Tag: Sega

Football Manager 26 Console: 7 Tips For New and Returning Players – Xbox Wire

Football Manager 26 Console is out now, ready for you to step into the dugout and take your favourite team to footballing glory.

Delivering instinctive play, FM26 Console brings new foundations for you to shape your football destiny. Optimised for play with a controller, FM26 allows you to zone in on the managerial essentials while experiencing much of the classic thrills and depth Football Manager is known for the world over. And, thanks to Smart Delivery, you’ll get the best available version of FM26 Console whether you play on an Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S or via Game Pass.

FM26 Console is packed with new additions, from the series’ most immersive Match Day experience, to new playable leagues thanks to fresh licences, and the introduction of Women’s Football.

Whether you’re an experienced manager or a series newcomer, your first couple of hours in the hotseat are vital. Here are seven top tips to help you start strong wherever your story begins.

Craft Your Game World

The first job in any Football Manager save is creating your game world and deciding the nations and leagues that you want to load. FM26 Console lets you load up to 10 nations (or 5 on Xbox One), so think about the sort of challenge you want as a manager and which competitions you want to be playable. For example, if you want to compete at the top end of the Premier League, focus on loading the other top leagues in for a more immersive experience in continental competitions.

If you’re curious about jumping in to Women’s Football, include both men’s and women’s divisions to move seamlessly between the two and explore new horizons. Whatever combination you go for, take your time to decide as the world you build shapes your story with FM26 Console.

Define Your Style and Personality

The next step is to create your manager. FM26 Console’s enhanced character creator offers more visual and stylistic options than ever – greater customisation options mean you can define your visual self with more clarity.

You’ll also shape your Coaching Style and Personality through a short set of questions that define how you feel about football and what sort of leader you are on the touchline.

Think carefully here – the selections allow you elevate the things you care about most and deprioritise those that are less important to you. They should also match the challenge you’re taking on. If you’re stepping in with a proven title-winner, high-energy, attacking football is expected. But if you’re an underdog looking to upset the odds, a motivator with strong pragmatism and defensive coaching will be more appropriate.

Master Your Bookmarks

You’ve built your world, crafted your character and defined the sort of manager you want to be. It’s now day one in the dugout and you’ve landed in FM26 Console’s revamped UI. This UI is designed to be smarter and more intuitive to navigate – and key to that are the new Bookmarks.

Simple, quick shortcuts to key game areas, Bookmarks are always accessible at the top of the screen and can be adjusted at any time to suit your preferences. Quick navigation between the core essentials of football management means you’ll always stay focused on what’s important.

Get to Know Your Squad

After you’ve sorted your Bookmarks, a vital task will be familiarising yourself with your Squad.

Take time to review what you’ve got at your disposal across your first team, reserves and youth squads. Where are you strong? What’s an area of weakness? Where have you got talented prospects ready to break through?

Reviewing your squad depth and understanding what you’re working with will help to shape your tactics and define your transfer plans.

Build Your Tactics with Your Staff

FM26 Console adds new tactical depth with separate In and Out of Possession formations, new player roles, and a dynamic visualiser showing how your team behaves in every phase. That level of detail allows you to express more control over how your side plays the beautiful game, but at the start of your save you should keep things simple.

When you set up your first tactic, the process is a familiar one. You’ll begin by choosing a style of play before setting your formations. At each stage, you’ll get recommendations from your backroom team on which options works best with your current squad.

Even if you’ve got a philosophy in mind, lean on their advice as you’re getting up to speed – and then focus on tinkering and adapting as the season progresses to get the edge on your rivals.

Dive Into the New TransferRoom Tools

TransferRoom, football’s digital marketplace, is changing the way clubs in real life do transfer deals and it’s now doing the same for FM26 Console. This is thanks to the introduction of two new tools – Requirements and Pitch Opportunities.

Requirements are a way for you to communicate directly with every other club in your game world and outline your specific requirements in the transfer market. Conversely, Pitch Opportunities allows you to see what other clubs in your game world are looking for in the transfer market.

Having studied your squad, you should know where you need to make new additions and where you may have players that are surplus to requirements. Dive into these tools to target signings and offload players efficiently. With TransferRoom, Recruitment has never been this streamlined.

Savour Your First Match Days

Squad assessed, tactic created and new signings made. Before long, it’s time for kick-off.

In FM26 Console, match days bring new levels of depth and drama thanks to gloriously upgraded visuals and the inclusion of new volumetric animations taken from real-life matches. These animations bring every moment to life, delivering smoother, more realistic player movement and adding new cutscenes, lighting, and sky effects to every stadium.

In your first few games as manager, take in as much of the action as possible. It’s not just because of the visuals (although they are great) – but watching how your team plays will allow you to make some early tactical tweaks to help your side hit the ground running.

After those first few games, you’ll be fully immersed in the world of football management.

In FM26 Console, every decision, tactic, and transfer reflects your vision. Football belongs to you – now it’s time to change the game.

Football Manager 26 Console

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆
121

★★★★★

$59.99

PC Game Pass

Xbox Game Pass

CHANGE THE GAME – PLAY NOW
New foundations set the stage for you to shape your football destiny.
Delivering instinctive control, a redesigned UI combines with the series’ most immersive match day experience to bring you closer to every match-defining moment.

MADE WITH UNITY
Savour the richest Match Day experience in series history with gloriously upgraded visuals and on-pitch details, from lighting to cutscenes and stadiums, that bring new levels of depth and drama.
Every attack has more personality thanks to fresh motion capture and volumetric animations, while new controller shortcuts between highlights better empower you to tinker from the touchline.

