns.

    Martin has 1,134 rushing yards this season on nearly six yards a carry to go along with eight touchdowns.

    Bear Bachmeier’s 127 passing yards were his fewest since his first game, but he still recorded a rushing touchdown, his seventh in his last seven games. His freshman campaign has been solid, with 2,304 yards passing, 525 yards rushing and 24 total touchdowns.

    The defense for the Cougars really showed out against the Bearcats, holding them to season-lows in points and rushing yards. They forced a fumble in the red zone and took advantage of three missed field goals.

    BYU will look to continue feasting on a UCF offense that has struggled to move the ball. The Knights rank in the bottom half of the Big 12 in yards per game (386.3, 11th) and points per game (24.6, 13th).

    UCF showed some grit last weekend, overcoming a 14-point halftime deficit to secure a 17-14 victory over Oklahoma State. It was the Knights’ first win in over a month and kept their slim hopes for bowl eligibility alive.

    They did so thanks to Tayven Jackson and Dylan Wade, who connected four times for 145 yards, two touchdowns and a 50-yard throw-and-catch that set up the eventual game-winning field goal.

    Jackson, who’s been shaky as the starter, produced one of his best starts of the season. He bounced back after throwing two first-half interceptions by completing 16 of 25 passes for 271 yards and the two touchdowns.

    It’ll be a physical contest for coach Scott Frost’s bunch, who will try to claim the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2023.

    ‘It’s a good team,’ said Frost of BYU. ‘They’re probably the biggest team we’ve played up front and their linebackers are big. They just have a lot of grown men on the team because of their age and body types. That’s what they’re recruiting for. We’ve got to be ready for a physical game.’

    BYU beat UCF 37-24 last season and is 3-1 all-time against the Knights.

    –Field Level Media

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • High School Playbook Game of the Week Poll: Oct. 24, 2025

    [ad_1]

    High School Playbook Game of the Week Poll: Oct. 24, 2025

    Where should KCRA 3 go for the Game of the Week for Week 10 on Friday, Oct. 24?

    High school football is back for 2025 and we could use your help, once again, to produce our High School Playbook show. Where should KCRA 3 go for the Game of the Week for Week 10 on Friday, Oct. 24? The games for consideration are:El Camino vs. Casa RobleInderkum vs. Rio AmericanoWheatland vs. CenterPleasant Grove vs. Elk GroveThe poll below closes at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21.(Mobile users, click here if you don’t see the poll.)| MORE | Share your Fan Fits at games all season long. Watch our High School Playbook show Fridays on the KCRA 3 News at 11 p.m.

    High school football is back for 2025 and we could use your help, once again, to produce our High School Playbook show.

    Where should KCRA 3 go for the Game of the Week for Week 10 on Friday, Oct. 24?

    The games for consideration are:

    • El Camino vs. Casa Roble
    • Inderkum vs. Rio Americano
    • Wheatland vs. Center
    • Pleasant Grove vs. Elk Grove

    The poll below closes at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

    (Mobile users, click here if you don’t see the poll.)

    | MORE | Share your Fan Fits at games all season long.


    Watch our High School Playbook show Fridays on the KCRA 3 News at 11 p.m.


    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • A Compelling Destiny 2 Conspiracy Theory, Black Ops 6’s Terrific Zombies Mode, And More Topics We Had Strong Feelings On This Week

    A Compelling Destiny 2 Conspiracy Theory, Black Ops 6’s Terrific Zombies Mode, And More Topics We Had Strong Feelings On This Week

    [ad_1]

    Photo: Roblox Corp / Kotaku, Image: Black Tabby Games, Bungie, CSA Images / Sony / Kotaku, Treyarch / Activision

    This week saw the arrival of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and with it, the return of a classic Zombies experience. It’s terrific, and took our writer right back to the nights he spent happily playing the mode with friends back in the days of Black Ops 3. Meanwhile, the arrival of Destiny 2‘s latest content update, and the terrible drop rate for god rolls on its hottest weapon, has some fans certain that there’s a statistical disadvantage for that drop to occur. The result is a compelling conspiracy theory about how loot drops actually work in Destiny 2, and given that the community has the statistics to back it up, Bungie is now conducting its own investigation. Find these stories and more in the pages ahead.

    [ad_2]

    Kotaku Staff

    Source link

  • Star Wars Outlaws Preview, Destiny 2’s Future, And More Hot Takes

    Star Wars Outlaws Preview, Destiny 2’s Future, And More Hot Takes

    [ad_1]

    Screenshot: Aspyr / Lucasfilm

    In 2002, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter launched on PS2 and GameCube. The third-person action-adventure game let players hop into the bounty-hunting boots of Jango Fett aka Boba Fett’s clone dad from Attack of The Clones. It wasn’t great, but was a fun prequel to Episode II. Now, 20 years later, it’s been remastered, improved, and ported to new consoles, and while it looks and plays better than ever, it’s still mostly the same not-great PS2-era action game, but now with a flashlight. – Zack Zwiezen Read More

    [ad_2]

    Kotaku Staff

    Source link

  • Summer Game Fest Plans, Hades 2 Tips, And More

    Summer Game Fest Plans, Hades 2 Tips, And More

    [ad_1]

    Photo: The Game Awards / Summer Game Fest / Kotaku (Getty Images), Image: Bungie / Sony, Supergiant Games, Screenshot: Ninja Theory / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

    It’s summer, but just because it’s nice out doesn’t mean we stop playing games. It’s almost time for Not-E3/Summer Game Fest, and several major studios are planning showcases and reveals during the upcoming week. We break down what you can expect.

    We also help you beat the final boss in Hades 2, and find all of the totems, or lorestangir, in Hellblade 2. You’re welcome.

    [ad_2]

    Kotaku Staff

    Source link

  • Where in Neomuna is Archie in Destiny 2?

    Where in Neomuna is Archie in Destiny 2?

    [ad_1]

    Archie returns to Destiny 2 with a trip to the Neomuna following the May 28, 2024, weekly reset.

    This is the final step in a series of “Where in the System is Archie” quests in the wake of the Into the Light update — which have been staggered out week-by-week in the lead up to The Final Shape.

    Note this quest expires on the June 3 weekly reset — a full day before The Final Shape launches on June 4. This is because Bungie will take Destiny 2 down for 24 hours ahead of the expansion.

    Remember, provided you complete any Archie quest before the arrival of The Final Shape, you’ll get your hands on the Blue Steel shader, while the lore for all Archie quests will be available from June 4 on.


    How to start ‘Where in Neomuna is Archie?’ in Destiny 2

    To start the final “Where is Archie” quest, head to the Tower’s Annex and find the paw prints.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    You can reach this location by using the southwest-most fast travel point, then traveling straight ahead down the corridor. The paw prints will appear on the ledge to your right.

    Investigate the prints and go talk to Ada-1 (found in the Annex proper opposite) to start the latest quest.

    Starting the “Where in Neomuna is Archie” quest in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Now, head to Neomuna, and speak to Nimbus at Strider’s Gate. Once done, the search begins.

    Speaking to Nimbus about the Archie quest in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon


    All Archie Neomuna locations

    Here is where to find Archie in Neomuna, clue-by-clue.

    ‘Archie stopped by Nimbus’ post hoping to snap an action figure’ location

    A Guardian finds Archie’s footprints in Nimbus’ gym

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    This clue refers to Nimbus’s gym room, which is also where you place all the action figure collectibles on Neomuna.

    From Nimbus, jump directly down and to the right, off the platform. The building will be right in front of you. Go inside and you’ll find Archie’s footprints between the coffee tables.

    Now you’re in for quite a journey to visit the Veil.


    ‘Archie wanted to get caught up on everything we know about the Veil’ location

    This clue refers to the Veil Containment and Irkalla Complex areas, which are the two southeastern-most points on the Neomuna map.

    A map of Neomuna in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    To reach this place, you can’t just launch Veil Containment, as you’ll need to be outside. Instead, you need to go through the Zephyr Concourse and then the ESI Terminal. Keep left the entire way there and you’ll eventually find a portal, which will take you to the Veil Containment area.

    A Guardian prepares to enter a portal in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Continue up to the door, where you’ll be attacked by a bunch of Cabal and a Tormentor. Kill everything, including the Tormentor, and return to the door. You’ll find Archie’s footprints just outside of the door to the Veil.

    A Guardian finds Archie’s footprints in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Now you’ll need to go on another long walk near Liming Harbor.


    ‘Archie wanted to check out the views from where Guardians mastered Strand’ location

    This clue refers to Maya’s Rest, which is the sandy area to the east of Liming Harbor.

