This story is part of our new Future of Gaming series, a three-site look at gaming’s most pioneering technologies, players, and makers.
Time will tell if those “PS5 Pro” rumors have any truth behind them. But until then, discussion about a hypothetical PS5 upgrade is a good opportunity to flesh out what we’d even want from such a machine in the first place.
So we turned to you, dear readers, to discover what would compel you to spend another couple-hundred bucks on an upgrade to Sony’s current console.
As suspected, the desire for an upgrade to the PS5 isn’t universal. Many of you said there was no need for one, regardless of whatever bells and whistles it might offer. Meanwhile, others made it clear that if such a thing were to exist, then it ought to deliver very clear performance standards. Other desires drifted into the “probably never gonna happen” category, especially those concerning backwards compatibility for games that pre-date the PS4.
Let’s dig into what you had to say about a possible “PS5 Pro.”
CD Projekt Red fulfilled a five-year promise last week when it added a fully functional metro system to Cyberpunk 2077. While the feature does wonders to make Night City feel more alive, I was surprised to learn just how little California’s public transportation infrastructure has improved in the game’s alternate-reality future.
Cyberpunk 2077 now includes five Night City Area Rapid Transit (NCART) rail lines servicing 19 stations. Every stop still functions as a fast travel point, but players can also use them to hop onto the subway and relocate, in real time, to other parts of the city. As movement is restricted while on the train, this is a mostly visual experience, providing folks with a new perspective on the sprawling mega-city as well as limited opportunities to chat with their fellow riders.
During one trip, I noticed a screen indicating the train’s speed was consistently hovering around 43 mph, which felt awfully slow for futuristic transportation. The average speeds of modern-day heavy-rail systems in the United States range from the high teens to the mid-30s, but they’re capable of reaching much higher maximums. And that’s not even accounting for more developed public transportation in Japan and China, whose magnetic levitation (maglev) bullet trains zoom through major cities at hundreds of miles per hour.
What the heck.Image: CD Projekt Red
This fits with what the first Cyberpunk rulebook had to say about then-future transportation in 1988:
Surprise, surprise. Contrary to expectations, the year 2000 has not yielded any staggering new developments in transportation. Years of economic strife and civil unrest have discouraged research into new ways to travel—in fact, the very act of travel has become very restricted. Expect the world of 2013 to be much like the 20th century—a network of crowded freeways, packed trains, and swarming airports.
A subsequent expansion, Welcome to Night City, indicates light-rail maglev trains with ground speeds of 200 mph existed in the eponymous metropolis as far back as 2013, the year the first Cyberpunk adventures were set. Every book since makes some mention maglev trains as a staple of Night City travel, and 2005’s Cyberpunk V3.0 even noted an improvement in their top speed to 300 mph despite the apparent destruction of the intercontinental maglev line during the Fourth Corporate War (which took place from 2021 to 2025 in-universe) between the world’s ruling megacorps.
(And just to cover my ass, 1990’s updated Cyberpunk 2020 rulebook makes it clear that NCART and the light-rail maglev trains are one and the same.)
It’s here that Cyberpunk 2077 does something clever by expanding the consequences of this conflict. Rather than only putting rail travel between continents in flux, the game describes the Fourth Corporate War as debilitating the entire maglev system, as explained by the following database entry:
Maglev trains cruised at high speeds via tunnels and on the surface thanks to the advent of electrodynamic suspension technology, allowing fast and comfortable travel from Night City to other cities, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Atlanta and Washington D.C. Unfortunately, this new era of transportation didn’t last long. The social unrest and armed conflict of the 4th Corporate War brought with it an economic crisis that soon crippled the entire system. Currently inoperational, the abandoned Maglev tunnels are used by the homeless and various gangs.
The destruction of the maglev system and the slow NCART speeds exhibited in-game lead me to assume the local government was forced to revert to pre-2013 tech to ensure NCART remained operational, a massive downgrade from the bullet trains that once transported residents through Night City and beyond.
Hurry up and wait.Image: CD Projekt Red
While researching this situation, I couldn’t help but see darkly hilarious parallels between the difficulties facing the fictional California depicted in Cyberpunk 2077 and the actual state in which I live.
Despite being one of the largest (both in terms of land and population) and richest states in the union, California has long struggled with plans to build public transportation on par with the bullet trains of eastern Asia. A lot of that is due to politics, as even ostensibly supportive legislators are wary of spending the billions of dollars necessary to complete the project. And let’s face it: Americans are just way too devoted to their cars.
All that said, there’s one very simple explanation for Night City metro’s relatively low speed: The developers didn’t want NCART rides to happen in the blink of an eye. What good would the long-awaited subway experience be if players didn’t actually, you know, experience it?
A trip taken at 300 mph wouldn’t provide any time to people watch Night City’s eccentric residents or take in the view of skyscrapers surrounding the bay outside the train’s windows. The entire point of the subway system — and a big part of why folks clamored for its inclusion all these years — is to give players new opportunities to role-play and experience the visual splendor of Cyberpunk 2077’s setting and its over-the-top aesthetics.
I find it hard to fault CD Projekt Red for playing a little loose with established Cyberpunk history if it makes for a better game in the end.
The best seeds in Lego Fortnite offer everything from rich resource deposits and exploration areas to easy access for early biomes. But if the possibilities are endless — and they essentially are — where do you start?
In our Lego Fortnite guide, we’ll show you the best seeds in Lego Fortnite, plus explain how to start a game on one of those seeds.
What are Lego Fortnite seeds?
A “seed” is the method of identifying a particular Lego Fortnite map. There are tons of player-generated and -created maps out there, each one different from the rest, and that figure is only going to get bigger as Lego Fortnite’s popularity grows. Seeds are paramount for identifying maps.
Whenever you’re in a Lego Fortnite map or realm, you can see the seed by looking directly at the bottom of the screen, where you’ll see the seed details in low-opacity text. In the screenshot just below for example, the seed is the string of numbers to the left, while your individual location on the particular map is the string of numbers to the right.
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
Additionally, you can manually set a seed combination when you’re first establishing your own map. When creating a map from the Lego Fortnite home screen, click on the option to “override” the world seed, and you can enter any combination of numbers you want, as long as that number hasn’t previously been taken by another user.
How to enter a Lego Fortnite seed
If you want to visit an existing Lego Fortnite seed, there are a few steps you need to take. Below, we’ve listed them out:
Access Lego Fortnite’s main menu
Press up on the D-pad to select a World
Click on “Create New World”
Click on either “New World Slot,” or save over an existing world in the list
Click on “Override World Seed” under the “Advanced Options” menu
Enter the seed code
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
The best seeds in Lego Fortnite
Before, we’ve listed our picks for the best Lego Fortnite seeds.
It’s important to mention here that we’re judging them by the resources they offer up, and the access they provide to other biomes like the desert and ice areas early on. It’s these factors that really dictate which map seeds stand out from the crowd.
If you’re specifically looking to find caves, every single Lego Fortnite world will always offer up at least some. Some, however, will hide their caves out of sight, or potentially even further away from the spawn point, meaning you’ve got a bigger trek to reach the caves for some quick resources. Our guide on where to find caves can show you some of the best seeds that have caves near the start.