WELCOME TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE
Immerse yourself in football’s most-watched league with the Premier League fully-licensed for the first time.
Authenticity reaches new heights as you pursue domestic football’s biggest prize with the full broadcast experience from the best seat in the house.

ADVANCED TACTICAL INNOVATION
Explore the cutting edge of football tactics with the introduction of in and out-of-possession formations.
Redefined player roles and new tools showing how your team adapts in every phase of play levels up your pre-match prep.

CLOSER TO THE ACTION 
A redesigned UI delivers smoother, smarter navigation. Flow through match planning at your pace, with the key info delivered when and where you need it, driven by the new Portal which connects you to the footballing world.

INTRODUCING: WOMEN’S FOOTBALL  
Break new ground as women’s football debuts, seamlessly integrated into FM26 as one footballing world.
Explore new horizons with 14 playable leagues across 11 nations, including top competitions like the WSL and NWSL, and discover new stars with the biggest women’s football database in games.

TRANSFORMATIVE TRANSFER TOOLS
Harness the power of TransferRoom™, the professional game’s online transfer marketplace, to shape your title-winning squads with even greater insight.
Sign and sell players more easily with the introduction of Requirements and Opportunities, giving you more targeted control in every window.

YOUR MANAGER, YOUR WAY
Express more of your personality and style in every career with a revamped manager creator.
Craft your look with enhanced character options before developing a career backstory unique to you and your life in the dugout.

In FM26 Console, football belongs to you and your vision. It’s time to change the game.

By using this product, you agree to this EULA: https://games.sega.com/eula

Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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November 21, 2025
Setting the World Stage for Virtua Fighter’s Return to Xbox – Xbox Wire

Ready? Go! Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage officially launches today for Xbox Series X|S, marking its triumphant return to the Xbox platform after an almost 20-year absence. A lot has happened with Virtua Fighter over those many years, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect for Xbox players to get back into the ring to compete in what we feel is the most refined Virtua Fighterentry yet.

Not only did we add some long-awaited features that fighting game fans have been asking us for, such as cross-play support, rollback netcode, an expanded training mode, and the return of series antagonist Dural as a downloadable character. But we are also adding a brand-new single-player mode to the game – World Stage!

On that topic, we have asked the Legacy Virtua Fighter Project producer, Seiji Aoki, to talk more about World Stage mode and what it adds to Virtua Fighter 5’s enduring legacy.

“When we originally released Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. earlier this year, a lot of fans who bought the game really wanted to see single-player content get added to the game. The new World Stage mode was created in response to this. In a way, we wanted to prove to fans that we are always listening to them, and to that end, we wanted to make this new release the best Virtua Fighter yet.

“Perhaps the older Virtua Fighter fans may remember that in Virtua Fighter 4 Evolution, a game I worked on, there was this feature called Quest Mode which quickly became a fan favorite. There, you had to fight your way through these arcades inside this city. From there, you would then start to make a name for yourself by competing in local tournaments. The CPU players you faced were based on real-life player data taken from Japanese game centers (or arcades).

“World Stage mode was directly inspired by Quest Mode. Here, you will participate in this huge tournament where you can name your opponents and play against CPUs based on real-life professionals, with real names you may recognize!

“On top of that, the team spent a lot of time packing this new mode with plenty of content so they can stay engaged for a very long time. For example, there is a list of challenges featured in this mode that includes objectives such as climbing through the many ranks, that will unlock in-game items that players will be able to customize their characters with. There are also side tournaments that will feature their own unique rivals you can compete to win exclusive titles you can use online.

“In our eyes, this mode is an easy recommendation both for those new to the franchise and those returning to the game, so the team is really excited to see how players will react to it.

“Features like the World Stage mode and multi-platform cross-play support (a first for the Virtua Fighter franchise) are all thanks to our amazing community which has been supporting us all this time, giving us all this great feedback and comments that allow us to improve upon the game. We would love it if they kept sharing us their thoughts, and we will continue to appreciate their support as always.”

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage 30th Anniversary Edition

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆
14

★★★★★

$49.99

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first 3D fighting series – this edition includes exclusive costumes, pre-production artwork, soundtracks, and more.

30th Anniversary Edition contains:
“Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage” Base Game
VF 30th Anniversary Swimsuit Costume Set
VF 30th Anniversary Soundtrack Collection
VF Pre-Production Artwork
DLC: Legendary Pack & Yakuza Series Collaboration Pack
VF 30th Anniversary Ranking Titles

The pioneer 3D fighting series continues to evolve as Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage arrives on Xbox Series X|S.

Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage takes the gameplay of Virtua Fighter 5 to new heights:

Rollback Netcode and Cross-play support let you take on any challenger, anywhere, across the globe in the most intense battles yet.

A brand-new single-player mode, “World Stage”: Challenge powerful rivals on a solo quest to become the ultimate fighter

Enhanced replay functionality and improved training tools.

Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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October 30, 2025
New Sonic Racing Crossworlds Ad Attacks Mario Kart World

Good morning! I hope this Tuesday goes well for you. I think we all deserve a nice Tuesday. But even if today sucks, at least we have Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku’s daily roundup of video game news and other stuff you might care about. Today, we have a wild Sega ad, an actor from MindsEye dealing with the negative reviews, more Game Pass games, and someone on a soap opera mentioning Xenoblade.