    A map of Neomuna in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Land at Liming Harbor and take the path east through the rocks. This is basically a straight shot to Maya’s Retreat, but it takes a bit to get there. Continue on until you reach the sandy area.

    A Guardian looks for Archie in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    You’ll have to kill a lot of Cabal here, including a Colossus boss. Once you kill the boss, all of the other enemies will disappear and you’ll be able to collect the footprints, which are overlooking the city.

    A Guardian finds Archie’s footprints in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Mercifully, Archie’s final stop is a much shorter run.


    ‘Archie’s last stop. Archie wanted to try and win a prize for you’ location

    This final clue refers to the Thrilladrome Lost Sector in Liming Harbor.

    A map showing the Thrilladrome lost sector in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Land in Liming and make your way north to the Lost Sector entrance. Walk inside and just do the normal version — as-in don’t launch the Legend or Master version if they’re available — and eventually you’ll find Archie waiting by a claw machine. Do not go through the Vex portal at the end. If you do, you’ll miss Archie, who is to the right of the portal.

    A Guardian finds Archie in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Go give him some pets and you’ll finish the exploration portion of the quest. Now it’s time to head back to Ada-1 in the Tower. She’ll give you an Archie Plush Toy and 10 Trophy of Bravery tokens — useful for getting more Brave weapons. Whether you keep the plush is up to you. Archie will be sad if you don’t!

    A Guardian receives an Archie plush in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon


    The Archie quests will disappear entirely with the weekly reset of June 3, so this is your final chance to find Archie.

    If you’re looking for more to do in the Into the Light update, you can take on Pantheon bosses, complete “Zero Hour,” and for “The Whisper,” find Oracle locations, and upgrade Whisper of the Worm with Taken Blights.

    [ad_2]

    Ryan Gilliam

    Source link

  • Destiny 2 Reveals First Look At Keith David As Commander Zavala

    Destiny 2 Reveals First Look At Keith David As Commander Zavala

    [ad_1]

    As Bungie continues to tease out the release of Destiny 2: The Final Shape, it has finally unveiled how Keith David (The Thing, Halo, Mass Effect) will sound when he assumes the mantle of Commander Zavala. Zavala, a key character in the Destiny series, had been played by the beloved actor Lance Reddick until last year, when he tragically passed from coronary heart disease.

    As part of the upcoming expansion’s marketing cycle, Bungie is in the midst of releasing a series of short documentaries on the making of The Final Shape. The first part of this doc, which debuted on May 23, contains two brief scenes debuting David as Zavala. They are, predictably, a gut punch.

    The first scene, which comes about three minutes into the first part of the ViDoc, features Zavala telling an unseen character that he would’ve given anything to bring them back. He is presumably talking to Cayde-6, a character who was killed off in 2018’s Forsaken expansion and with whom Zavala had a close relationship (who is returning and will be voiced, once again, by Nathan Fillion). Later on, there is another cutscene of Zavala telling his fellow vanguard Ikora Rey that he won’t “lose another soldier in this war.” It’s impossible not to read the lines as the game’s developers and fans alike wishing Reddick could still be here for this momentous moment in the series.

    Reddick’s character became an increasingly integral part of Destiny’s long-running story, but the actor was a positive fixture of the game’s community in real life, too. Fans adored Reddick, who often took the time out of his day to engage with them on social media. He’d often field questions from fans on Twitter even when he wasn’t actively working on the game or promoting it. When he passed,countless players amassed near his character in Destiny 2’s hub and publicly mourned Reddick’s passing while celebrating his contributions to the series.

    After his passing, many Bungie developers who’d worked with Reddick shared how fond they had become of him over the years. Reddick, who’d been with the series since day one, seemed to have fostered an especially strong affinity for Destiny, and he often played the game. In a heartbreaking and completely unintended gesture, it was eventually discovered that Reddick was playing Destiny 2 the night before he passed away.

    At the time of his passing, Reddick had recorded some lines for Zavala for some of the content following 2023’s Lightfall expansion. Over the course of some months though, Zavala’s role in the story diminished, and players understood before long that they’d probably heard the last of Reddick’s posthumous work. Beginning with The Final Shape, David is taking over the role, and though he has a commanding voice and certainly has the gravitas, Reddick’s unique take on the character he originated will be missed.

    [ad_2]

    Moises Taveras

    Source link

  • How to finish ‘Zero Hour’ and get Outbreak Perfected in Destiny 2

    How to finish ‘Zero Hour’ and get Outbreak Perfected in Destiny 2

    [ad_1]

    “Zero Hour” is the second secret mission to ever come to Destiny 2, and it’s finally back in the game as part of the Into the Light update and the May 14 reset. Much like the reprised “The Whisper” mission and its Whisper of the Worm reward, the updated version of “Zero Hour” rewards a fully craftable version of the Exotic pulse rifle Outbreak Perfected.

    In this Destiny 2 guide, I’ll walk you through how to complete “Zero Hour” and get the pattern for Outbreak Perfected. Whether this is your first time experiencing “Zero Hour” or it’s just been too many years for you to remember the path, I’ve got you covered.


    How to start ‘Zero Hour’ in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    To start “Zero Hour,” all you need to do now is talk to Ada-1.

    Head to the Tower Annex — the landing point over by the Drifter — and head up to Ada-1, the vendor who normally just handles transmog. She’ll give you the “Asset Protection” quest. With the quest in hand, all you need to do is open up the “Into the Light” submenu in the Director and select “Zero Hour.”

    Completing the Exotic mission and finishing the quest at Ada-1 will reward you with the pattern for Outbreak Perfected.


    ‘Zero Hour’ walkthrough in Destiny 2

    You have 40 minutes to beat this mission on the Normal difficulty.

    Navigating the Destiny 1 Tower in ‘Zero Hour’

    “Zero Hour” starts out with a lot of combat as you first adventure through the Destiny 1 Tower. You’ll be dealing with some powerful Fallen here, so make sure to put on your best gear and an assortment of ad-clearing weapons. As with all dense Fallen encounters, the Riskrunner Exotic submachine gun will serve you well if you’re having trouble.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Make your way through the bazaar and into the small vent. On the other side, you’ll be where the Speaker’s chambers once were. Clear the enemies, and move through the sweeper bot hallway.

    You’ll find yourself in the courtyard, which is filled with enemies of varying type and power. There’s even a Brig here now, an enemy type that didn’t exist when the original mission came out. Take them all down to unlock the rest of the path.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Continue through the old tower until you reach the flaming scaffolding where the original opening mission of Destiny 2 takes place. Slide under the big door next to the M and drop down the elevator shaft. Climb in the vent and follow it.

    Bungie via Polygon

    You’ll emerge in a giant shipyard. Turn immediately left, and you’ll see a ship sitting below you. Run up to it and crouch under its nose. Follow the path and take a right into the vent. Follow the hallway you drop into and take the other vent above you. Take a left and enter another vent behind the toolbox.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Follow the vent and take your first right. There are a few doorways below, but you only need to take the one directly under you. If you’re the first player to arrive, you’ll have a handy metal lip to stand on. If you’re following a teammate, it’ll have broken off by now. Step off the ledge, turn around, and push forward against the wall as you fall. Climb into the ledge and follow the vent.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Jump onto the first piece of yellow scaffolding and then onto the next. Look toward the tower. There are two drain openings and a platform to your left. Depending on your class, you can either jump straight to the landing or hop your way to the landing through the drain openings.

    Bungie via Polygon

    On the landing, look off and down toward the tower. You’ll see a small protrusion. This is your target. Jump off the landing and move toward the wall. Land on the antenna.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Look out toward where the city and turn left. Jump on the pipes until you reach the next landing. You can pull a switch here to help your friends catch up.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Jump onto the scaffolding above you and run up to the open vent. Jump in and follow the path. You’ll be in a big elevator shaft. Start climbing up a few flights until you’re at the second from the top. Shoot open the vent on the right and climb through.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Now you’ll be surrounded by spinning fans, each of which have an Explosive Shank in the middle. Look for the red lights and jump into them. If you hold against the wall, you’ll save yourself from the fans. When you land, be careful — don’t hit the ground too hard and skid off into another fan. Repeat this process, carefully taking out or maneuvering around the Shanks, until you’re at the bottom of the shaft. Climb in another vent.

    Bungie via Polygon

    You’ll now find yourself in a long hallway that looks completely blank. Jump off the ledge and onto the silver vents hanging off the wall. These are tricky to stand on, so limit your movement. Jump to the next one and finally into the open door on the far side. Once again, there is a switch here to help your friends through the puzzle if they’re lagging behind.

    How to navigate the ‘Zero Hour’ maze

    Bungie via Polygon

    Follow the vents until you get to Ventilation. Walk forward and take a look at the map, which you can see clearly in the image above.