Here are the best seeds in Lego Fortnite:
Best seed for beginners: 14191128
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
This is a really solid seed to head straight to if you’re after a starting area with all the resources you need early on in Lego Fortnite, including wood, granite, berries, pumpkins, and much more.
Best seed for easy resources: 0942418202
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
This seed, as discovered by content creator AciDic Blitzz, is a veritable treasure trove of very quick resources. Not only is there a cave immediately north of the spawn point, which can offer up knotroot and other rare resources, but there’s a house even further north, and a whole town to the northeast, both of which feature chests for more resources.
Best seed for chests: 542354756
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
Here’s a neat seed if you’re after some chests. From the spawn point, follow the map northwest, and you’ll see a watchtower. This tower contains two chests, and from the top floor, you’ll easily be able to see a house just a short distance away, which also happens to contain two chests.
Best seed for new biomes: 1264970744
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
As proclaimed by Ouranked on YouTube, this seed is great because it features the desert and ice biomes on opposite sides of the spawn point. Keep this map seed in mind if you need to go and rapidly grab any gear or crafting items that can only spawn in either of the biomes.
Best seed for exploration: 1820364159
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
As captured by 1brecci on TikTok, when you spawn into this map, head to the west immediately. Once you’re across the lake, you’ll find several ruined buildings ripe for exploration, and if you keep heading west along the border of the desert biome, you’ll find a watchtower complete with a chest for looting.
The original Xbox was a big moment in gaming over 20 years ago, serving as Microsoft’s headfirst dive into the medium.
And while it was a bit rough around the edges — and obviously couldn’t overcome the Goliath that was the PlayStation 2 — it was still an admirable attempt that established Microsoft as a major player in the gaming space. It also introduced some franchises that would stand among the pantheon of gaming’s most iconic names, and it served as a quantum leap forward for online gaming.
With Microsoft’s continued commitment to backward compatibility on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, original Xbox games have not become as rare or expensive as their PlayStation 2 or GameCube counterparts. Still, that doesn’t mean every Xbox game is a walk in the park to find because there are certainly some games that might light your wallet on fire. Here are 10 of the rarest and most expensive Xbox games that are probably far less important than buying groceries this month.
As per usual, all prices are based on numbers provided by PriceCharting. Used prices are based on the “Loose Price” listing, while new prices are based on the “New Price” listing. Entries are ranked from lowest to highest by their respective “new” price.
10. Def Jam: Fight for NY
$349 New | $71 Used
Image Source: EA Games
Let’s ease into the list a bit with a game that’s sure to bring back some memories. Def Jam: Fight for NY is a cult classic among gamers, and its continued popularity has led to many curious players hoping to snag a copy for themselves. Across all consoles, though, it’s pretty expensive, and with the fact that a Platinum Hits version exists on Xbox, this original Black Label release is even more of a premium.
A used copy runs for around $71, which is not too far off from what current games cost today. A new copy, though, will drop you down $349. Would you believe it if you found out that this is actually the cheapest of the three consoles? New copies on the GameCube run for $350, while the PlayStation 2 version will set you back a massive $498. It’s sure to be a great time if you can find an affordable copy…but obviously, that’s a big “if.” One can only hope it gets a reissue on modern consoles at some point.
9. Halo Triple Pack
$350 New | $43 Used
Image Source: Xbox Game Studios
Halo 3 might not have been ready until the release of the Xbox 360, but that didn’t stop Microsoft from going through with the Halo Triple Pack on the original Xbox…which obviously didn’t include the third game. No, this triple pack featured Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. Being that all three games are in their own individual boxes, it’s probably not obscenely hard to find a used copy, but finding an entirely sealed bundle is a different story.
Grabbing this used only sets you down $43, but if you can find a new copy, you’ll have to throw down $350. It’s a pretty big ask, one that only the staunchest of collectors should truly go for. The good news, though, is that used copies are available at a far more affordable price if you’re truly looking for that authentic experience. If not, Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One should suit you just fine.
8. Silent Hill 2
$375 New | $35 Used
Image Source: Konami
You might not have expected a game like this to end up here, but yes, Silent Hill 2 is a pretty rare find. Even despite its critical acclaim and commercial success, prices for this game have been marked up by quite a bit. It might help that the Xbox version served as an extended version of the original game, and the later release of a Platinum Hits version may have made the original more of a challenge to find.
Used copies are not too bad, landing at around $35. It’s when you get to the new copies, which go for $375, that we start seeing things get wild. This isn’t limited to the Xbox version, either: a new copy on PC will go for $428, while a new copy on the PlayStation 2 lands around $558. Maybe finding a used copy will suit you well if you want the authentic experience, but proceed with caution if you’re looking for a new copy…or hey, maybe wait for the upcoming remake.
7. Teen Titans
$480 New | $119 Used
Image Source: THQ
Licensed games are fodder to end up on a list like this, and we’ve got our first example here with Teen Titans. This is an example of a game that received a massive upcharge largely because of its release timing: compared to the other console versions (which were released in May 2006), Teen Titans was released for team green in October, a full five months later. By that point, the Xbox 360 was almost a year old, which meant a game like this was always gonna be behind the eight ball.
As a result, used copies run for roughly $119, while new copies jump up to $480. This is in stark contrast to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions, which still fetch a notable amount but nothing that borders too far into “unaffordable” territory. Thus, your best bet if looking for this game is to find it on another platform, though…it’s little more than an average beat ‘em up, so you might want to redirect your search elsewhere.
6. Yu-Gi-Oh: The Dawn of Destiny [Platinum Hits]
$600 New | $13 Used
Image Source: Konami
Continuing into licensed game territory, we’ve got an interesting one, as Yu-Gi-Oh: The Dawn of Destiny is an Xbox-exclusive Yu-Gi-Oh entry. It’s interesting in that it’s a game based on a popular Japanese franchise, published by the Japanese company Konami…that wasn’t released in Japan. Sure, it’s understandable because the Xbox is not popular in Japan, but…still strange. Either way, this didn’t deter it from selling enough to make it to the Platinum Hits line, but such copies must not have been produced en masse because it’s become quite expensive.
A used copy is extremely affordable at $13, but finding a new copy will force you to cough up $600. Beyond potential rarity, it seems all versions of this game (Platinum Hits or otherwise) came with some Limited Edition playing cards, a not-uncommon practice with Yu-Gi-Oh games that’s been discussed here before. Thus, your decision to cut off an arm and a leg might come down to how much you care about those cards. A used copy is plenty affordable, sure, but given that the game doesn’t seem to be all too great, you might just be better off finding a more enjoyable Yu-Gi-Oh experience elsewhere.
5. Halo: Combat Evolved [Not For Resale]
$765 New | $7 Used
Image Source: Xbox Game Studios
The Halo franchise has made the list twice, and it probably won’t be too big a surprise to see a “Not For Resale” disc end up here. While these are typically used for console bundles or in-store promo units, this version of Halo: Combat Evolved seems to have been available specifically for employees at the Microsoft Store. Naturally, this meant that a smaller number of copies were made, thus making this an even more interesting collector’s item.