Sega Goes Full ’90s And Attacks Nintendo In New Ad

Sonic Racing Crossworlds is out next week, and ahead of the kart racer’s launch, Sega has put out a new advertisement that feels like it fell out of 1995. In the short video ad, Sega obviously–but for legal reasons, not directly–calls out Mario Kart World and compares it to its upcoming racing game. It suggests the open world of Nintendo’s latest kart racer is boring and tells fans to instead play its upcoming Sonic racing game instead. It even shows pixelated footage of what looks like Mario Kart World and dunks on the game for not being multiplatform. Here’s the ad:

Damn, Sega. Of course, I don’t think Nintendo will care much, considering how well Mario Kart World has already sold and will continue to sell for the next decade. But it’s nice to go back to a time when the console wars were mostly a silly thing and not the rantings of weird techno-cults we have online now.

MindsEye’s Lead Actor Was Worried He Might Never Get Another Role

In a recent interview with FRVR, actor Alex Hernandez talked about what it’s like to be the lead character in a video game that flops as badly as MindsEye did earlier this year. As you might expect, it seems like a horrible experience!

“It’s a difficult thing to spend two-and-a-half years on a project that you’re really proud of and you’re proud of your contribution to it,” said the actor who plays the lead character in the game. “And I only had positive experiences working on it. The people I was working with, I was proud for them, of them, I wanted it to be a success for them just as much for myself.”

The actor told the outlet in a podcast that he was worried about his future in the industry after his face was plastered on what many consider the worst game of 2025.

“Just the response… I was like, ‘I might never work in a game again.’ Because one of the caveats of being the face on the box is that people, rightly or wrongly, will associate all of their opinions and, more importantly, their emotions, about this game with my face,” said Hernandez. “After about two days of allowing myself to wallow, and my wife being very supportive…You move on. Because for me to sit in that wallowing, it doesn’t allow me to learn.”

Xbox Adds Hades, Modern Warfare 3, And 12 More Titles To Game Pass This Month

A whole smorgasbord of games is coming to Xbox’s various Game Pass tiers throughout the rest of the month. Starting today, Game Pass Ultimate and Standard subscribers can download and play RoadCraft. Then, on September 17, a bunch of games hop onto Game Pass Standard, including Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. Then on the very next day, Hades returns to Game Pass to celebrate its five-year anniversary. Later in the month, Visions of Mana, a Peppa Pig game, and Lara Croft: Guardian of Light all arrive on Game Pass, too. So many games to play, so little time. Try to squeeze as many in as you can before October robs us all of our free time.

Palworld Leaving Early Access Next Year With ‘Massive’ 1.0 Update

In a new video posted on Palworld’s official YouTube channel, the game’s communications director and publishing manager, John “Bucky” Buckley, explained that developer PocketPair had reached a “crossroads” after shipping multiple big updates since launching in 2024. While the team has a “lot of ideas” for what to do next, the devs are also thinking about getting Palworld out of early access. But that will take a lot of “clean up.”

“It’s not [a] secret that Palworld has a lot of quirks and jank, and we want to take the time to properly address those before releasing the game,” explained Buck. “With that in mind, we plan to start clean-up this year. Our goal is to ultimately release Palworld next year, in 2026, and we think taking the time now to fix those problems will ultimately lead to a better game.”

This clean-up process means that the game’s upcoming winter update won’t be as big as previous content updates, but the goal is to ship a massive update in 2026 that will push the game into 1.0 status and out of early access.

“Palworld 1.0 will be a major milestone for us,” said Buck. “And we have a truly massive amount of content planned for the 1.0 update. Rather than rushing it, we believe that laying the foundation now will lead to a better game in the end.”

ICYMI:

Watch This:

Zack Zwiezen

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September 16, 2025
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance – How the Passion of a French Studio Brought a Japanese Legend Back to Life – Xbox Wire

The legendary Shinobi returns today with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. At the helm of this revival is French studio Lizardcube, led by CEO and Creative Director Ben Fiquet. We spoke with him to understand how his team managed to balance respect for the series’ heritage with a modern touch, all while pouring an incredible amount of passion into every detail.

To appreciate the importance of this comeback, it’s worth remembering that Shinobi defined a whole generation of players back in the late ’80s. Born in the arcades and later released on the Master System and Mega Drive, the white-clad ninja Musashi became an icon of Sega’s golden years. Demanding gameplay, striking visuals, and unforgettable soundtracks made Shinobi a symbol of the 2D action genre’s golden age.

As launch day draws near, emotions are running high at Lizardcube: “Of course there’s some apprehension, but also a lot of excitement,” explains Fiquet. “We released a demo at the end of July, and the feedback has been excellent. That really reassures us about how the game will be received and about bringing this iconic series back to life.”

This excitement fuels the team, who see this release not only as an achievement but also as a huge responsibility: to deliver an experience worthy of the Shinobi name.

Reviving such an emblematic series requires striking a delicate balance. For Fiquet, the challenge was clear – extend players’ memories without simply replicating the past: “Players don’t want to replay exactly the same game they knew on Master System or Mega Drive. They hold on to strong memories, but gameplay has evolved. Our role is to prolong those memories while adapting them to today’s expectations.” This is the philosophy that guided Lizardcube: staying true to the franchise’s identity while refining its mechanics for a new era.

This expertise isn’t new for the Paris-based studio. Having already worked on Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (2017) and Streets of Rage 4 (2020), Lizardcube has earned its reputation as a specialist in bringing beloved franchises back to life. Their strength lies in recreating a faithful atmosphere while adding artistic and gameplay polish that elevates nostalgia into something fresh. With Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, this vision takes on a whole new scale.

From the very first images, the studio’s distinctive style is unmistakable. Instead of opting for a realistic 3D approach, the team chose to embrace traditional 2D animation—a bold choice in today’s landscape.