    This is the maze section of “Zero Hour,” and it looks much scarier than it actually is. The white lines represent hallways you can walk through, with the red arrows denoting switches you need to hit. You start the map in the center of the bottom-most rectangle’s southern white line. When you’ve had a good look at the map, turn around and drop down two floors of vents.

    You’re in the maze now, just like in the picture. We recommend sending one player right and another left, just to speed the process up. The instructions below are for the right-side player, so left-side players should just mirror my instructions.

    Bungie via Polygon

    1. Run forward and take a left. Keep running until you find a split in the hall.
    2. Turn right and into another rectangle.
    3. Follow the path and hit the first switch.
    4. Keep running until you reach the original hallway.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Here, you’ll likely have to wait for a wall of electricity to pass. If the electricity is just starting to arc, you can run through. Otherwise, you’ll have to sit and brood — Darth Maul style.

    Bungie via Polygon

    When the electricity drops, take a right turn. You should start hearing an unsettling sound about now. An electric shredder is also running the maze with you, named TR3-VR by Bungie and the Destiny community. There are some alcoves to hide in so it can pass, but just to your left you should see a giant cavern with pipes in it.

    Jump on the pipes and wait for the machine to pass. You can tell if the shredder is chasing you by its sound or giant red light.

    Bungie via Polygon

    With the machine gone, jump back over to your hallway and take a left. Follow the path until a hallway opens on the right. Go hit the switch like last time and return to your normal hallway.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Take a right and follow the path until you can take another right. This is the exit. If you’ve hit all four switches, the doors will be open.

    Run into the new room and hop on one of the elevators to your right or left. Hit the button and wait for them to slowly lift you into the rafters.

    Bungie via Polygon

    Jump onto the platform and shoot out the vent. Head down the chute and stay in the center of the slide. Jump to slow your momentum, or risk death by splattering against a wall. When you come out of the chute, turn left and then immediately right. Crawl through the vent on the floor.

    How to navigate the vault maze in ‘Zero Hour’

    Bungie via Polygon

    You’ll be in the old Cryptarch Vault now, and the mission is nearly done.

    On the opposite side of the Vault’s door, you’ll see some pipes on the wall. Next to the pipe, you’ll see the Cryptarch symbol. Go stand by it and the secret door will open. Run forward until you reach the section with white floor panels. You’ll need to step on these in the correct order or you’ll get incinerated.

    There are six rows of panels, each are five panels across. We’ve numbered the panels below in order, so R1 – 1 is the farthest left panel on the first row, R1 – 2 is the farthest left panel in the second row, R3 – 5 is the farthest right of the third row, and so on.

    You’ll start on the second tile from the right on the first row. From there, here’s the order you should follow, with the direction you need to head in in parentheses:

    • R1 – 4 (Start)
    • R2 – 4 (Forward)
    • R2 – 3 (Left)
    • R2 – 2 (Left)
    • R2 – 1 (Left)
    • R3 – 1 (Forward)
    • R4 – 1 (Forward)
    • R5 – 1 (Forward)
    • R5 – 2 (Right)
    • R5 – 3 (Right)
    • R4 – 3 (Back)
    • R4 – 4 (Right)
    • R4 – 5 (Right)
    • R5 – 5 (Forward)
    • R6 – 5 (Forward)

    Once you’re through the panels, head to the end of the vault.

    Bungie via Polygon

    At the broken case, take a right and you’ll see a burned hole in the ground. Drop through it. Run forward and hop into another vent. It’s time to fight.

    How to defeat Siriks in ‘Zero Hour’

    Bungie via Polygon

    When you drop down, you’ll find a Fallen Captain wielding a Scorch Cannon: Siriks. They’re surrounded by an army of Fallen.

    Take out Siriks’ Fallen allies. They’ll summon turrets, big Servitors that grant immune shields to everything (these are very annoying, so kill them first) and a ton of Shanks. Just keep killing everything until Siriks’ health is about one-third full. You’ll get a message on your screen that says “Siriks retreats… for now” and the boss will disappear.

    Two Fallen Walker tanks will appear on the raised platforms on your left and right, along with some additional Fallen. Take everything out and you’ll get another ominous message: “Siriks returns… heavily armed.”

    Siriks will drop back into the area in a massive Brig mech. This thing has full health, so it’s going to take some time and work to take it out. Once you manage to blast off theshield on the Brig, the boss will start lobbing massive tank and constant airstrikes. Just keep moving to dodge these attacks and you’ll eventually take it down.

    With Siriks dead, head up to the chest that spawns, say hi to Mithrax, and grab the Outbreak Perfected schematic. Head back to the Tower and talk to Ada-1. She’ll give you the Outbreak Perfected, complete with the pattern attached. Ada-1 will also give you the “Outbreak Refined 1” quest, which you can complete for some additional crafted perk options on your new Outbreak Perfected.

    If you already have the Catalyst for Outbreak Perfected from the original version of “Zero Hour,” you’ll instantly be able to place it on your newly crafted gun. However, if this is your first time running the mission, you’ll need to hop back in on Heroic mode in order to pick up the Catalyst and improve your Outbreak Perfected.

    [ad_2]

    Ryan Gilliam

    Source link

  • Destiny Might Have Lost Its Chance to Become a TV Show

    Destiny Might Have Lost Its Chance to Become a TV Show

    [ad_1]

    There’s a lot of video games set to get TV or film adaptations in the next few years, and even more that seem like they’d be ripe for the picking. Bungie’s Destiny franchise seemed like a viable candidate, especially after the studio was acquired by PlayStation in 2022, but it sounds like any plans to bring the games to a new medium are have currently been dashed.

    According to Forbes’ Paul Tassi earlier in the week, Bungie was reportedly “tossing around” ideas for an animated Destiny series on Netflix before things fell apart.. Allegedly, this was in development prior to the aforementioned PlayStation acquisition, during which Sony said it would help Bungie “nurture the IP they have in a multi-dimensional manner.” (For extra context, this statement was made a few weeks before the Uncharted movie released and became a decent box-office success.) In regards to why it didn’t go forward, Tassi wasn’t sure, though he did say it just may not have gone farther than the scripting phase.

    Destiny 2: Is There Any Way A Destiny Show Is Still Happening At This Point?

    Before Sony bought Bungie, the developer brought on Derrick Tsai as its transmedia head. Tsai was a producer and director at Riot who helped pave the way for Arcane to get made and become a hit over at Netflix. He departed around this time last year, after which the studio hired Warner Bros. alum Gabriel VanHuss to serve as the Destiny’s head of linear media. VanHuss holds that position to this day, and his duties involve expanding the franchise in TV, comics (which it’s previously done), movies, and so on. It’s hard to know where this hypothetical show currently stands: Bungie’s currently focused on the Final Shape expansion dropping in June, its new Marathon game, and still reeling from its highly publicized layoffs (to say nothing of possibly working on Destiny 3). According to Tassi, if the hypothetical show isn’t fully dead, it’s not coming “anytime remotely soon.”

    The idea of Destiny getting a TV show seemed like a cool idea two years ago, but it’s a little more dicey now. Bungie’s hoping to turn things around for both Destiny 2 and the company at large with Final Shape, and revealing a TV show weeks after the expansion drops could easily take things from “we’re so back” to “oh, it’s over” in a heartbeat. The series certainly has the potential to thrive in other mediums, but it’ll unfortunately have to be a waiting game until the smoke clears around The Final Shape.

    [via Eurogamer]


    Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

    [ad_2]

    Justin Carter

    Source link

  • The Best Rocket Launcher In Destiny 2 And How To Get It

    The Best Rocket Launcher In Destiny 2 And How To Get It

    [ad_1]

    Destiny 2 is back on the menu thanks to a brilliant new horde mode called Onslaught. As players return to the sci-fi shooter MMO in droves following the free Into The Light update that’s been showering them with loot, a lot of you are no doubt behind on the latest top gear. Fortunately, Apex Predator is arguably the best legendary rocket launcher in the game and it’s really straightforward to get, making it the perfect piece of loot to grind for ahead of The Final Shape.

    A reprised version of Apex Predator arrived in Destiny 2’s Last Wish raid last year and remains the gold standard in high-damage rocket launchers thanks to brand new perks like Reconstruction and Bait and Switch.

    The first slowly increases reload speed over time while the second provides a damage boost shortly after firing all weapons back to back. Bipod for more ammo and Explosive Light for higher damage and blast radius after picking up an orb of light are also decent perks.