Interestingly, used copies of this go for only $7. For whatever reason, though, a new copy costs somewhere around $765. Quite frankly, of the many “rare and expensive” game lists this writer has created here, that’s one of the largest discrepancies between “used” and “new” prices to date. It appears Microsoft employees probably weren’t getting their exclusive versions of Halo just to stare at them; it was a pretty huge game, after all. Thankfully, there are about 50 different ways to play the original Halo game at this point, so you don’t need to drop your rent money on something like this.
4. NBA Ballers [Platinum Hits]
$803 New | $60 Used
Image Source: Midway Sports
On its own, NBA Ballers is not an expensive game. You can find it on PlayStation 2 or Xbox for roughly $35 or under, and you’ll be treated to a pretty solid Midway basketball game if you do grab it. The Platinum Hits version, on the other hand? Yeah, good luck catching this one. While the original game was released in 2004, the Platinum Hits version seemed to come along around 2005 after the Xbox 360 had already been out. Thus, Microsoft and Midway probably didn’t bother giving it a large print run and it became a hard find, thus jacking up its price.
A used copy runs at around $60, which isn’t the worst price in the world. The $803 it would cost to get a new copy? Yeah, that’s a totally different beast altogether. This version is most likely only for those who absolutely NEED to have a full Platinum Hits collection. Otherwise, just grab a standard copy of the game and ball out with a few friends. You might even find that the game has aged pretty decently.
3. Futurama
$923 New | $161 Used
Image Source: Vivendi Universal Games
A Futurama game being rare? That can’t be right; surely, this game sold a good amount, right? Well, no. The Futurama game was released after the series had been canceled — the first time, because it’s been canceled more times than Brett Favre has retired — and was essentially seen as a “lost episode,” since it was released after the final episode had aired. By that point, with dwindling audience interest, Vivendi Universal didn’t go through the legwork of producing many copies, and thus, it became a pretty rare collector’s item.
Even just snagging a used copy of the game will set you back $161, while a new copy lands all the way up at $923. A decade ago, you may have been able to find this for something in the $30 range, but now, you’ll have to give up way more than that if you want it. What’s worse is that the game is not all that great to begin with, so a $191 minimum is a steep fine. Maybe you should spend your time and money on a game from creator Matt Groening’s other big series, The Simpsons.
2. Steel Battalion
$1,150 New | $305 Used
Here we have a special example of a rare game. Steel Battalion was an early Xbox game published by Capcom that gained notoriety for its insane controller. As pictured above, this controller had 44 input points/buttons and was meant to simulate the feeling of being inside a mech. Incredibly creative, but it was a large and expensive controller for a game that, mostly, played to a specific niche. Thus, only a few of these were created (somewhere around 2,000 units initially) and the price obviously skyrocketed.
Simply finding a used copy of this will drain $305 from your wallet, while a new copy will brush you back by a whopping $1,150. It’s sad because the game actually seemed to be pretty good and the controller added to the experience in a unique way, but it was always gonna be hard to sell something like this. If you’re able to find it for a decent price, go ahead and grab it, but don’t get your hopes up that those numbers will go down much.
1. Shrek Super Party [Watch Bundle]
$1,500 New | $395 Used
Image Source: TDK Mediactive
Oh dear…it’s returned. As previously noted in Twinfinite’s article discussing the worst GameCube games one could play, Shrek Super Party is a game this writer is all too familiar with. “Big Head Shrek,” as his friends refer to it, has become a source of night terrors, the kind with which I have trouble escaping. Monsieur Hood’s piercing smile can only make me cower in fear, and in spite of his short stature, Lord Farquaad’s equally terrifying expression has made him my sleep-paralysis demon.
It’s like everywhere I look, I see “Big Head Shrek.” And now, the information has come through that this life-altering game had an Xbox-exclusive Special Edition that came with a watch. Perhaps this is the key to purging the infidels that haunt me in my sleep. Surely, acquiring this watch bundle will keep the demons away, like garlic to a vampire. This is what needs to be bought in order to get a good night’s sleep…if it wasn’t so expensive.
Even getting a used copy of this bundle nets you $395, while a new copy will go for a whopping $1,500. There’s simply very little reason to spend four figures on any video game, let alone one this shockingly bad. Sure, the game is far more affordable on other platforms, but without that watch, it appears sleep will continue to be elusive. I’ll conquer you one day, Farquaad.
But until the demons are slain, what are some other rare and expensive Xbox games? Let us know in the comments!
About the author
Matt Anderson
Matt has been a freelance writer at Twinfinite for a year, and he’s been in the games media industry for three years. He typically covers topics related to console news and industry trends for the site, and he has a major interest in first-party console games. Matt also has a Bachelor’s in Screenwriting from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, is an avid content creator on YouTube and TikTok, and legend has it he once asked Super Smash Bros. Melee to be his Prom date.
Mauga’s early access weekend was more than just a fun surprise for Overwatch fans; it was also a test for Blizzard. The tank hero was buffed, debugged, and tweaked in response to that hero preview, resulting in a more powerful (and hopefully balanced) addition to the game’s hero lineup.
Lead hero designer Alec Dawson said in an interview with Polygon ahead of Mauga’s release that the Overwatch development team hopes to do similar player tests with future heroes. Dawson also talked about some of the lessons learned during Mauga’s preview weekend, and how the Overwatch team is evolving its approach to adding new heroes to the game.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Polygon: For Mauga, you did a kind of unprecedented test of a new hero nearly a month in advance of their launch. Can you tell me about what led to the decision to do that?
Alec Dawson: If you look at the team overall, and how we’ve been trying to treat development over the course of the last [couple] years, it’s really been to open up a lot more of it, engage more with the community, and try to make sure that relationship is as transparent as possible. With Mauga in particular, we had an opportunity: BlizzCon was coming back. We wanted to do something big, especially for all the folks at home, and we thought it’d be a great time to show them Mauga early, and also collect feedback on Mauga before he actually gets launched as well.
We think it’s something that worked out really well, and we’re looking forward to do it in the future again with future heroes.
How did it go?
I think overall we were really happy with the weekend, and there were some things we wanted to tune up, especially around Mauga’s survivability. We saw when he gets in there, gets in close and is in the right situation, he can be incredibly lethal. We saw players utilizing his ult very well early on, too. But there were some things on the survivability front, in terms of his frontline presence — being a tank. So we upped that [survivability] before launch. There were even small bugs that we were able to catch, especially with how quickly he was setting enemies on fire. So we’re able to fix that and get that sorted. We also got to see that first-time user experience across millions of players [and] how they’re playing with Mauga, what were some of the shortcomings there.
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
One of the biggest things was Overrun, and players not feeling as capable with this ability where he runs at you and then he jumps up and does the big, big stomp.
When we look at it all, Mauga’s performance over the weekend, obviously it was in a very different structure than we’re used to. But we want to make sure that those [new hero] releases launch on the side of strong and making sure those launches can be as exciting as possible. Make sure they’re making up for some of the time that you may have on heroes that you’ve been playing for hundreds or thousands of hours, that your first-time experience isn’t gonna be something that’s detrimental to the rest of your team, something that you can pick up pretty quick.