“2D gives us finer control, almost an intimacy, over every pixel. There’s a warmth and honesty in hand-drawn animation that you don’t always find in 3D.” This artistic direction gives the game a sense of timelessness, reminiscent of classics like Cuphead or Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, while paying tribute to Shinobi’s visual legacy.

But beyond aesthetics, the feel of the game was central to development. “I love games that get straight to the point: you launch, you play, and you immediately have fun,” explains Fiquet. The combat system reflects this philosophy: combos, dashes, double jumps, and executions flow naturally without heavy tutorials.

Each encounter feels like a rewarding little challenge, almost a mini-game within the game. A unique “execution” mechanic even rewards players for skilfully chaining enemies, turning combat into a rhythmic and spectacular dance.

Demanding yet approachable, the game also includes options to adjust difficulty, making it accessible to newcomers without compromising depth for veterans. Shinobi: Art of Vengeance was designed so that every type of player can find their rhythm—an inviting entry point for the curious and a perfect playground for seasoned players on Xbox.

While Shinobi is a quintessential Japanese franchise, Fiquet highlights the project’s dual identity. “I’m a Sega kid. I grew up with the Master System and the Mega Drive, and Shinobi was one of my very first games.” This personal connection is paired with deep respect for Japanese craftsmanship: “We don’t make Japanese games, but we have enormous respect for Japanese game culture. Our French touch blends with that heritage, and that’s what convinced Sega.”

Breathing new life into such a legendary franchise is no easy task, but Lizardcube’s relationship with Sega has been built over time. “There was real mutual respect. Of course, there are cultural differences and different working rhythms, but every discussion was about improving the game. We found a great synergy.” Thanks to this mutual trust, every exchange with Sega was focused on improving the game, always with respect for the original spirit of Shinobi.

To extend the experience, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance also includes secrets, powers, and unlockable skins. And that’s just the beginning: the first DLC has already been revealed. “It’s the ‘Sega Villains Stage’. You’ll get to face iconic antagonists from across the Sega universe. The first one we announced is Robotnik. Seeing Musashi take on Robotnik is pure fan service, but it’s exactly the kind of thing that makes working with Sega so exciting.”

With Shinobi: Art of Vengeance, Lizardcube delivers far more than the return of a legendary hero on Xbox—it offers a love letter to video games: to their heritage, their challenge, and their ability to evolve. It’s a bold gamble, crafted with passion and precision, proving that a legend can return without losing its soul.

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆
19

★★★★★

Pre-order SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance and receive a 10% discount, the Original Arcade Outfit, and Fortune Hunter Amulet.The iconic SHINOBI returns in an all-new 2D action platformer with a unique hand-drawn look created by the team behind the hit brawler Streets of Rage 4.

Play as the legendary Shinobi Joe Musashi, master of the ninja arts. After finding your village burned to the ground and your clan turned into stone, you must set off on a quest for vengeance, ready to face an unparalleled evil and avenge your clan.

• EXECUTE THE NINJA ARTS WITH PRECISION
Wield your vast ninja arsenal including the great Katana Oborozuki, Kunai, Ninjutsu arts, and Ninpo to vanquish your foes.

• MASTER THE WAY OF THE SHINOBI
Unleash limitless combos with unique combat moves, acquire Amulets for enhanced abilities, and discover Ningi tools to overcome obstacles and uncover new paths.

• JOURNEY THROUGH A STYLISTIC NEW WORLD
Venture through more than a dozen unique and visually striking stages, from military bases to a scorching desert, challenging platforming puzzles, and hidden secrets.

Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief

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August 29, 2025
All Yakuza Games Ranked Worst To Best | The Mary Sue

All the Yakuza games are enjoyable, and this is a hill I’m willing to die on. I didn’t spend my teenage years picking random fights on the streets of Kamurocho, singing karaoke, and crying over Kiryu’s story for nothing.

So instead, I’m ranking all the mainline games in the Yakuza series based on story and combat. There will also be a couple of standalone Yakuza games here because they’re too good to miss.

12. Yakuza 3

(Sega)

Yakuza 3 was a souls-like daywalker. No, it wasn’t exactly a souls-like, but enemies blocked you like they were in a souls game. But the complaints about this game mainly come from compulsory substories, which feel like chores to many who want to sit down and get to the bottom of the main story.

But playing Yakuza 3 feels like a blast from the past. Although the combat needs work in many ways, the story and the nostalgia should be enough to make you play through it, especially if you’re a longtime fan.

11. Yakuza 4

(Sega)

We’ve had many character changes in Yakuza 4. Playing as Kiryu never gets old, and trust me, you’ll miss him when he’s no longer the protagonist. But playing as Akiyama, Saejima, and Tanimura gave us other fun combat styles and deeper stories to dive into.

It was a revolutionary Yakuza game for its time, and it would’ve ranked higher if it weren’t for the rubber bullet plot twist. That’s a spoiler, but you’ll see what I mean if you play the game.

10. Yakuza 5

(Sega)

Like its predecessor, Yakuza 5 lets you play four different characters in one game. This gives you access to multiple combat styles, which always adds to the fun of beating anyone and everyone you need to.

Aside from the combat and graphical improvements, Yakuza 5’s stories are diverse. You’re going to help Haruka become an idol in one chapter and go on a mystery chase with Shinada in another. There’s no dull moment in Yakuza 5, and it’s usually a fan favorite.

9. Yakuza Kiwami

(Sega)

Yakuza Kiwami is always a great starting point in the series, which will take you back to 1980s Japan. Cue city pop music and the 1980s economic boom—a great time for the Yakuza.