    While some of Destiny 2’s best guns are a pain to get, Apex Predator isn’t one of them. It can drop from any encounter in the Last Wish raid, making it easy to hop in, get to the first checkpoint, and then fight the first boss, Kalli, over and over until you finally get Apex Predator to drop. Here’s a quick guide from Destiny 2 YouTuber Datto on how to complete that encounter:

    If you’re lucky, you’ll get one with some version of the above perks earlier on. If not, however, don’t worry: Apex Predator is also craftable. Unlocking the craftable frame for Apex Predator requires collecting five deepsight versions of the weapon (also known as red borders). That can take a lot longer but it will also allow you to level the solar rocket launcher up and equip enhanced versions of its perks to boost its stats even more. Players can also take part in the recently added Riven Wishes quests to unlock weekly tokens that let them automatically earn one randomly rolled Apex Predator.

    Now, perhaps you’re just getting back into Destiny 2 and really want a great rocket launcher people won’t make fun of you for but all of this sounds like way more work than you were counting on. Good news: Hothead is another decent rocket launcher and it doesn’t require any raiding. You can get one directly from Zavala in The Tower. All you need in order to buy it is to give him three Vanguard Engrams and 25,000 Glimmer.

    Hopefully you land one with Auto-Loading Holster, Explosive Light, Demolitionist, Clown Cartridge, Field Prep, or Vorpal Weapon. Still, if you plan on going hard once Destiny 2’s climactic The Final Shape expansion arrives on June 4, it’s probably worth chasing Apex Predator. It’ll be a great day-one raid weapon and will no doubt serve you well in the expansion’s challenging main campaign.

    [ad_2]

    Ethan Gach

    Source link

  • Destiny 2 Players Convince Bungie To Change Into The Light Weapon Rollout

    Destiny 2 Players Convince Bungie To Change Into The Light Weapon Rollout

    [ad_1]

    Late last year, it was reported that Destiny 2’s upcoming expansion, The Final Shape, was getting delayed amidst struggles and layoffs at Bungie. The expansion, which was initially supposed to release by February, was then officially pushed back to June, leaving a tremendous gap of time between what was supposed to be the end of last year’s expansion and the eventual conclusion of Destiny 2’s ongoing saga. In light of this gap, Bungie has planned a pseudo-season of content, billed as Destiny 2: Into the Light, which is bringing new maps, modes, and weapons when it launches on April 9.

    Into the Light’s weapons are of particular note, as they make up what Bungie has dubbed the “BRAVE arsenal,” a collection of beloved older weapons that have been renewed and enhanced for the current state of the game. When they were first unveiled in the second of three planned developer streams earlier this week, however, they were met with both excitement and a hint of hesitation. The latter was due to the fact that Bungie announced it would release half of the BRAVE arsenal at launch, followed by a protracted weekly rollout for the other half of the armory. Per the initial plan, players who started playing Into the Light at launch wouldn’t be able to get their hands on the full arsenal for a full six weeks.

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being in and around the Destiny 2 community for years now, it’s that you should do as little as possible to stand in the way of players and their loot. Fans of the game were none too pleased about the drip feed of weapons, especially considering how many of those weapons are fan favorites whose value deprecated over the years. Crucially, earlier access to the full arsenal would grant players more time to grind them in Into the Light’s new PvE Onslaught mode and earn special variants that are only available for a limited time. On Bungie’s originally intended schedule, this time would be cut dramatically short for the weapons releasing later. Countless players made their concerns and complaints known to Bungie, which despite its missteps is often open to feedback and fairly quick to respond to it, and the team is now (sort of) reversing course.

    A thread on the Destiny 2 Team Twitter account (which shares insights and feedback directly from the developers) responded to fans’ concerns yesterday and announced that Bungie would be tweaking the planned weapon rollout. Rather than six weeks, the schedule has now been cut to three weeks, meaning the team will be dropping two weapons a week after launch. On this timeline, players will now be able to get the entire BRAVE arsenal by the end of April, rather than late May. Though it doesn’t completely eliminate the “timegating” that many players are calling out, the decision is largely a step in the right direction.

    Further down the thread, Bungie outlines many of the ways in which it is making sure that players can get guaranteed god rolls and limited variants of the BRAVE arsenal. According to Bungie, “weapon drop rates during Destiny 2: Into the Light will be among our highest in Destiny’s history, even harkening back to the days of Season of Opulence,” ensuring that folks who spend any time playing Destiny 2 during the next few months will be able to get their hands on the much-desired weapons.

    The entirety of the thread is worth a read if you’re curious about the various pathways to earn loot throughout Into the Light, but the message is clear: you will be able to get the BRAVE weapons no matter what.

    [ad_2]

    Moises Taveras

    Source link

  • How to permanently unlock Destiny 2’s new hoverboard vehicle

    How to permanently unlock Destiny 2’s new hoverboard vehicle

    [ad_1]

    The Skimmer is a new kind of vehicle type in Destiny 2 that you can use in place of your trusty Sparrow. It’s essentially a hoverboard that you can ride all over the galaxy. There is a catch, however: the first Skimmer, the Allstar Vector, is exclusive to the Guardian Games 2024 event, which runs March 5-26. Luckily, there’s a way to unlock the Allstar Vector permanently, so you can continue to hoverboard around once The Final Shape expansion drops in June.

    In this Destiny 2 guide, we’ll teach you how to unlock the Exotic version of the Allstar Vector, which you’ll be able to use forever.


    How to pick up the Allstar Vector Skimmer in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Before you can receive the permanent, Exotic version of the Allstar Vector, you’ll first need to unlock the Common one. To do that, complete the “Best in Class” tutorial quest for Guardian Games. You can pick it up from Eva in the Tower and it’ll ask you to don your special class item, do a quick Guardian Games activity, and talk to some people.

    Once you finish “Best in Class,” pick up Eva’s new quest, “Drop In.” As soon as you get “Drop In,” you’ll get the Common version of the Allstar Vector Skimmer. The big difference between the Common Allstar Vector and the Exotic is that the Common one warns it expires at the end of Guardian Games.

    Now that you have the non-Exotic Skimmer, the clock is ticking for you to complete “Drop In” and unlock the permanent version.


    How to permanently unlock the Allstar Vector in Destiny 2

    A Guardian picks up the Drop In quest from Eva Levante in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Once you get the “Drop In” quest from Eva, it’s time to get to work. This quest rewards the Exotic Skimmer and it only has one step. Just know that your time spent on this quest is going vary heavily depending on your skill level and your ability to play the game during certain times.

    There are three objectives to complete for “Drop In,” but you only need to complete one of them to finish the quest. Here are your options:

    • Earn 1,200 Medallion Score
    • Earn a top 10% score in Nightfall challenges
    • Open 3 Focus Activity winners packages

    However you end up finishing “Drop In,” the Skimmer will automatically appear in your inventory once it’s done. And that’s it. Once you get the Exotic, you have the Allstar Vector for life.

    Medallion Score

    Let’s start with the simplest and longest one: Medallion Score. Getting 1,200 Medallion Score is time consuming in Guardian Games, as you’ll need to spend a lot of time earning and dumping medals into the podium. Bronze medals are worth one point, Silver medals are wroth two points, Gold medals are worth five points, and Platinum medals are worth 15 points.

    If you’re earning a lot of Platinum medals, you’ll get done with this pretty quickly, but if you’re a more casual player who mostly dumps in bronze and silver medals, it’s going to be a bit of a grind. But this is a guaranteed way for everyone to get the Skimmer — as long as you’re willing to put in the time.

    Top 10% Nightfall score

    The fastest way to get the Skimmer by far is earning a top 10% score in Nightfall challenges. (I was able to unlock the Skimmer on my first Nightfall run of the week using this method.) But in order to do this, you’ll need two things: endgame PvE skills and endgame PvE friends to fill out your Fireteam. If you have both of those, this is a very fast way to get the Skimmer.

    If you keep banging your head against the Nightfall and can’t get the score you need, then it might be best to try one of the other two methods. One quick tip for this one is that if you can complete the Nightfall as close to the weekly reset (Tuesdays at noon ET) as possible, you’ll stand a much better chance of getting a high score.

    Open Focus Activity chests

    Finally, there are the new Focus Activity packages. Basically, every few hours a new Guardian Games playlist will become the “Focus Activity” for two hours during the week and three hours over the weekend. As you compete in the Focus Activity, you’ll earn bonus chests based on how you do, from bronze to gold. You can get these chests by just spending time in the Focused Activity, so this is a great way to get the Skimmer. However, you do have to be online at the right time to make it happen, so depending on your schedule, this might be a tough sell.

    Are there any other Skimmers in Destiny 2?

    The Winged Wolf Eververse-only Exotic Skimmer in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Yes! Bungie launched two Skimmers on March 5, alongside Guardian Games 2024. However, only one of them (the Allstar Vector) is free. The other Skimmer is exclusive to the Eververse store, and it’s called the Winged Wolf.