Thinking about the addition of Lifeweaver in season 4 and how a lot of changes were rolled out, in terms of his healing and and damage output over the following weeks, it seems you’ve also really buffed Mauga quickly. When you put in a new hero like this, what’s your comfort level with where they are? You really don’t know millions of people are thrown at it, right?
I think in the past we’ve been conservative about certain things. And there are still things we’ll be conservative about, specifically gameplay mechanics. With the preview we were a little conservative on how much sustain we were giving Mauga, because too much sustain can just feel like, Hey, this character is never going to die. I think we’ll also be conservative in the future, if you know we’re making a second Widowmaker, for example — some sort of sniper, or one-shot mechanic. Things like that we’ll be a little softer on.
Image: Blizzard Entertainment
With Lifeweaver in particular, we knew there was a lot of healing in the kit, and we knew there were also things you’re taking away some player agency from your teammates [with Life Grip and Petal Platform]. Those are some of the things we’re a bit more conservative on at launch because we knew those are going to be some of the pain points. But overall we saw we could have gone a little bit more aggressive for Lifeweaver’s launch. Since then, we’ve learned a number of things about how we want to launch heroes and how we want to release them. Doing these previews is just another step in that learning.
Previously, the hero balance cadence was seasonal and midseason adjustments, and obviously you would patch things if there was something outstandingly broken. How how have you and the team adjusted your reaction window to balancing heroes?
I think with a hero launch, or even a hero rework, we want to be very active into that first week to two weeks. With Roadhog, it was by the end of the week we had buffs ready for Roadhog to go [out]. So we wanna be very responsive, and if there’s anything else that’s, like, outstanding, we’re gonna come in and make any adjustments that need to be made.
Speaking of BlizzCon, I know it’s early to talk about the next Overwatch hero, Venture, but I wanted to see what kind of feedback you got to that hero’s reveal and how you’ve been ingesting that in terms of continuing work.
A lot of work has happened since that video clip was recorded, so it’s really interesting to look back; that was a while ago when we did that playtest. But it’s just been exciting for the team. We saw fan art go up everywhere, and a lot of excitement around Venture, and just people talking about them as the next damage hero for 2024. That was really invigorating for the whole team.
Venture, a new damage hero coming in Overwatch 2 season 10Image: Blizzard Entertainment
What we showed of gameplay was so short, so there’s not necessarily a ton to take away from what people saw. At the same time we saw excitement, and that for us was really great to see, and makes us feel a lot better about how early we can show some of these things. Because I think it’s gonna be something that we continue to do as well.
Mauga obviously came with BlizzCon, but say you do a hero test for Venture. Do you have a sense of when you would roll that out?
We’re still figuring out the exact timeline for it. I think you can expect somewhere in that month beforehand, where it gives us enough time to make adjustments before the launch and is close enough where [it aligns with] other teams working on a hero. Those are still some conversations we’re having on the team [in] exactly how we want to execute on that. But we know we want to do it.
In Lego Fortnite, you’ll need marble to both upgrade your village and build better structures and tools.
Below we detail where to find marble in Lego Fortnite and what tools you’ll need to harvest it.
Where to find marble in Lego Fortnite
You can grab marble in caves, which are scattered about everywhere. Notably, they’re the same caves that have knotroot. As you walk around, you’ll see huge rocky cavern entrances popping out of the ground, which you can enter. Inside, you can see the marble jutting out of the walls, like in the image at the top of this post.
Note that you do need an uncommon pickaxe in order to harvest marble. To make an uncommon pickaxe, you’ll need to upgrade your workbench and grab bone and knotroot, the latter which you can harvest with a normal axe. Once you have knotroot, you’ll need to use a lumber mill to turn it into rods to make an uncommon pickaxe.
Some of the marble may be on the ceilings, so you’ll want to bring some regular wood into the cave with you. This way, you can build some easy stairs to reach all that marble.
Image: Epic Games via Polygon
Remember to be ready for potential battles when you enter the cave, too. Caves are teeming with skeletons and spiders and you don’t want to die while you’re in there.
Once you have marble, you can use it to build bigger chests and upgrade your Village Square.
The Finals, one of the buzziest new shooters of 2023 despite only existing in beta, finally has a release date. It’s out… right now! Developer Embark Studios announced the news at the 2023 Game Awards.
Created by ex-Battlefield devs, The Finals is a free-to-play first-person shooter in which various teams of three shoot each other a bunch to see which team is the best at shooting the other teams. Embark Studios ran a closed beta in the spring and an open beta spanning from late October through early November that racked up 7.5 million players.
One of the huge draws of The Finals is that it’s not a battle royale. There’s no circle or storm or slowly encroaching safe zone. You also don’t really get punished when you get eliminated, save for a brief 20-second respawn timer. Matches last no longer than 15 minutes. It feels like a throwback to the deathmatch modes that dominated the mid-2000s, except it’s as gorgeous and technically impressive as any other modern shooter. Nostalgia for an earlier, arguably simpler era of gaming is no doubt a factor in The Finals’ popularity.
The other huge draw is that every single building can explode.
Last week, I got a chance to play The Finals during a closed media session meant to illustrate The Finals’ final state before its launch. I cannot express how frequently the thing I was standing on exploded.
Image: Embark Studios
For the most part, that tracks with Polygon’s more extensive preview of The Finals from earlier this year. The general concept is that you’re a contestant in some sort of shiny, violent, futuristic game show. Matches take place on maps like Monaco and Las Vegas. (Get it? Because gambling!) When you’re eliminated, you turn into a pile of coins. (Also because gambling.) Buildings, however, don’t suffer such a cartoonish fate. Shooting a wall or floor with an RPG causes it to collapse into a pile of rubble. When a building takes enough structural damage, the whole thing comes crashing down — even if you’re meticulously perched on the eaves, trying to get the drop on an opposing team.
You can choose from three classes, simply named “light,” “medium,” and “heavy,” each replete with all the gear and movement speed (or lack thereof) you’d expect from those barebones classifications. For the session, Embark paired attendees off into squads of three. We played two different quick-play modes: Quick Cash and Bank It. Both modes tally your score not by how many eliminations you have but by how much cash you can steal from opponents and deliver to various drop points. But I’ll be honest: The shooting in The Finals is so distractingly solid — so emblematic of the golden age of Battlefield — I couldn’t help but spend my time prioritizing spraying and praying over learning “rules” and “objectives.” You’re welcome, teammates!
Image: Embark Studios
The Finals also features a tournament component with higher stakes than the quick-play modes. If your squad doesn’t finish in the top two for your existing round, you’re eliminated from the bracket. (I’m not sure what happens after the first round, because our squad finished last. Twice.)
I’d be remiss not to mention our experience playing The Finals was marred by technical difficulties. Such things are generally excusable for a beta; that is, after all, the whole point of betas. Still, for roughly half the games we played, one or two players of our three-person squad would inexplicably fail to load in. When we’d successfully get into a match, for about half of those matches, one player would get dropped. Since The Finals does not have an option to rejoin an existing match, one party member getting kicked out meant we all had to quit. (Let the record reflect that we totally would’ve won all of those matches otherwise.)