But how many times can Kiryu get framed for murder? Once is already bad enough, but that makes it twice in Yakuza Kiwami, and you’ll just start feeling too bad for him. If it weren’t for the Marlin Cannon in Yakuza 0 and Miracle Johnson (a Michael Jackson spoof), you’d be crying over Kiryu’s story instead.

8. Yakuza Kiwami 2

(Sega)

Kiryu is a man who has greatness forced upon him, and Yakuza 2 Kiwami proves this point very well. He was minding his own business and raising his adopted children, but a will left behind made Kiryu the next chairman of the Tojo Clan.

Sometimes, being too good at your job can become a punishment. That’s why Kiryu tries to pass on the responsibility of becoming chairman to Daigo Dojima. We’ll get to see Kiryu launch a rescue mission for Haruka and explore Sotenbori, Osaka, for the first time. You don’t get to switch over the fighting styles in this game, but it’s still fun, and the story is too good to pass on.

7. Yakuza 6: Song of Life

(Sega)

Yakuza 6: Song of Life and its main story gave us all an overwhelming feeling of despair. Kiryu left the Tojo Clan, but his past as a Yakuza member won’t let go of him. Needless to say, it’s a fitting ending to Kiryu’s run as the main character of the Yakuza series.

We even get a new map area at Onomichi, far away from the nightlife of Kamurocho. The only issue here is that the combat is a little awkward, and you’re stuck with one style compared to the other games. But the substories and the main story will keep you playing the game.

6. Yakuza: Like a Dragon

(Sega)

Yakuza: Like a Dragon gave us Ichiban Kasuga as a protagonist, and it’s very easy to warm up to him and his dark story. In many ways, Ichiban is just as chivalrous as Kiryu, but Ichiban presents himself in a much goofier and more open way compared to our long-time protagonist. What I mean is that Ichiban is literally the type of person who would save a crawfish from becoming sushi.

Even if you’re an old fan who isn’t used to turn-based games, there are many new features that I couldn’t get enough of, like dungeon crawling.

5. Lost Judgment

(Sega)

I’m not putting Lost Judgment up here just because I can walk a dog with Yagami to help me solve cases. Although, arguably, that’s my favorite feature of the game, next to the skateboard feature. What makes Lost Judgment better than its predecessor is its improved gameplay and combat.

But based on story, it doesn’t have twists as shocking as Judgment. Still, investigating a high school that leads to a trail of gruesome crimes is a good indulgence for anybody who loves true crime.

4. Judgment

(Sega)

Judgment and Lost Judgment are standalones, but you’d be missing out on a great story if you didn’t play this game. Instead of playing as a yakuza, you’re following a frustrated lawyer-turned-detective who’s down on his luck, named Takayuki Yagami.

The only downside every fan agrees on with this game is the tailing missions, which Yagami has to do. But that’s a small price to pay for an amazing and unpredictable story that forces you to hunt for a killer hiding in a vast crime network.

3. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

(Sega)

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name brings Kiryu—I mean, Joryu—back with a shiny new fighting style called “Agent,” but you can revert back to his brawler classic “Yakuza” style. Even if this isn’t a mainline game, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name gives us a better idea of what happened to Kiryu after Yakuza 6: Song of Life.

There’s no such thing as retirement for a man whose dark past follows him like a shadow. Maybe if Kiryu was a little better than Clark Kent with disguises, he would’ve stayed hidden. Just like in the previous Yakuza games, you’ll be laughing and crying with Kiryu. But there are modern elements in the game, such as new tech and … VTubers?

2. Yakuza 0

(Sega)

Yakuza 0 is the homecoming of a good old story. This is a prequel to the events of the Yakuza, and it explores both Sotenbori and Kamurocho as two of the most beloved characters in the series.

Everybody already knows how the Dragon of Kamurocho came to be, but what about the Mad Dog of Shimano? You know bits and pieces, but it’s refreshing to play as Majima in this specific game. You gain access to Majima’s fighting styles, and you get to roam the streets of Sotenbori during Majima’s story. Expect some classic street fights and familiar faces, with a great plot to top things off.

1. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

(Sega)

Unlike the other Yakuza games in the series, Yakuza: Like a Dragon has turn-based combat. It also follows a new main character, Ichiban Kasuga. But even for gamers who are usually put off by turn-based RPGs, Yakuza: Like a Dragon’s compelling story and fun gameplay are more than enough reason to keep playing.

I could go on about the shocking twists and turns of the main story, but it’s best for you to go through it yourself without the spoilers if you haven’t yet. Story and characters aside, the game will take you to Hawai’i in search of Ichiban’s mother. That means a brand new map in Hawai’i, far away from Kamurocho, Sotenbori, and Yokohama. Playing this is a refreshing take on the Yakuza series, but it still has the feel of a Yakuza game.

(featured image: SEGA)

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Vanessa Esguerra

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April 29, 2024
Top 10 Rarest Dreamcast Games That Are Worth a Fortune

The Sega Dreamcast was one of the shortest-lived consoles in video game history. Despite a lifespan only lasting from 1998 to 2001, there were a host of fascinating games that provided value to gamers and collectors over the years. The Dreamcast is notable for its high-tech 3D graphics and unique controller, but there are also some rare gems not seen anywhere else. But what’s the resell market like for Dreamcast games today? Here are the top 10 rarest Dreamcast games that are worth a fortune.

Like our previous ‘worth a fortune’ lists, PriceCharting is our source for new and used game values. We’re ranking these Dreamcast games using the New Price listings, from lowest to highest. Used prices are taken from the “Loose Price” filter from PriceCharting. Console bundles are not included since they typically top these lists and skew individual game values. Now on to the list!