    The Winged Wolf is part of a gear set called the Gjallarheart Gear based on the iconic Gjallarhorn rocket launcher. There’s a new armor set for each of the three classes, which runs 1,500 Silver each. Then there’s a Gjallarhorn-like Ornament for the Thunderlord Exotic that runs 700 Silver. And finally there’s the Gjallarheart Gear Bundle, which is 2,500 Silver and appears to be the only way to get the Winged Wolf. In addition to the Eververse-exclusive Skimmer, it also comes with a Ghost, ship, and Shader, all based around Gjallarhorn.

    Extra unfortunately, you cannot just buy 2,500 Silver, so you’ll need to purchase 3,000 Silver instead. This will run you $29.99 and it comes with 300 bonus Silver for a total of 3,300.

    It’s unclear how long this Gjallarhorn bundle will be in the shop or if the Winged Wolf will be available for purchase after Guardian Games 2024 ends.

    [ad_2]

    Ryan Gilliam

    Source link

  • The Last Of Us Online Is Officially Canceled

    The Last Of Us Online Is Officially Canceled

    [ad_1]

    The Last of Us Online is dead. Naughty Dog announced today that the multiplayer spin-off of the hit series is no longer in development, citing concerns about managing ongoing content for a live-service game while still trying to produce the single-player blockbusters the PlayStation studio is famous for.

    “We realize many of you have been anticipating news around the project that we’ve been calling The Last of Us Online,” Naughty Dog wrote in a December 14 update. “There’s no easy way to say this: We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on that game.”

    The studio said that as production on the project ramped up, it became clear that “we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games.” The choices were apparently between becoming a “solely live-service games studio” in the mold of modern day Bungie, which makes Destiny 2, or “continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.”

    The Last Of Us Online, which many many fans previously referred to as Factions after the multiplayer mode from the original 2013 PlayStation 3 game, was first announced during Summer Game Fest 2022. The spin-off was billed as the studio’s “biggest online experience” ever, and as large as any of its single-player games.

    But Naughty Dog never showed the game beyond vague statements and concept art. Then in May of this year, Bloomberg reported that the production team on the game had be scaled back following negative feedback from an internal review by Bungie, which Sony acquired last year. At the time, the studio posted a statement on Twitter saying that while things were progressing well, the game required more time. By October, however, Kotaku reported that the project had been “put on ice” amid some internal reshuffling and dozens of contracted developers being laid off.

    The Last of Us Online was one of a number of new multiplayer projects in development across Sony’s studios as the PlayStation 5 maker invested in a massive shift toward more live-service games. In November, Sony revealed during an earnings call that half of the roughly dozen online games it was working on would be delayed past 2025.

    In the meantime, Naughty Dog is still working on a “brand-new single-player game” it plans to reveal sometime in the future.

    Here’s Naughty Dog’s full blog post:

    We realize many of you have been anticipating news around the project that we’ve been calling The Last of Us Online. There’s no easy way to say this: We’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on that game.

    We know this news will be tough for many, especially our dedicated The Last of Us Factions community, who have been following our multiplayer ambitions ardently. We’re equally crushed at the studio as we were looking forward to putting it in your hands. We wanted to share with you some background of how we came to this decision.

    The multiplayer team has been in pre-production with this game since we were working on The Last of Us Part II – crafting an experience we felt was unique and had tremendous potential. As the multiplayer team iterated on their concept for The Last of Us Online during this time, their vision crystalized, the gameplay got more refined and satisfying, and we were enthusiastic about the direction in which we were headed.

    In ramping up to full production, the massive scope of our ambition became clear. To release and support The Last of Us Online we’d have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games. So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog’s heritage.

    We are immensely proud of everyone at the studio that touched this project. The learnings and investments in technology from this game will carry into how we develop our projects and will be invaluable in the direction we are headed as a studio. We have more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we’re working on here at Naughty Dog, and we cannot wait to share more about what comes next when we’re ready.

    Until then, we’re incredibly thankful to our community for your support throughout the years.

    [ad_2]

    Ethan Gach

    Source link

  • The Week's Biggest Gaming News, From GTA 6 To The Game Awards

    The Week's Biggest Gaming News, From GTA 6 To The Game Awards

    [ad_1]

    Gaming’s biggest night has come and gone, and perhaps the biggest surprise of all was just how little time devs were given to thank their family, fans, and recently deceased colleagues during their acceptance speeches. But before that, we finally got our first in-depth look at Rockstar’s GTA 6, the most anticipated game in a decade. Here’s your cheat sheet to the week’s biggest news.


    GTA VI Confirmed Next-Gen Only, Skipping PC At Launch

    Screenshot: Rockstar Games / Kotaku

    Rockstar Games has confirmed that, at least at launch, the company’s long-awaited open-world crime sim, Grand Theft Auto VI, will launch on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 only, with no mention of a PC version. – Zack Zwiezen Read More


    10 Years Ago, An Underrated Zelda Game Paved The Way For Tears Of The Kingdom

    Zelda holds the Master Sword in Tears of the Kingdom.

    Screenshot: Nintendo

    The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is often heralded as one of the best adventure games of the past 25 years. With the nefarious Ganon once again scheming to conquer the land, it’s up to Link to traverse through time, space, and yet another aggravating water temple to save the Kingdom of Hyrule. While the epic for the N64 is celebrating a major birthday this year, inspiring tribute mash-up videos and social media celebrations, another classic Zelda title is quietly celebrating a major milestone of its own. – Jen Glennon Read More


    Steam’s Most-Hyped Zombie Game Is Out, And It’s A Dumpster Fire

    Zombies run at people holding guns in a city intersection.

    Image: Fntastic

    The Day Before kicked off 2023 as one of the most wishlisted games on Steam. Now, after endless controversies, the self-proclaimed open-world survival-horror MMO styled after The Last of Us is finally in Steam Early Access, and it’s getting panned. The first players to lay hands on the much-hyped zombie shooter are sharing footage of game-breaking glitches and leaving thousands of negative reviews. – Ethan Gach Read More


    Return To Vice City In 20 Glorious Images From GTA 6

    Screenshot from the very first trailer of GTA 6.

    Screenshot: Rockstar Games / Kotaku

    We knew it was coming. Heck, we knew it was mere hours away. But Grand Theft Auto VI is finally, truly happening for real, and we just got our first official glimpse of the game, thanks to Rockstar Games. – Jen Glennon Read More


    Overwatch 2’s Latest Mercy Skin Sparks Fan Backlash

    Mercy resurrects an ally in her Lunar New Year skin.

    Image: Blizzard Entertainment

    Overwatch 2 season eight begins today, December 5, but Blizzard showed off its new skins, events, and latest tank hero, Mauga, before kick-off. And the sentiment from players about the skins for season eight has been mixed—Baptiste’s formal wear is a standout, but it’s sandwiched between some real stinkers and an unremarkable Mythic Skin. But one cosmetic has stood out for all the wrong reasons: Mercy’s Year of the Dragon event skin. – Kenneth Shepard Read More


    Everything We Saw At The Game Awards 2023

    Alan Wake's actor holds his arms wide open on stage at the Game Awards.

    Screenshot: The Game Awards / Kotaku

    2023’s The Game Awards just wrapped. Did you watch it? Well, no worries if you missed it (or had something better to do) as we’ve rounded up every major game trailer and world premiere you could want to watch in a single sitting. So if you’re looking to check out a new trailer or catch up on all the games that were announced this year, you’re in the right place. – Claire Jackson Read More


    Alleged New GTA 6 Leak Is Already Causing Pandemonium

    A woman holds a gun in front of palm trees and a person in a motorcycle helmet.

    Image: Rockstar Games / Kotaku

    A seven-second TikTok reverberated across the internet over the weekend, after it claimed to show the “first look” at in-game footage of a city in Grand Theft Auto VI, the open-world blockbuster whose official trailer is just a day away. Frantic speculation about whether the footage was real or not ensued, including unverified rumors that the leak involved a Rockstar Games developer’s own kid. – Ethan Gach Read More


    Report: Bungie Will Lose Independence Within Sony If Destiny 2 Fails Financial Goals

    Destiny 2 heroes appear grizzled as The Final Shape appears.

    Image: Bungie

    While Sony acquired Destiny 2 maker Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, it repeatedly claimed the creator of Halo and other hits would remain an “independent subsidiary.” Now IGN reports that if Bungie’s sci-fi MMO keeps failing revenue targets, Sony could dissolve its existing board of directors and take full control of the roughly 1,100 person studio. – Ethan Gach Read More


    Sega Exec On How Cloud-Based Services Are The New Game Demos

    How Cloud-Based Services Are Like The New Game Demos

    The creative director of the studio behind Sonic Dream Team shares his thoughts on the future of mobile gaming


    Every Change In Cyberpunk 2077‘s Last Big Update

    Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty's main characters appear in front of yellow and red backgrounds.