Aside from those hiccups, which may very well not be present at all in today’s full release, The Finals is an energetic and competent multiplayer shooter I could see myself dipping into for a few rounds when Halo Infinite gets too frustrating. Players have by and large moved on from the sort of arena-style gameplay on display here, so sure, like the contest that defines this game’s minimalist lore, The Finals is ultimately a gamble. But it’s one I hope pays off.
The Finals is out now on PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.
Gone are the days of scrounging up loot at dilapidated taco joints and rusty playgrounds in Fortnite. Epic Games released a massive new update to the battle royale game this week as part of Chapter 5 Season 1. The patch literally blew up the OG map with a meteor, replacing it with an entirely new, much fancier map. Instead of rough locales like Greasy Groves or Tomato Temple, players now explore palatial manors like Lavish Lair or the manicured vineyards of Pleasant Piazza. Fortnite is basically a fancy European vacation now, and it feels a bit outside my personal budget.
Developers stuffed the new map with luxurious points of interest. Another example: Grand Glacier, a hotel nestled on a snow-capped mountain that looks like it’s straight out of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. If the mountains aren’t your thing, you can head over to the Ritzy Riviera, a picturesque shore-side town with villas nestled into a sloped hillside. At places like Classy Courts, decrypted playgrounds with broken concrete have been replaced with manicured hedges.
Image: Epic Games
Call me a traditionalist, but I like to do dumb shit in Fortnite. I personally play as Kakashi from Naruto, and style him with an Among Us backpack as I regale other players with emotes like the Gangnam Style dance. Part of what made me fall in love with Fortnite was the garishness of it all. It’s a bright, cartoony game where you can go fishing with Ariana Grande, then turn around and scuffle with Goku. In the new season, a lot of that whimsy is still there: Peter Griffin is now a skin, and appears as an NPC you can fight. But that tone doesn’t seem to be reflected in the map, which forms a central part of the game.
It isn’t that previous maps were lacking in high-end locations. Prior to the return of the OG map, Chapter 4 Season 4 added the cyberpunk-inspired Mega City and the sweeping Japanese estates of Kenjutsu Crossing. While Kenjutsu resembles the more elaborate locales in the current iteration of the game, some of those additions still evoked a sort of surrealism: Mega City’s sci-fi elements felt true to the less realistic elements of Fortnite.
All that said, locations are subject to change with each update. So it’s possible that further meteors or other ill fates might befall some of these fancy locales and bring back some of the good old Fortnite charm — rough hedges and all.
With just over 24 hours left before Rockstar Games was set to debut its first Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer, a grainy video started circulating online: The GTA 6 trailer, but marked with a massive bitcoin watermark. About 30 minutes later Rockstar did the corporate equivalent of saying “Fuck it,” uploading the trailer and pointing to it in a terse post on X: “Our trailer has leaked so please watch the real thing on YouTube.”
It’s unusual for a company like Rockstar to disregard its original, announced schedule and just post the thing, but it’s not the first time it’s happened. When The Last of Us Part 2’s PlayStation 5 remaster was leaked early on the PlayStation Store by data miners looking for new information, hours later, an official trailer popped up on YouTube, with several prominent Naughty Dog developers declaring that “leaks really suck.” (In Naughty Dog’s case, however, timing for The Last of Us Part 2’s remaster wasn’t announced, and it’s possible the YouTube release was its planned time.)
Typically, in the event of a leak, a company starts issuing takedown requests as quickly as possible — which Rockstar did, of course — and waits it out until the planned debut. (We’ve seen this plenty of times when Pokémon games leak early; Nintendo and The Pokémon Company try to take things down, but don’t acknowledge leaks head-on.) In the case of GTA 6, the early launch of the trailer hasn’t diluted the hype, with the GTA 6 trailer reaching more than 85 million views by Tuesday morning. It’s quickly gaining on Rockstar’s debut Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer, which was published on Nov. 2, 2011, and has more than 99 million views.
Image: Rockstar Studios/Rockstar Games
Several Rockstar employees have expressed their upset feelings about the leak: “This fucking sucks,” one developer posted to X. (The post, and the developer’s X account, have since been deleted.) The GTA 6 trailer wasn’t the first video game trailer to be leaked, and it definitely won’t be the last in an internet landscape where everyone from fans to brands is always fighting for eyeballs.
For better or worse, leaks have already become a part of GTA 6’s journey to its release — something that’s relatively on theme, as Rockstar’s upcoming game seemingly takes on the struggle for internet fame.
Grand Theft Auto is one of the video game industry’s most successful properties, which makes it a hot target for hackers and potential leaks. GTA 5 was released 10 years ago, and people have been salivating ever since at the prospect of the sixth entry in the series. Rockstar has been quiet about GTA 6 for most of the past 10 years; the studio didn’t acknowledge the game was in development until February 2022. Later that year, GTA 6 made history as Rockstar’s developers were subject to one of the largest leaks in modern video game history.
On Sept. 18, 2022, a hacker published more than 90 videos — roughly an hour’s worth of footage — from the in-development game. The leak was, and still is, unprecedented because of its sheer scope, the level of anticipation for the game in question, and because of how rare it is for fans to see huge parts of a AAA video game in a visibly unfinished state. The leaked footage depicted a GTA 6 that was clearly in development, with debug tools, blocked-out environments, and all.
Image: Rockstar Studios/Rockstar Games
The hacker claimed to have accessed Rockstar’s internal Slack, which is an application workplaces use to communicate and share files. A United Kingdom court found that a U.K.-based 18-year-old, Arion Kurtaj, was largely responsible for the hack. Kurtaj had been previously arrested for other hacking incidents performed in association with notorious group Lapsus$, and he was out on bail when he went after Rockstar, Uber, and Revolut. Kurtaj’s hack of Rockstar was the last one he managed before he was caught again in a Travelodge hotel that he had been put up in following concerns for his safety (he was previously doxxed by “rival hackers,” according to the BBC). Kurtaj and a second 17-year-old hacker were found guilty in August. The BBC reported that the prosecution’s lead barrister on the case, Kevin Barry, said the hackers were motivated by “notoriety,” “financial gain,” and “amusement.”
The damage had been done; many fans couldn’t resist the peek behind the curtain before the real show began. The hourlong clips in the leak gave eager GTA 6 fans a lot of material to work through, and by September of this year, the community had put together a 60-page document outlining every single detail from the leak.
Rockstar announced in November that it would post a trailer in December, news that was first reported by Bloomberg and quickly confirmed by Rockstar. Last week, Rockstar finally announced a date for the trailer: Dec. 5. In the lead-up to the trailer drop date, several quick videos were uploaded to TikTok purporting to show parts of the GTA 6 Vice City map; the video clips, which quickly spread, appeared to be recordings of a computer screen. The source and credibility of these uploads remains unconfirmed, but they do seem to match the cityscapes we’ve now seen in the legitimate trailer. Somewhere along the way, rumors started circulating that the leak came from a Rockstar employee’s son, but Polygon is unable to verify those claims. It’s impossible to tell, of course, whether the TikTok leaks came from the same source as Dec. 4’s trailer leak.