10. Marvel Vs Capcom

$349.49 New | $45 Used

Image Source: Capcom via Twinfinite

One of the most well-received games in the series, Marvel Vs Capcom: Clash of Super Heroes is worth a pretty penny on the Dreamcast. This is actually the third game in the Marvel Vs Capcom series and was the first time Capcom characters outside of Street Fighter were playable in fights. You could do crazy team battles using Mega Man and Morrigan against The Hulk and Venom.

There are several reasons the Dreamcast version of Marvel Vs Capcom is generally held as the superior version. For one, the graphics and sound featured on the Dreamcast outpaced the arcades and PS1 versions. Though, what really clinches the Dreamcast version as definitive is the PS1’s lack of tag team battles. Unfortunately for Sony players, the PS1’s aging RAM capacity couldn’t handle the extra characters on-screen, so the arcade and Dreamcast versions were the only ones to feature tag teams at the time of release.

9. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

$349.99 New | $145.63 Used

Image Source: Sega via Twinfinite

Just like Marvel Vs Capcom, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure was first released on arcade machines and then ported to Dreamcast and PS1. This title was a traditional fighting game through and through, developed by the Street Fighter III team no less. Unlike Marvel Vs Capcom, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is regarded as superior on PS1 due to the exclusive Super Story Mode. Despite lacking a story mode, the Dreamcast version boasted a vibrant color scheme and, best of all for collectors, a very high return on investment. New copies of JoJo’s on Dreamcast fetch an average of $350, while average used copies go for $145. Even if you just have that classic JoJo box cover lying around somewhere, it can sell for up to $70.

8. Giga Wing 2

$388 New | $190.32 Used

Image Source: Capcom via Twinfinite

Giga Wing was a short-lived duology of vertical-scrolling arcade shooters. They’re perhaps best known for their similarities to Radiant Silvergun, and for the ridiculously ludicrous score ranges possible in the game. Do you get whiplash seeing scores scrolling up into the millions? Hah, Giga Wing 2 eats those babies for breakfast, boasting scores far into the quintillions. The Dreamcast version of Giga Wing 2 is notable for its exclusive score attack mode, 4-player mode, and gallery. It’s a shame the series didn’t make it far because it tried some ambitious stuff for a 2001 game. The orchestral soundtrack and online matchmaking were ahead of their time and helped set Giga Wing 2 apart from its more popular shooter brethren.

7. Project Justice

$400 New | $110 Used

Image Source: Capcom via Twinfinite

Think of Project Justice as a polygonal Marvel Vs Capcom, except with rival schools duking it out against each other. Project Justice is a sequel to Rival Schools: United by Fate and features tag-team battles and an ambitious character creator. The character creator mode was exclusive to the Japanese version of Project Justice, with the Western editions instead having to make do with some additional characters made from the Japanese character creator engine. Unfortunately, the series didn’t succeed commercially and ended up stopping after Project Justice. If you were niche enough to get a copy back in the day, you’re sure to get a lot of cash for it, even if it’s just a loose disk.

6. Street Fighter III 3rd Strike: Fight For The Future

$423.31 New | $60 Used

Image Source: Capcom via Twinfinite

The second sequel to Street Fighter III goes for a pretty penny nowadays. Like other games on this list, 3rd Strike was originally developed for CP System III Arcade hardware. 3rd Strike is widely regarded as the best of the Street Fighter III trilogy and is notable for bringing back Street Fighter 2’s Chun Li into its large roster. Being a fan favorite has done wonders for this game, such as granting it numerous ports to modern systems as part of the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Edition. But the Dreamcast was the first console 3rd Strike called home and so it’s also the most valuable edition, regularly demanding over $400 for new copies.

5. Resident Evil 2

$444.62 New | $102.17 Used

Image Source: Capcom via Twinfinite

What more can be said of Resident Evil 2 that hasn’t been said already? It’s easily one of the most highly regarded survival horror games in existence and was one of the first major remake titles during the modern remake boom. What’s not as widely known is just how many differences the RE2 ports feature from the original PS1 version. The Dreamcast version was based on the PC port, which was based on the Dual Shock version. As the name suggests, the Duel Shock version was made to incorporate the later iterations of PlayStation’s DualShock rumble and analog controls. The wildest addition exclusively for the Dreamcast edition of RE2 has to be the Visual Memory Unit add-on functionality.

Image Source: Sega via Twinfinite

This pocket-sized add-on displays your character’s condition in real-time and was only featured on the Dreamcast. While the Visual Memory Unit itself doesn’t sell for much on the second-hand market today (only $25 used), Resident Evil 2 for the Dreamcast fetches values well over $400 new and $100 loose.

4. Cannon Spike

$452.59 New | $157 Used

Image Source: Sega via Twinfinite

The last game released for the Dreamcast in Europe, Cannon Spike was a top-down shooter featuring various characters from Capcom’s library of games. This wacky Capcom shooter has been on my backlog of games to eventually play due to the Mega Man Legends style tone that it oozes. The game’s cast of characters is wild, with Cammy, Mega Man, and Arthur from Ghosts and Goblins taking center stage in multi-directional shooter action. If you like campaigns with a heavy emphasis on difficult boss fights, Cannon Spike has you covered.

Despite the zany cast of characters and colorful art style, Cannon Spike didn’t sell tremendously well or achieve acclaim from critics. Cannon Spike eventually faded into obscurity, gradually increasing the value of Dreamcast copies. Today, Cannon Spike is a rare and valuable gem, fetching over $150 for used loose copies and well over $400 for new.