    Image: CD Projekt Red

    After a long and tumultuous road, Cyberpunk 2077 appears to be getting its final major update today. The sprawling patch includes a new ridable metro system and more romance options, as well as a host of other tweaks, changes, and additions. Unless it ends up breaking something big in the game, consider patch 2.1 Night City’s last overhaul until Cyberpunk 2 arrives a decade or so from now. – Ethan Gach Read More


    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • All Ahamkara Bones locations in Destiny 2’s Warlord’s Ruin dungeon

    All Ahamkara Bones locations in Destiny 2’s Warlord’s Ruin dungeon

    [ad_1]

    Ahamkara Bones are the collectible for the Warlord’s Ruin dungeon in Destiny 2, and are an essential part of the “In the Shadow of the Mountain” quest.

    In this Destiny 2 guide, we’ll go over how to find all of the sets of bones so you can complete the “In the Shadow of the Mountain” quest and the “Heed the Whispers, O Vengeance Mine” triumph, and boost the drop rate for your Buried Bloodlines Exotic sidearm.

    If you’re having any trouble getting to the locations described herein, check out our guide on how to complete the Warlord’s Ruin dungeon in Destiny 2.


    ‘In the Shadow of the Mountain’ quest steps

    Unlike previous dungeons, where you can get all of the collectibles in one run, the collectibles in Warlord’s Ruin must be collected across three different runs. Once you beat the dungeon for the first time, you’ll receive the “In the Shadow of the Mountain” quest, which will require you to get 30 Dark Ether Tinctures, 3 Blighted Wishing Glass, and four Ahamkara Bones.

    How to get Dark Ether Tinctures in Destiny 2

    You get Dark Ether Tinctures by killing special Screeb-like enemies called Thieving Wretches, which will spawn in three locations:

    • The first is on the bridge before the first encounter.
    • The second is found in the maze after defeating the first boss.
    • The third is found on the mountain side after defeating the second boss.

    These enemies can respawn, so you can farm them to get enough Dark Ether Tinctures.

    How to get Blighted Wishing Glass in Destiny 2

    You get one Blighted Wishing Glass per encounter completion from the loot chest. Once you complete that quest step, you’ll have to collect the next 3 bones and more Dark Ether Tinctures and Blighted Wishing Glass. Once you complete that step, you’ll have to do it again until you collect all ten bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 1 location

    Across the bridge inside the first fort, before an arresting Knight assails you.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    The first set of Ahamkara Bones is found directly before the first boss. Once you enter the fort, continue forward. You’ll see a door where you must remove a corruption level one. Directly behind this door is the first set of bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 2 location

    Image of the second Ahamkara Bones in Warlord’s Ruin

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Across from imprisonment, after ascending through the ceiling.

    After you escape the prison, continue forward until you jump through the ceiling into an orangely lit area. Walk forward, and the door blocked by corruption level one will be on your right. Remove the corruption and collect the second set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 3 location

    Image of the third door in Destiny 2

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    At the top of the summit, face back from the cliff and find shelter.

    After the second encounter, make your way until you reach the outside again and see this view. Continue to the left, and instead of jumping down to the left to make your way to the room with the large Taken orb, continue straight.

    A guardain walks through a snowy landscape in Destiny 2 Warlord’s Ruin dungeon.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Climb up until you see a small hallway in the left wall of the mountain. The third corruption level one door will be in the small hallway, and behind that door will be the third set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 4 location

    Image of opening

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    In the snowfallen maze, through the broken wall, seek the banner of Kings.

    After you break out of the prison, make your way through until you reach a hole in the wall that you must walk through to progress.

    Image of the left turn

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Make a right (where you’ll have to jump over a stacked spike trap), then a left. The corruption level two door will be directly in front of you.

    Image of the door to Ahamkara Bones in Destiny 2 Warlord’s Ruin dungeon.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Remove the corruption and collect the fourth set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 5 location

    Image of the path needed for 5th bone

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Cross into the Tempest, through the portcullis, at the sewer’s mouth.

    Before the second encounter, get to the doorway where you find the first secret chest.

    A guardian approaches a sewer in Destiny 2.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Turn to the right and follow the snowy path until you reach a sewer entrance. Right through the sewer grate is the next corruption level two door. Remove the corruption and collect the fifth set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 6 location

    Image of 6th bone area

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    At summits base, find shelter off the beaten path. Too far, and the Taken will descend upon you.

    After defeating the second boss, progress forward until you reach a group of enemies as you start to head outside. It’ll look like the area pictured above.

    Image of 6th bone area in Destiny 2 Warlord’s Ruin dungeon.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    After you defeat the enemies, head into the cubby pictured above. There is where you’ll find the corruption level 2 door and the sixth set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 7 location

    A guardian walks down a tunnel in Destiny 2 Warlord’s Ruin dungeon.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Within the maze, stride panning a pitfall, light calls through the window.

    After the prison section, get to the point where you see a pile of barrels below the hole that you must jump up through.

    Image of hallway

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Jump up through the hole, exit the circle room, and take the left.

    Image of door as guardian walks toward in Destiny 2.

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Head down to the end of the hall and dispel the corruption level three door to collect the seventh set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 8 location

    Image of 8th bone jump

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    The Taken roil at cave’s bottom sends you to scurry over boulders into a ruined alcove.

    Once you get to the room with the large Taken Blight, make your way through until you can look up and see the end. Below will be a platform that you’ll have to jump down to.

    Image of 8th bone door

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Once you jump down, dispel the corruption level three door and collect the eighth set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 9 location

    Image of 9th bone area

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    Within a tunnel on the broken cliffs, brace the Taken storm.

    After the Taken Blight room, there will be a section where you’ll have to jump around a smaller Taken Blight. Make your way to the room highlighted in the image above. The final level three corruption door is in that hallway; dispel it and collect the ninth set of Ahamkara Bones.


    Ahamkara Bones 10 location

    Image of final set of bones

    Image: Bungie via Polygon

    After defeating the final boss, this set of Ahamkara Bones is found directly beside the loot chest.

    [ad_2]

    Jacob VanderVat

    Source link

  • The Week's Biggest Gaming News, From The Fallout TV Show To The Game Awards

    The Week's Biggest Gaming News, From The Fallout TV Show To The Game Awards

    [ad_1]

    Amouranth bought an orchard for a cool $17 mill, Bethesda’s attempting to win the hearts and minds of disaffected Starfield players on Steam, and Dan Houser is back! In podcast form!

    Here’s your cheat sheet for the week’s most important stories in gaming.


    Bethesda Confirms Fallout TV Show Is Canon In First Official Preview

    Screenshot: Amazon / Vanity Fair / Bethesda

    In a newly released preview of Amazon Prime’s upcoming Fallout TV show, we learned a lot of new details about the world, characters, and story of the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Bethesda’s popular post-apocalyptic RPG franchise. For example, the show is considered canon with the games. And Walter Goggins still looks good, even as an undead ghoul. Read More


    TGA’s Geoff Keighley Weighs In On Dave The Diver Nomination Controversy

    Two people look at each other in Dave the Diver.

    Image: Mintrocket

    An intense debate ignited November 13, when The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley announced the nominees for this year’s trophy ceremony. While some folks were surprised Pikachu face by Starfield’s absence, most people were shook by one particular title offered up for the “Best Independent Game” category. Now, after a couple weeks of silence, Keighley has tossed his two cents into the discourse. Read More


    Sonic 3 Movie Teaser Sparks Fan Freak-Out About Shadow’s Shoes

    Shadow appears in a stasis pod in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

    Image: Paramount / Sonic Wiki

    Reader, if you don’t mind a quick look into my personal neurosis, let me tell you that when I’m really looking forward to something, I get a great deal of anxiety about possibly dying before I get to experience it. I’ve felt this about video games, movies, albums, concerts, and pretty much anything else worth being excited about. Right now, the third live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie is near the top of my list of Things I Must Survive Long Enough To Experience. This isn’t because I think the movie will be great, or even good, it’s because Shadow the Hedgehog, the best character in the franchise, is set to appear as a main character. All those feelings of excitement and existential dread have been roused today, as Paramount has released a picture of the angsty, broody, gun-toting king on set…well, his feet, at least. Read More


    Amouranth Spends $17 Million On Fruit Field To ‘Overtake’ Bill Gates

    Kaitlyn "Amouranth" Siragusa poses in front of the camera in a November 26 YouTube video.