GTA 6’s legacy of leaks not only has an impact on how the community sees the game, but it’s something that affects developers, too. Rockstar is famously secretive — or perhaps notoriously so — and leaks are sometimes considered a rare look behind the curtain for fans, or even a triumph for transparency. Unfortunately, though, leaks can often have the opposite effect. Speaking to Wired in 2022, a AAA developer said leaking can tighten things up even more, making the industry more opaque — even within studios themselves. Sometimes, a “trust vacuum” forms between departments as studios investigate leaks internally, Wired reported. The player experience will rarely, if ever, be significantly altered by a leaked trailer or gameplay video, but the same can’t be said for the people making a leaked game.
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: 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: 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.
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: 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: 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: Bungie via Polygon
Remove the corruption and collect the fourth set of Ahamkara Bones.
Ahamkara Bones 5 location
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.
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: 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: 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
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: Bungie via Polygon
Jump up through the hole, exit the circle room, and take the left.
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: 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: 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: 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: Bungie via Polygon
After defeating the final boss, this set of Ahamkara Bones is found directly beside the loot chest.
Whether 2023 is one of the best years for video games is up for debate. But it is certainly one of the best years for Christmas video games, thanks to a surprising number of festive, holiday-themed releases. That includes a video game sequel to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, starring Ebenezer Scrooge and made in the Metroidvania style.
While many live service games will drench themselves in Christmas and Hanukkah-themed cosmetics and map makeovers this month, not since Sega’s Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams… has there been such an eclectic mix of festive fare. Some are naughty, and some are nice. And at least one, a gory slasher that will appeal to fans of Rockstar Games’ murderous Manhunt, is definitely not for kids.
Here’s a look at 2023’s Christmas games.
Ebenezer and the Invisible World
Set after the events of Ebenezer Scrooge’s encounter with Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come, Ebenezer and the Invisible World sees the once-miserly grump setting off on a new adventure. Invigorated by Christmas cheer, Ebenezer is enlisted by another ghost to help alter the destiny of evil industrialist and population-principle-believer Caspar Malthus. Aiding Ebenezer in his mission are many more ghosts — which are basically summonable familiars and power-ups that are heavily inspired by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. (Ebenezer even has Alucard’s back dash.)
Ebenezer and the Invisible World is an enjoyable action-adventure game with greater depth than you might think. The game’s hand-drawn graphics and wide array of characters and quests keep the whole thing moving along pleasantly; plus it’s just fun to see old Ebenezer wielding a giant ax or spinning a flaming spear. He’s very spry for his age!
Ebenezer and the Invisible World is available now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Lake: Seasons Greetings
The video game Lake is a cozy, narrative adventure set in the sleepy village of Providence Oaks, Oregon. Set in the year 1986, players stepped into the shoes of Meredith Weiss, a metropolitan, career-driven woman who returns home to temporarily take over her father’s postal route. Lake: Season’s Greetings delivers similar smalltown vibes, but this time, players tour the town as Thomas Weiss, Meredith’s father, as Christmastime approaches.
Lake: Season’s Greetings is a prequel to the original Lake, available as DLC for that game. These cozy, wintry vibes are available on PS4, PS5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Christmas Massacre
Make it a silent night, make it a deadly night with the stealth-slasher Christmas Massacre, which made its debut on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in November. (It’s been on PC since 2021.) Inspired by snuff game Manhunt, top-down shoot-’em-up Hotline Miami, and PlayStation 1-era aesthetics, Christmas Massacre lets you slay as Larry, a man who is clearly not well, because his Christmas tree is commanding him to kill.
Obviously, Christmas Massacre is probably not something you should play with the whole family, but if over-the-top violence and gore done super lo-fi is your thing, it’s a fun romp, as murder rampages go. You will be flamethrowing roomfuls of children and nuns, just as a heads up.
Christmas Massacre is available on PS4, PS5, and Windows PC via Steam.
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch stars in a 2D side-scrolling platform adventure game that may or may not be any good — I haven’t played it! But The Grinch: Christmas Adventures gives players control of The Grinch himself (and his dog Max, in two-player local co-op) on another Christmas-ruining mission. Like Ebenezer and the Invisible World, this is a one-year-later sequel to the original source material. And like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Grinch’s Christmas Adventures promise to teach him a “valuable lesson about the true spirit of the holiday.” Hopefully he learns for good this time!!
The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is out now on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis: The Holy Flame’s Gift
Image: Square Enix
Square Enix’s mobile remake of the expanded Final Fantasy 7 franchise has a new holiday event, which isn’t a stand-alone game, but a new story that features two important elements.
One is a Christmasy new Tifa costume that is currently riling up Tifa fans worldwide. You can see that above.
The other is that the chief antagonist of Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis’ new holiday-themed story is a gingerbread Cactuar. Amazing!
Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis is currently available on Android and iOS devices, and is coming to PC via Steam on Dec. 7, Square Enix just announced. The game’s The Holy Flame’s Gift story is available now.
“The Big Bang” is Fortnite’s first live event that’s teased to bring about a “new beginning” for the game, according to developer Epic Games.
The event is the end to Fortnite OG’s schedule of rotating maps from Chapter 1, which itself ended with a “black hole” event that introduced a new Chapter and series of major additions.
“The Big Bang” appears to be a nod to this finale, and is rumored to introduce some similarly game-changing features — all ushered in by a musical appearance by Eminem. Here’s everything we know, and what time the live event begins in your time zone.
Fortnite live event start time: When does the ‘The Big Bang’ event begin?
Update (Dec. 2, 2:10 p.m. ET): “The Big Bang” event is technically happening now (from 2 p.m. ET), but for those still queuing to enter the game, don’t fret; developer Epic Games is running two more shows today to meet demand. The timings of these are unknown, but we’d recommend waiting until you’ve gained access to the lobby, then holding tight for the performance to begin.
Well that escalated quickly. Whether you’re in the lobby or in a queue, fear not!
We’ll be adding two more showings of The Big Bang after the 2pm ET show.
Original story: Fortnite’s “The Big Bang” live event starts on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the following times:
11 a.m. PST for the West Coast of North America
2 p.m. EST for the East Coast of North America
7 p.m. GMT for the U.K.
8 p.m. CEST for west mainland Europe
4 a.m. JST in Japan (Dec. 3)
Matchmaking for modes made by Epic — including Battle Royale and Zero Build — will go offline two hours before the prior times, paving the way for the live event to take center stage.
You can join the “The Big Bang” event itself 30 minutes before it begins — at 1:30 p.m. EST, or your local equivalent — which we’d recommend doing in case capacity is limited, as has been the case with Fortnite events in the past. In other words, it’s best to arrive early to avoid disappointment!
The live event can be accessed from all versions of the game, including streamed versions via services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming, if you don’t happen to be at your console or PC at the time.
What can we expect from Fortnite’s ‘The Big Bang’ event?