3. Speed Devils [Clean Cover]

$475 New | $156.25 Used

Image Source: Sega via Twinfinite

Otherwise known as Speed Busters in North America, this was Ubisoft Montreal’s try at an arcade racing game. Think Cruis’n World, except with better controls. Speed Devils features boulders being rolled by dinos, UFOs abducting racers, and even some cop chases thrown into the mix. The game had more realistic handling and engine sounds than its arcade competition, but it just wasn’t enough to out-sell the likes of Need for Speed or its arcade inspiration, Cruis’n.

Despite pretty good critical reception, Speed Devils didn’t sell well in any corner of the globe and has remained a relic of the Dreamcast ever since. If you’ve been holding onto a Dreamcast copy of Speed Devils, it’s not worth much unless it happens to be the rare clean cover variant. The clean cover edition features a giant sticker on the cover, omitting the original devil graphic completely, as seen here:

Image Source: Sega via Retrogamecases

The giant sticker featured on the clean cover edition is reportedly there to cover a printing error from the first editions of the game.

2. Marvel Vs Capcom 2

$500 New | $108.47 Used

Image Source: Capcom

Widely considered one of the greatest fighting games of all time, Marvel Vs Capcom 2 is well worth its prestige in cash today. The game is notable for being the first in the series to take a step towards 3D with its unique 2.5D fighting perspective. The frantic, yet refined gameplay of the 3v3 fights was addicting and glorious for fighting game fans.

While this game didn’t add any huge additions to past entries, it managed to iterate past features to a sheen and up the anti to three partners from the previous two. The character roster of classic Capcom favorites and Marvel superheroes never got old either. Several factors make the original Dreamcast version worth a fortune, but the sheer quality of the experience might just convince you to keep it regardless.

1. Sonic Adventure [Limited Edition]

$836 New | $50 Used

Image Source: Sega via Twinfinite

Sonic’s first true foray into 3D became the ultimate system seller for the Sega Dreamcast. Sonic Adventure would go on to sell around $2.5 million copies, becoming one of the foundational lifelines of the Dreamcast console. While Sonic Adventure wasn’t enough to keep the Dreamcast going, it did cement itself as one of the all-time great 3D platformer games.

Regular editions of Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast only sell for around $60 new, but the limited edition versions sell for more than any other Dreamcast game in existence. These limited editions were only distributed to the press during Sega’s Hollywood Video Premiere in the USA. Think of the limited edition versions as review embargo copies for video games press and you have the gist of it. These copies sell for a whopping $836 new, but only around $50 used.

That does it for the top 10 rarest Dreamcast games worth a fortune. Interestingly, this Dreamcast list boasts far smaller price points than our other ones analyzing the Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, etc. Dreamcast games aren’t in high demand on the collector market, as opposed to its Sega Genesis predecessor which commands over $1000 for the top four priciest games. Check out our other lists and come back for reviews and guides here on Twinfinite!

Matthew Carmosino

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March 8, 2024
Workers Accuses Sega Of Threatening Mass Layoffs Over Unionizing

Workers at Sega of America say the publisher behind Persona, Yakuza, and more beloved gaming franchises is trying to lay them off as retaliation for unionizing. A new unfair labor practice filed by the Communications Workers of America accuses Sega of forcing employees into a meeting where they were told their jobs would be offshored to Japan and Europe, rather than bargaining over the layoffs directly with the union.

This Mini Sega Arcade Cabinet Packed With Retro Games Would Make A Great Gift

On November 6 Sega delivered a proposal to “phase out” all temporary workers by February 2024—many of which are in quality assurance and localization—to the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA). The union, which formed earlier this year, currently represents over 200 employees across marketing, sales, product development, and other departments.

The layoffs would impact 40 percent of the group, or roughly 80 unionized employees total. Instead of bargaining with the union over the changes, however, Sega proceeded to deliver the news directly to employees in a required meeting, potentially violating rules against companies negotiating directly with unionized employees instead of with their union.

“It’s disheartening to see such actions from Sega, as it unmistakably demonstrates bad faith bargaining and a refusal to recognize the valuable contributions of a significant portion of our colleagues,” Elise Willacker, a senior QA tester at Sega, said in a statement emailed to Kotaku. “We have filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge to call out Sega’s direct dealing with members, and its breaching of the status quo by telling bargaining unit members that our jobs would be ending shortly.”

Sega did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The ULP will go to the National Labor Relations Board for review, but it may not be resolved in time to prevent mass layoffs. Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega is one of the biggest unions to have formed in the video game industry so far, and is unique in encompassing employees from all different types of roles rather than being department specific. Its bargaining fight with Sega comes as big gaming publishers and studios across the industry are trying to cut costs and lay people off.

“Sega will not be allowed to get away with this unlawful behavior. We call on the company to make all temporary employees permanent and return to the bargaining table in good faith. There is no other just alternative,” Willacker wrote.

Ethan Gach

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November 15, 2023
The Silly Story Behind The Weirdest Xbox Exclusive
Remember when the Xbox Series X and S launched with a Yakuza game, but the PS5 didn’t? That was weird, right? For such a long time the Yakuza franchise had been closely tied to PlayStation. But, at least for a few months, the then-latest game in the series skipped Sony’s next-gen machine for Xbox’s fancy console. Why? The answer just came to light today, and it’s both complicated and silly.

Thank You, PS Plus, For Making My Backlog Even Bigger

Back in November 2020, the Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 launched with a handful of exclusives and a lot of ports. (It was mostly ports…) One of the oddest next-gen exclusives at the time was Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which was available at launch on PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A few months later, this odd new entry in the popular Yakuza series finally landed on PS5. At the time, folks online assumed Microsoft had cut a deal with Sega to keep the game off the next-gen PlayStation. Others suggested the PS5 version had technical issues that forced it to be delayed. The real reason? Sega signed a few too many deals with too many companies.