    Screenshot: Amouranth / Kotaku

    Kaitlyn “Amouranth” Siragusa, one of livestreaming’s most recognizable women, is something of a tour de force. She’s building an empire, after all, having bought a gas station, purchased an inflatable pool company, sold water straight from her hot tub, and slung beer made with her vaginal bacteria. Love her or hate her, Amouranth is a savvy businesswoman making millions upon millions of dollars every year. Now, she’s using some of those millions—17 of them, to be precise—to add another expensive purchase to the pile: a 2,213-acre fruit orchard in and around Florida. Read More


    Starfield Isn’t Boring Actually, Bethesda Tells Steam Reviewers

    An astronaut looks out over an empty planet.

    Image: Bethesda

    The meta-narrative around Starfield just took a very weird turn. Steam reviews for the sprawling sci-fi RPG recently fell to “mixed” on Valve’s storefront, and now Bethesda employees are arguing with players in the comments about why the game isn’t as boring and soulless as some of them claim. Read More


    Destiny 2 Players Are Roasting Its New ‘Starter Pack’ [Update: Bungie Deletes It For ‘Not Bringing Joy’]

    Guardians aims weapons out of a Destiny logo.

    Image: Bungie

    The hardest thing about Destiny 2 is getting any of your friends to play it. Fans of Bungie’s ambitious and imaginative sci-fi shooter have long hoped for a simple on-ramp that would make it easier to get lapsed players and newcomers back into its universe. Destiny 2’s new “Starter Pack” might sound like exactly that. Instead, it’s a pricey bundle of random items that fans can’t stop dunking on. Read More


    Overwatch 2 Is Stripping Away What Made Mythic Skins Worth The Grind

    Hanzo is shown in his Mythic Skin summoning his dragons.

    Image: Blizzard Entertainment

    When Overwatch 2 shifted the hero shooter’s economy away from loot boxes and into a seasonal battle pass, the customizable Mythic Skins unlocked at the end of that pass were framed as the light at the end of the grindy tunnel. Unlike any other Overwatch skin, these would be somewhat customizable, offering a few style and color options for players to make them their own. In the game’s first year, seven of its iconic heroes have gotten one of these Mythic skins, which mostly been well-received. But after Blizzard revealed season eight’s skin for tank character Orisa, players are noticing a downward trend in Mythic Skin quality. Read More


    Rockstar Co-Founder & GTA Lead Writer Finally Reveals What He’s Been Working On

    An image collage shows Dan Houser next to the logos of his next projects.

    Photo: Absurd Ventures / Kotaku / Patrick McMullan (Getty Images)

    Dan Houser, who co-founded Rockstar Games and was the lead writer on multiple Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption games, has finally revealed what his new studio is working on. If you were expecting a video game…well, you’ll have to keep waiting. Read More


    Dragon’s Dogma 2 Joins A Divisive Gaming Trend

    A Dragon's Dogma character stands with their arms outstretched.

    Image: Capcom

    Dragon’s Dogma 2 looks awesome, right? The much anticipated action role-playing game about dragons and pawns came out swinging with a hefty new gameplay showcase on November 28, showing off the impressive character creator and some spectacular combat and officially revealing a March 24, 2024 release date. One thing that isn’t so awesome, however, is the game’s relatively high price tag of $70, which marks the first game from Capcom at this price. Read More


    Call Of Duty Breaks Silence On Skill-Based Matchmaking

    Players face off in the hallway on the Terminal map, with one brandishing a knife.

    Image: Activision

    The November 10 launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III reignited the seemingly endless debate about multiplayer matchmaking, with players demanding Activision and Infinity Ward provide details, or even abolish it entirely. This conversation has perpetuated across multiple Call of Duty releases, but the team behind the popular first-person shooter has yet to properly acknowledge it—until now. On November 30, an official statement was shared by popular CoD website CharlieIntel on X (formerly Twitter). Read More


    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Destiny 2 Players Are Roasting Its New ‘Starter Pack’ [Update: Bungie Deletes It]

    Destiny 2 Players Are Roasting Its New ‘Starter Pack’ [Update: Bungie Deletes It]

    [ad_1]

    The hardest thing about Destiny 2 is getting any of your friends to play it. Fans of Bungie’s ambitious and imaginative sci-fi shooter have long hoped for a simple on-ramp that would make it easier to get lapsed players and newcomers back into its universe. Destiny 2’s new “Starter Pack” might sound like exactly that. Instead, it’s a pricey bundle of random items that fans can’t stop dunking on.

    Season of the Wish went live today with an exciting trailer and new missions revolving around collecting dragon eggs to win over an old enemy. But players also quietly noticed a new DLC add-on on PSN, Xbox, and Steam that went live alongside the latest update. It’s called the Destiny 2 Starter Pack, it costs $15, and it’s one of the more ridiculous microtransactions I’ve seen. Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Starter Pack does not include any expansions, missions, or story content. It’s just a random assortment of stuff meant to “supercharge” players’ arsenals. Here’s what’s included:

    • Traveler’s Chosen
    • Ruinous Effigy
    • Sleeper Simulant
    • Exotic Ship
    • Exotic Sparrow
    • Exotic Ghost Shell
    • 125,000 Glimmer
    • 50 Enhancement Cores
    • 5 Enhancement Prisms
    • 1 Ascendant Shard

    Image: Bungie

    Those first three items are all old Exotic weapons that have been in the game since 2019 or before. They are mostly fine but only synergize with specific builds and can all be acquired from the Tower kiosk without too much fuss. The ship, sparrow, and ghost shell are purely cosmetic and completely dependent on personal taste. In my opinion at least, the ones in the Starter Pack are far from some of the game’s better designs.

    The materials, meanwhile, are pretty stingy. Glimmer is Destiny 2’s main in-game currency, earned by doing anything and everything. Cores, prisms, and Ascendant Shards (what players lovingly call “golf balls”) are for focusing engrams, rerolling gear, and crafting new items, none of which is particularly helpful for new players, nor very meaningful in the quantities offered. It’s not even enough to fully masterwork a new piece of armor. It’s a bizarre array of accouterments to buy for more than the cost of an entire season of the game.

    “I’d say this is pay to win, but really it’s just a waste of money,” wrote one player on the Destiny subreddit. “Pay to lose.” Another wrote, “This is pathetic. 3 mid exotics, a few crap cosmetics and some materials is not worth that much. A real starter pack would be guns and old DLCs.”

    There are three broad obstacles to players getting back into Destiny 2. The first is that most of the story is no longer in the game due to content vaulting. The second is that Destiny 2’s “New Light” campaign remains pretty barebones and offers no real direction with end-game activities. And the third is that despite ostensibly being free-to-play, all of the expansions are paid and unlocking access to everything is still quite expensive. Shadowkeep, the underwhelming 2019 expansion, is still normally $25. The Starter Pack just adds to the noise, confusing players with misleading descriptions like “Fly between destinations in your new Exotic ship.” Narrator voice: Exotic ships are just custom loading screen animations.

    The Starter Pack also comes in the context of layoffs at Bungie amid the delay of 2024’s The Final Shape expansion and reported revenue shortfalls. At a time when the studio is apparently desperate for money, the $15 bundle just underlines the gulf between players and whoever is leading Destiny 2’s monetization strategy. It’s one thing to milk whales, but as Destiny 2 players are pointing out, the new Starter Pack seems squarely aimed at taking advantage of new players who won’t know any better. In the words of one of them, “This is some mobile game shit.”

    Update 11/29/2023 6:09 p.m. ET: Bungie appears to have removed Destiny 2’s controvertial Starter Pack from storefornts, including Valve’s storefront. “Notice: Destiny 2: Starter Pack is no longer available on the Steam store,” reads an update on the Steam listing. PlayStation Store listings, meanwhile, return error pages.

    A screenshot shows Destiny 2's Starter Pack getting removed from Steam.

    Screenshot: Valve / Kotaku

    In addition to roasting the microtransaction on social media and Reddit, some players had also attempted to review-bomb the bundle and change the Steam tags for it to things like “psychological horror.” 

    [ad_2]

    Ethan Gach

    Source link

  • The Week’s Best Gaming Stories, From Pokimane to Adults-Only N64

    The Week’s Best Gaming Stories, From Pokimane to Adults-Only N64

    [ad_1]

    From mergers to memes, the landscape of interactive entertainment is always in motion. Here’s your cheat sheet for the week’s most important stories in gaming.


    The Pokimane Cookie Apology Tour Has Officially Begun

    Screenshot: Pokimane / Kotaku

    Following some intense controversy surrounding her new snack brand, popular Twitch streamer Pokimane has apologized for an insensitive comment she made to a “rude chatter” during a November 18 livestream. Read More


    Nintendo Adds Adults-Only N64 App For Switch In Japan

    June sits in a red chair on a spaceship sitting some sort of hot drink from a white-and-red mug.