Teasers and leaks for “The Big Bang” suggests hybrid of a Fortnite seasonal finale — which feature an interactive experience which concludes the season and tees up a new storyline — and Fortnite’s concerts, which Eminem is confirmed to feature. As such, those attending the event will receive an exclusive Loading Screen for taking part to commemorate the performance:
Image: Epic Games
Beyond that, details are thin on the ground. Fortnite leakers such as ShiinaBR on Twitter / X are being respectful of spoilers and are keeping specifics to themselves, with the tease that it’s “NOT just a concert.” So what else can we expect?
People are freaking out, so here’s my first and final event leak:
This live event is NOT just a concert, not at all.
For one, the teaser image for the event features a llama, a creature that’s been a Fortnite staple since the Battle Royale mode’s debut. However, this is thought to be linked to a crafting mode in collaboration with LEGO, which has been teased on social media in the weeks leading to the event.
The microphone and guitar in the teaser image, meanwhile, is believed to be tied to a new “Festival” mode. These new modes, plus a Rocket League-inspired “Rocket Racing” mode, are suggested to be rolled out within the first week of Chapter 5, which will go live in the day or two of the live event. This also lines up with the cryptic mention of “new rules” in an official teaser:
A galaxy is a container of worlds that abide by its own set of rules. Galaxies unknown leave opportunity for new rules.
How exactly these modes will appear as part of the event is unknown, but with a huge number of eyeballs watching this season finale, it’s the perfect place to promote them.
Fortnite will release THREE new modes a few days after Chapter 5 drops!
– LEGO Fortnite: December 7 – Rocket Racing: December 8 – Fortnite Festival: December 9
Either way, when the “The Big Bang” concludes, expect a period of downtime. With these rumored new modes and possible other features on the way, we won’t be playing again until sometime on Sunday, or even Monday.
In the meantime, if you’re looking to unlock this season’s Battle Pass skins before they disappear for good, we recommend finding gnome locations for some easy bonus XP.
While Rockstar hasn’t given the next GTA game a proper name yet, it’s almost assuredly going to be titled Grand Theft Auto 6 (or Grand Theft Auto VI). And we know some details about GTA 6, after an unprecedented leak of the game in 2022. But thanks to Rockstar’s secrecy and the enormous task of following up one of the biggest games of all time, much about GTA 6 is still shrouded in mystery.
Here’s everything we do know about Grand Theft Auto 6 so far.
When does GTA 6 come out?
Rockstar hasn’t announced a release date yet for GTA 6, but parent company Take-Two Interactive might have revealed a release window for the next Grand Theft Auto game. In August, Take-Two told investors the company plans to see a “significant inflection point” during its 2025 fiscal year, which has been interpreted by analysts to mean that GTA 6 will be released sometime between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025. Obviously, that’s a pretty big window, but it could point to a 2024 release for GTA 6.
While GTA 6 may be targeting a 2024 launch, Rockstar is famous for delaying its biggest games in the name of polish. Its last major release, Red Dead Redemption 2, was publicly delayedthree times. And back in 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 saw a significant delay, slipping from its original spring release date to its ultimate September 2013 launch.
In other words, even if Rockstar gives us a release date or window by the end of 2023, history tells us that nothing is set in stone.
When does the GTA 6 trailer come out?
Rockstar co-founder and president Sam Houser has only confirmed an “early December” release for the first GTA 6 trailer. It may or may not coincide with The Game Awards 2023, which streams live on Dec. 7. It’s more likely that Rockstar will release the trailer on its own schedule, without competing with a bunch of other game announcements.
Where does GTA 6 take place?
According to a massive leak of early gameplay videos and early reporting on the game, Grand Theft Auto 6 will be set in Vice City, the GTA version of Miami. That location was previously explored in 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and that game’s 2006 prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Those entries were set during the mid-1980s, but GTA 6 will reportedly tell a modern-day, Bonnie and Clyde-inspired story featuring two leads named Jason and Lucia, based on early gameplay videos. Lucia would be the GTA series’ first female lead playable protagonist in a mainline game.
The videos show robberies, gunplay, open-world driving, a police chase, a crowded nightclub scene, and conversations with full voice acting. The game footage was clearly not intended to be shown publicly, with debug programming elements visible on-screen at the time.
One of the longer videos showed the female player character robbing a diner, as well as threatening staff and customers, who react in fear to having a gun pulled on them. Then she and her male accomplice get in a shootout with police before jumping in the police patrol car and driving off. The game’s graphical treatment is quite realistic, but still consistent with GTA games’ style.
TBD, but PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X are a safe bet. Unlike previous Grand Theft Auto games, which saw staggered releases on consoles versus PC, it seems more likely than ever that Rockstar would release all versions of the game on the same day. But given Rockstar’s track record, the PC version could lag behind PlayStation and Xbox releases.
There’s also another platform coming that could be home to Grand Theft Auto 6: Nintendo’s Switch successor. Rockstar has embraced the Switch with releases like L.A. Noire, Red Dead Redemption, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition, so don’t rule out an eventual release of GTA 6 on Switch 2.
How much will GTA 6 cost?
Rockstar and publisher Take-Two haven’t announced a price point, but it seems likely that Grand Theft Auto 6 will carry a $69.99 price point, increasinglythe standardfor AAA video games with big budgets.
Don’t worry about those unfounded rumors that GTA 6 will cost $150, or will be priced per hour, based on misinterpreted comments from Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick. There may be higher-priced premium or collector’s edition versions of GTA 6 that cost more than the industry-standard $69.99, but hold your horses (and your pre-orders) until Rockstar makes it official.
What happens to Grand Theft Auto Online when GTA 6 comes out?
Rockstar hasn’t said, but given the massive popularity of GTA Online, which is also sold as a stand-alone experience, it will likely continue. Rockstar may have more grand ambitions for an online mode for GTA 6, and it may run two versions of the online experience for each game. The future of GTA Online is one of the biggest open questions — not to mention Rockstar’s trickiest needle to thread — when it comes to discussing GTA 6. Rockstar may very well keep those plans under wraps for the foreseeable future.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 will be released on March 22, 2024, reviving Capcom’s sword and sorcery action-RPG franchise after a decade-long break. Capcom revealed the release date and new gameplay details during a digital showcase on Tuesday.
Hideaki Itsuno, director of Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, the game’s producer, showed off new features coming in the sequel. That includes a huge new addition to the bestiary, the Talos, a massive brass warrior who emerges from the sea. Developers showed varying approaches to taking the Talos down: by leaping onto it from a cliff’s edge, and fighting it while holding on for dear life, à la Shadow of the Colossus; riding birds toward the Talos to close the distance to it; and attacking it from afar using ranged weapons and spells.
Capcom also showed off a new vocation, the Trickster. That Arisen-only character class can use a censer in battle to conjure illusions, causing enemies to fight each other, and to support a player’s pawns to make them more effective in battle. The Trickster, a “devious vocation,” can manipulate the battle from the sidelines rather than fight directly.
The Trickster joins Dragon’s Dogma 2’s previously confirmed vocations: Fighter, Archer, Thief, Mage, Magick Archer, and Mystic Spearhand.
Image: Capcom
Image: Capcom
Image: Capcom
Capcom also showed off its update character creator, which players can use to customize their Arisen and main Pawn. The developer is using new photogrammetry technology to increase the photorealism of Dragon’s Dogma 2’s player-created avatars, developers said.