As revealed in September 19’s massive Xbox leak, which included a load of emails and private documents from inside Microsoft, it seems Xbox boss Phil Spencer was just as surprised as gamers when he realized there wasn’t going to be a PS5 port of Like a Dragon.

In leaked emails from June 2020, Spencer is seen sharing this IGN tweet and asking if the game was “next-gen exclusive.” Another exec responds by telling Spencer that it isn’t, and that it will be available on PS4 as well as Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Spencer then replies how it’s “funny” that Sega doesn’t even list the PS5 on its website.

Screenshot: Kotaku

How two separate deals delayed the PS5 port

After some further chatter about possibly doing a Sega-themed Xbox in Japan, Damon Baker—then in charge of global gaming partnerships and development—laid out why Microsoft was going to have an exclusive next-gen port of Yakuza: Like a Dragon.
- According to him, Sony had a 12-month exclusivity deal with Sega for the PlayStation release of the game in Japan and Asia.
- This meant Microsoft couldn’t release an Xbox version of the game in Japan until that deal ended.
- However, Microsoft also had a contract with Sega that included a parity clause that prevented Sony from releasing a next-gen SKU of Like a Dragon in Japan until Xbox did, too.
- And because Xbox couldn’t release any version of the game in Japan until the PlayStation deal was done, Sony was unable to release a PS5 port in the region.
In that same email, Baker shared the news that Sega had no plans to launch a PS5 version in the United States, adding: “Sounds like we now have a timed exclusivity for next-gen.”

Screenshot: Kotaku

At this point, after pointing out that Microsoft had the rights to market the game outside of Japan, Spencer wondered if Xbox could advertise that the next Yakuza game was a next-gen exclusive on Series X/S, adding that it’s a “big deal” and later saying that it “might even be worth some money from us” if they can push that news in future marketing. Which happened, with Microsoft posting blogs talking about how the game would utilize the “next-gen” power of the Series X/S and hyping up the game’s release on its consoles.

In February 2021, about three months later, the Sony exclusivity deal in Japan expired, and Yakuza: Like a Dragon finally launched on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in Japan. The next month, it launched on PS5 in Japan and everywhere else, ending one of the weirdest bits of corporate contractual silliness I’ve seen in a long, long time.

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Zack Zwiezen

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September 19, 2023
Sega Bins Blockchain Plans, Calls F2P Games ‘Boring’

In April 2021, at the height of Web 3 Mania, Sega was one of the biggest companies to pledge its future to the scam that was “play to earn”. Now, just two years later and after the ass has completely fallen out of that market, Sega has had a change of heart.

This Mini Sega Arcade Cabinet Packed With Retro Games Would Make A Great Gift

As we wrote at the time, in a story with the headline ‘Sega Wants To Sell NFTs, Can Fuck Right Off’:

Sega Japan announced earlier today that it will be getting into the NFT business, partnering with (and buying a stake in) a company called Double Jump Tokyo, with plans to not only sell character-related tokens, but NFTs in future games as well.

The announcement is thin on details, but as Pocket Gamer reports, Sega hopes this “will be the start of a sequential expansion into a variety of content, including IPs currently in development and new IPs to be released in the future.”

Those plans are now mostly done for. In an interview with Bloomberg, Sega’s co-Chief Operating Officer Shuji Utsumi has said the company will now “withhold its biggest franchises from third-party blockchain gaming projects to avoid devaluing its content”, and will also be “shelving plans to develop its own games in that genre at least for now”.

“We’re looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all”, Utsumi told the site, adding that while its “biggest franchises” are off the table, “lesser known” properties like Three Kingdoms and Virtua Fighter will still be seeing some NFT tie-ins, albeit from third-party providers.

His best quote, however, is where he bluntly says “The action in play-to-earn games is boring. What’s the point if games are no fun?” My guy, we were telling you that in 2021, glad you finally came around.

Luke Plunkett

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July 6, 2023
Pioneering Sega Developer Rieko Kodama Has Died

Screenshot: Sega

Rieko Kodama, one of the most important developers in the history of both Sega and the wider role-playing genre, has died at the age of 59.

As IGN report, she actually passed away back in May, but her death was not announced publicly by the company at the time. Fans recently discovered a tribute to Kodama in the credits section of the Mega Drive Mini 2, however, prompting Sega producer Yosuke Oskunari to confirm the sad news.

Her contributions to Sega’s catalogue of classic titles and series was immense. Beginning with the company in 1984, she would work on everything from design to pixel art, and spent the her early career on series like Alex Kidd and Fantasy Zone.

She was then the principal artist on the original Phantasy Star, and would keep working on the series through its sequels, rising to the role of director by the fourth game.

Her other notable works include Dreamcast classic Skies of Arcadia, which she again led development on, while she also contributed as an artist to games like the first two Sonic titles and Altered Beast.

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Kodama may be best remembered, though, for her pioneering work as a prominent woman in games development, for which she has been labelled “The First Lady of RPGs” (and indeed was awarded the Pioneer Award at GDC 2018), and leaves behind a legacy of characters and games that were designed for everyone, not just traditionally male audiences.

“I usually don’t think to make games strictly for a female audience, myself, but I think my RPGs attract a larger female audience”, she once said in an interview. “Violent, war-themed titles seem to attract an overwhelmingly male audience. I think if companies want to get more girls to play their games, they should keep this in mind.

Luke Plunkett

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October 26, 2022