    Image: Rare

    When you think of Nintendo, you tend to think of family-friendly gaming. You think of Link and Mario and sunshine and smiley stars. The word “adult” doesn’t likely come up when you ponder games on Switch, but that’s seemingly about to change. The company is adding a new 18+ app to its subscription service, Nintendo Switch Online, although only in Japan. Read More


    Cyberpunk 2077‘s Incredible Turnaround Will Now Be Preserved Forever

    V looks over her shoulder as Night City ignites behind her.

    Image: CD Projekt Red

    As Cyberpunk 2077 approaches its third anniversary, the beleaguered blockbuster is getting a send-0ff to immortalize its unlikely turnaround. CD Projekt Red announced an Ultimate Edition for the sci-fi RPG on November 21 that includes this year’s Phantom Liberty expansion and the massive 2.0 overhaul patch. There will even be a physical copy for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S owners. Read More


    Sony Fails To Kill $7.9 Billion Lawsuit Over PlayStation Store Prices

    A PlayStation logo hangs above people as they walk by.

    Photo: Justin Sullivan (Getty Images)

    A lawsuit filed last year accused Sony of using its walled-garden video game platform to charge players too much in the PlayStation Store. The London Tribunal has now allowed that lawsuit to move forward, against the PS5 maker’s objections, which could result in payments to players in the UK of up to $7.9 billion if it is ultimately successful. Read More


    Baldur’s Gate 3 Deluxe Edition Will Defy An Exasperating Trend

    Gale looks sad at a custom Baldur's Gate 3.

    Image: Larian Studios

    Buying super special “collector’s editions” of video games can be like heading into treacherous waters. These often-expensive boxes full of goodies (and also a video game) tend to sell out pretty quickly, and then you’re more likely to find them for double the price on reseller sites like eBay or Facebook’s marketplace. But if you’re eyeing the Baldur’s Gate 3 Deluxe Edition set to ship next year, Larian Studios is telling fans not to worry about it selling out, because the team isn’t making it a limited item. Read More


    PSA: You Shouldn’t Cook Your Steam Deck

    A very cooked Steam Deck.

    Photo: MisterColeman / Reddit

    Slow news day? You betcha. But look, it’s Thanksgiving, and there’s a good chance people are cooking and eating just about anything they can find right now. Please, if we can save just one person from trying to cook their Steam Deck, then it will have been worth it. Read More


    Embattled Shooter Destiny 2 Gets Witcher 3 Armor

    Destiny 2 guardians dress up like witchers.

    Image: Bungie

    The white wolf is coming to Destiny 2 by way of some new cosmetics. Bungie teased a crossover with CD Projekt Red’s beloved RPG The Witcher 3 that will add three new armor sets to make players look like protagonist Geralt of Rivia, at least if they’re willing to shell out $20 or more for a single set. The new skins look great, but also arrive at Destiny 2’s lowest point in years. Read More


    Steam’s Massive Fall Sale Is Offering Up Some Good Deals

    An image shows a collage of games on sale with discount stickers applied to each.

    Image: CD Projekt Red / Bethesda / Blizzard / EA / Lucasfilm / Valve / Kotaku

    Valve’s annual autumn sale. Some of the best and biggest PC games, including action-RPG Diablo IV, the fantastic Star Wars game Jedi: Survivor, and Bethesda’s latest, Starfield, are all on sale right now. Read More


    This Award-Winning VR Game Is Challenging Gender Norms

    This Award-Winning VR Game Is Challenging Gender Norms

    Kotaku went hands-on with the groundbreaking and immersive Body of Mine at the Games for Change festival


    Mortal Kombat 1 Players Are Time Traveling To Avoid Buying Skins

    Three Mortal Kombat 1 characters—Sub-Zero (left), Raiden (middle), and Scorpion (right)—pose in front of the camera.

    Image: NetherRealm Studios

    To avoid what many consider aggressive monetization, Mortal Kombat 1 players are doing everything they can to avoid buying cosmetics in NetherRealms’ latest 2D fighter. The latest exploit involves them utilizing a console date change hack to acquire once-free character skins that are now only available if you buy them. Read More


    [ad_2]

    Kotaku Staff

    Source link

  • The Week’s Hottest Takes, From Scott Pilgrim To TLOU 2

    The Week’s Hottest Takes, From Scott Pilgrim To TLOU 2

    [ad_1]

    Gamers are a passionate bunch, and we’re no exception. These are the week’s most interesting perspectives on the wild, wonderful, and sometimes weird world of video game news.


    The Scott Pilgrim Anime Backlash, Explained

    Image: Netflix

    Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, the new animated series based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels, is out on Netflix. The eight-episode series reunites the voice cast of the 2010 live-action movie Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and is a hilarious blend of the series’ quick wit and well-measured pop culture references. All of this sounds like a recipe for success, right? Well, it’s a little more complicated. Read More


    The New Division Game Has A Feature Every Game Should Steal

    An image shows Division characters being fast-forwarded.

    Image: Ubisoft / Kotaku

    Ubisoft’s new The Division game isn’t even out yet, as it’s still in beta testing and won’t launch officially until 2024. But after trying the beta, I already want one feature from the upcoming game to become standard in every video game I play in the future. Read More


    The Future Of ChatGPT Just Became A Circus [Update]

    Sam Altman appears at OpenAI Dev conference with a clown emjoi for a face.

    Photo: Justin Sullivan / Applle / Kotaku (Getty Images)

    OpenAI is the research organization behind ChatGPT, the AI-generated chatbot that took the internet by storm last year for its capacity to have really weird conversations with tech journalists. It’s at the center of Microsoft’s big bet on generative AI tools transforming the world, gaming, and more, and it’s now at risk of imploding after its CEO, Sam Altman, was mysteriously ousted by the OpenAI board of directors and Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear was desperately recruited to replace him. Here’s all you really need to know about OpenAI to appreciate what a clusterfuck the last few days have been. Read More


    Kotaku Asks: How Soon Is Too Soon For A Video Game Remaster Or Remake?

    A screenshot shows a sad Joel looking at Ellie in The Last of Us Part II.

    Screenshot: PlayStation / Naughty Dog

    How much time has to pass before it becomes acceptable to remaster or even remake a game? 10 years? 15 years? What about three-ish years? Is that enough time between the original and the remaster? Well, that’s what’s happening early next year as Naughty Dog is remastering 2020’s The Last of Us Part II.  Read More


    I’m So Tired Of Crossover ‘Skins’ Cluttering Up Video Games

    An image shows a collage of crossover video game skins from Destiny, Payday, and Rainbow Six.

    Image: Xbox / Epic Games / Bungie / Overkill Software / Kotaku

    Another day, another big video game crossover. This time it’s Bungie’s online looter shooter, Destiny 2, adding Witcher 3-inspired armor to its digital store. Are you excited? I’m not. In reality, I’m just really tired of every brand mixing together, regardless of whether it makes sense or is needed, as if concocting the world’s worst stew. Read More


    Admit It, You Don’t Understand Skill-Based Matchmaking (And Neither Do I)

    A man and a woman stand, scratching their heads in confusion, in front of a Modern Warfare III scoreboard.

    Image: Kotaku / Asier Romero / Luis Molinero (Shutterstock)

    Whenever a new blockbuster first-person shooter drops, gamers limber up so they can once again argue over how multiplayer matches get made and the algorithmic systems that determine who plays against whom and when. The recent release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is no exception—not long after its multiplayer servers booted on November 10, players began flocking to Reddit, X (Twitter), and everywhere in between to complain about the quality (or perceived lack thereof) of Activision’s matchmaking. But, as with so many issues in the gaming industry, there’s a serious lack of nuance and true understanding at play here. Read More


    I Can’t Miss The Last Of Us If It Won’t Leave

    The key art of The Last of Us Part II Remastered featuring Ellie and Abby.

    Image: Naughty Dog

    Remember when it took us seven years to get a new The Last of Us game? Remember when there was even a question about whether or not we’d ever get a sequel to Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic action game because the ending was so intentionally ambiguous and thought-provoking?

    Now, it seems we can’t go a year without being reminded that Sony thinks as many people should experience this series as possible, while folks associated with the HBO adaptation praise the game in ways that border on the absurd. Now, we’re getting a remaster of The Last of Us Part II, and it feels like we’re reaching peak Last of Us fatigue. Read More


    This Modern Warfare 3 Gameplay Feature Spices Up A Weak Campaign

    This Modern Warfare 3 Gameplay Feature Spices Up A Weak Campaign

    Open Combat Missions are a fresh idea worth carrying over to future Call of Duty games.


    [ad_2]

    Kotaku Staff

    Source link