Finally, developers also teased a bit of the game’s story, which they said was set in a world parallel to that of the original Dragon’s Dogma. As an Arisen, players will find themselves caught between the beliefs and plots of two rival nations. Vermund, the human kingdom, is at the center of a power struggle for the throne, with a false Arisen installed by the queen regent Disa. In Battahl, the humanoid beasts there treat Pawns as a source of misfortune. But both nations view dragons as a threat to their survival.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 is coming to PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The original Dragon’s Dogma was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012, followed by the expansion Dark Arisen the next year.
If you’ve been waiting for a Black Friday price cut on the Xbox Series X or Series S, Best Buy, GameStop, and Target have knocked $50 off the standard price of either console, discounting the Series X to $449.99, and the Series S to $249.99. The Diablo 4 Xbox Series X bundle at Walmart and Microsoft is even cheaper at $439.99.
But before you buy, take note that some retailers have better bonuses than others. At Best Buy, the discounted Series X comes with a $50 Best Buy gift card. And, if you happen to be a member of My Best Buy Plus (a $50 annual service), you can get another $50 off the total, resulting in a final cost of just $399.99 for the console.
Target is offering a slightly sweeter deal on top of the $50 discount. If you buy any Xbox Series X that it has in stock, you’ll also get a $75 Target gift card.
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Entrepreneurs work hard, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play hard, too. No matter what your favorite pastime is, it’s important to ensure you’re getting downtime. This is especially true for business owners since the average work week for an entrepreneur is 12 hours longer than most people’s standard 9-to-5 schedule (per TeamStage).
If you’ve ever considered winding down with some gaming but aren’t sure what system you’ll like the most, there’s now a great place to see if the world of Xbox is for you. A one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is now just $9.97 — nearly $20 off the usual price — for a limited time, ready for you to test and have some fun.
Applicable to both brand new and existing users, this one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you a taste of the fun so you can see if it’s for you. You’ll get access to more than 100 high-quality games, an EA play membership, and exclusive content you won’t see elsewhere for one seriously low price.
Aside from all the games you’ll grow to love, you will also unlock access to all the benefits of Xbox Live Gold. There, you can connect with other gamers and receive free games every month while also taking advantage of a massive 50% savings in the Xbox store. This one-month pass provides more games than you’d ever get to enjoy, serving as a great taste of the platform.
Baldur’s Gate 3already has one special edition, in the form of its Collector’s Edition. We even unboxed it here at Kotaku, and it’s got a lot of cool knickknacks that pay tribute to its tabletop roots. Of course that was expensive, solely for PC and PlayStation 5 players, and didn’t include a physical copy of the game itself. But Baldur’s Gate 3 is coming to Xbox next month, so Larian Studios is taking the opportunity to release a new, Deluxe Edition for all three platforms. And given what comes in the box, I think it’s pretty darn affordable.
11 Minutes With Baldur’s Gate 3’s Character Creator
The studio announced the Deluxe Edition, which includes physical game media on PC, PlayStation 5, or Xbox Series X/S. Oddly enough, because video game boxes are magic beyond our feeble comprehension, each version contains a different number of discs. Xbox Series X/S includes three, PlayStation 5 has two, and if you have a disc drive on your PC in 2023, that version only has one. Unlike the console versions, the PC edition doesn’t require the disc to play, and comes with a digital key. The DVD is just there to give you a custom installer.
Image: Larian Studios
Beyond the game itself, the Deluxe Edition includes 32 stickers, two patches, a world map, a gorgeous poster of a mind flayer, and a three-disc soundtrack, all in a box made to look like a book. The wild part is all of this comes in a $79.99 package, which is only $10 more than the base game.
So if you want something to display on your shelf and a disc to put in your console, this is a pretty great way to buy one of 2023’s best games. Unfortunately, it won’t arrive until Q1 2024, so if you want some instant gratification you’re maybe better off just buying the game on PlayStation Store or Steam, or waiting until the Xbox version launches in December. Larian has confirmed it will announce the release date of the Xbox Series X/S version at The Game Awards on December 7.
Persona 5 Tactica is the latest non-JRPG spinoff in Atlus’ celebrated JRPG series. Tactica is a tactics game that takes place in the same world as Persona 5 and includes the original game’s core group of heroes: the Phantom Thieves. As a spinoff, it’s natural to wonder: Do you need to play Persona 5 before Persona 5 Tactica?
With the Persona series being so story-focused, it’s a good question. In this Persona 5 Tactica guide, we hope to answer just that question, and will break down whether or not you need to play Person 5 — plus Persona 5 Royal and Persona 5 Strikers— before playing Persona 5 Tactica.
When does Persona 5 Tactica take place in the Persona timeline?
Persona 5 Tactica takes place after the establishment of the Phantom Thieves, the crew that Joker (the main character) puts together to change the hearts of baddies all over Japan in the main game.
Based on the dialogue at the start of the game, Tactica takes place before the third year students (Makoto and Haru) graduate, which is before the main storyline of Persona 5 wraps up. So, think of Tactica as a big side quest that takes place before the end of Persona 5.
Do you need to play Persona 5 before Persona 5 Tactica?
Images: Atlus
Yes, you should play (or have played) at least a few hours of Persona 5 before you play Tactica.
Because of where Tactica is set in the timeline, you’re going to be very confused If you didn’t play any Persona 5. The game’s opening assumes you already know who these characters are, what the “Metaverse” is, and why the cat (who isn’t actually a cat) is talking.
That said, you’ll really just be missing the context of the world and characters by skipping Persona 5 and diving right into Tactica. While the plot of Persona 5 Tactica involves the same characters, in the same world, it tells its own, contained story and you don’t need to understand the plot ofPersona 5 to follow along.
If you love tactics games and are dying to check out Persona 5 Tactica, you’ll be totally fine to do so as long as you accept that you’ll probably be a little confused at the outset. Although, maybe this is just a great chance for you to go back and spend 100 hours in Persona 5, which is one of the best games of the last decade — even if you’re not usually a turn-based JRPG fan.
Do you need to play Persona 5 Royal before Persona 5 Tactica?
Image: Atlus
No, you don’t need to have played any of the Royal content in Persona 5 to understand Tactica.
Kasumi Yoshizawa, the new addition to the Phantom Thieves from Royal, is not part of your crew in Persona 5 Tactica.
So, even if you skipped the expansion for the original game, you’ll still have all the context you need to enjoy the story of Tactica.
Do you need to play Persona 5 Strikers before Persona 5 Tactica?
Image: Atlus/Omega Force/P Studio
No, you don’t need to have played any Strikers to understand Tactica.
Persona 5 Strikers is another Persona 5 spin off, and it replaces the classic turn-based combat with fast-paced, Musou game combat similar to the Dynasty Warriors franchise.
While Strikers relays a great Persona story — seriously, it’s essentially just a mini Persona game, but with slick action combat — the new characters and plot don’t carry over at all to Tactica. If you love Persona and love tactics but hate action games, you’re totally fine to jump into Tactica without touching Strikers.
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