Gaming - Page 162

GEO's PS5 rental service has remained at full capacity in over 200 stores across Japan, one month after launching alongside Monster Hunter Wilds on February 28. The program lets customers rent a PS5 for eight days at 980 yen (around $6.90 USD), or opt for a longer fifteen-day plan at 1,780 yen ($12.50 USD), with daily extensions available for 500 yen.

As a firm originally focused on renting CDs, DVDs, and physical games, GEO's new PS5 rental model builds on the company's existing infrastructure. With declining demand for disc-based media and the PS5's price hike in Japan last September, GEO repurposed its logistics to incorporate console rentals without requiring major additional investment.

While uncommon today, console rentals aren't without precedent. Game shops in Japan and other regions offered similar services during the PlayStation 2 era, and rental kiosks for hardware have appeared sporadically over the years. GEO's approach modernizes the concept using its wide store network and an audience already familiar with short-term access models.

In a new trailer titled Outcast Forest, Tencent's Polaris Quest has offered a closer look at Light of Motiram, a co-op open-world title that continues to draw comparisons to Horizon Zero Dawn.

The gameplay footage showcases one of the game's early biomes - Outcast Forest. A dense, fog-covered region used by the Dariman Tribe to exile convicts. The environment features roaming mechanized beasts, rival tribes, and scattered ruins containing puzzles and combat trials. Players are shown switching between ranged and melee attacks, using dodge rolls and energy-based weapons to fight off enemies in both solo and cooperative encounters.

The visual design sticks closely to the tribal sci-fi aesthetic seen in previous trailers, reinforcing similarities to Guerrilla Games' Horizon series. Mechanimals, towering boss creatures, and shrine-like structures all contribute to the familiar tone. Despite this, the footage also introduces new mechanics, including large-scale co-op battles, mount traversal, and what appears to be direct mech control in certain segments of the story.

It's only a matter of hours before Bethesda officially unveils The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered - what was the most unkept gaming secret of 2025 (so far).

Before Bethesda confirmed the existence of the Oblivion Remastered leaks blew the lid on the project off, spurring a rampant conversation online about the leaked images, how much the game will be when it releases, and most importantly, when it will release. The rumors following the leak that showed the remastered version compared to the original 2006 title pointed to Bethesda shadowdropping the title, meaning it would receive very little marketing, if any, before it suddenly released onto respective platforms.

A new article by MP1st has now claimed Bethesda intends to make Oblivion Remastered available to play right after the livestream, which at the time of reporting, is only 8 hours away (11AM ET / 8AM PT / 4PM BST).

In a video released by the Marvel Rivals visual team, fans were given a glimpse at early iterations of the game's UI - most notably featuring a harsher, more mature art style.

As shown at 02:32 in Art Vision Vol. 01, early screengrabs reveal the interface in action. Character menus at this stage featured oil-pastel-style illustrations of Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Storm, offering a rougher, more stylized take on the game's heroes.

The imagery has drawn comparisons to the dystopian noir aesthetic of Disco Elysium, known for its expressive, often grim character portraits that reinforce the game's heavier themes. While Marvel Rivals targets a broader, more casual demographic, the early UI concepts suggest that NetEase Studios briefly explored a darker tone. Ultimately, the team shifted toward a warmer, more modern aesthetic - likely a better fit for the game's hero shooter format and live-service ambitions.

Star Wars Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games, just got its first trailer showcasing gameplay. As a single-player turn-based tactics game where you build up an elite squad of varying soldiers and fighters taking on missions in a cinematic story, this is the Star Wars + XCOM game fans have been waiting for.

"Set in the twilight of the Clone Wars, you will step into the shoes of Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads Zero Company - an unconventional outfit of professionals for hire hailing from across the galaxy," the synopsis reads. "Hawks and Zero Company are recruited for an operation that pits them against an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy if left unchecked. To succeed, Hawks will lead a team of uneasy allies who must set aside their differences to overcome nearly impossible odds."

Bit Reactor is a new studio led by veterans who worked on the iconic XCOM franchise. With the help of Respawn Entertainment (Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor), this is shaping up to be something special.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion launched in 2006 at 4.6GB on PC, and now we know a remaster of the game is currently in the works and is likely going to be more than 25 times the file size.

According to X0XOLEAK, the upcoming Oblivion Remastered title from Virtususo will be 120.94GB, making it 2500% bigger than the original title. Why such a big jump? Developers of the Oblivion remaster are slated to be using a combination of Unreal Engine 5 and the original engine, with the majority of what makes the game graphically impressive being in Unreal Engine 5. Notably, many other titles that use UE5 are of a similar size, such as Black Myth: Wukong and STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl, making this 120GB file size not too surprising.

Notably, the leaker also provided a screenshot of the file size per Steam, indicating this is accurate. As for when Oblivion Remastered will launch, following the leak for the title, rumors have been spreading that Bethesda is planning on shadowdropping the title anytime this week, meaning it won't receive any marketing material ahead of its release and just become available to play. Other rumors indicate it will be coming to multiple platforms, such as Xbox and PC, via the Xbox Game Pass and PS5.

Bethesda has finally confirmed what is probably the biggest unkept gaming secret of 2025, the remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

After Oblivion Remastered was leaked ahead of it being confirmed by Bethesda, the publisher has now finally acknowledged the title in a new X post and a scheduled YouTube livestream. While Bethesda didn't mention the game's title, the thumbnail for the video shows the roman numerals "IV," a character wearing a Legion helmet, and the title "All will be revealed...," which seemingly alludes to Bethesda being aware that everyone knows what this livestream will be about.

Rumors about Oblivion Remastered have been circulating for quite some time, but then the lid was blown off the project when developer Virtuoso's website leaked images of the game showcasing the visual improvements versus the original title. The leaked images were promptly taken down from the website, but not before the internet managed to get hold of them and began sharing them around. Following the leak, rumors began circulating that Bethesda was planning on shadowdropping the title sometime this week, which, if true, could mean that at the end of tomorrow's livestream, the game could be available.

Bethesda has released the second official trailer for DOOM: The Dark Ages, the upcoming prequel to DOOM 2016 and DOOM Eternal, and in this trailer, we get a tease of the title's story.

The new trailer has been published on the official Bethesda YouTube channel and begins with players being told the Doom Slayer is being somewhat "controlled" by the Makyrs and that there is a "divide" between the Makyrs and the Night Sentinels. Additionally, a high-ranking demon is chasing "something" that will result in dominion over all humans. Funnily and intelligently, this demon informed his horde to "avoid" the Slayer.

With the war between the Makyrs and the Night Sentinels against the demons seemingly going poorly, the Night Sentinels request that the Doom Slayer be deployed, which is where the trailer cuts to new gameplay, with the Slayer doing what he does best - cutting through hordes of demons like a hot knife through butter. DOOM: The Dark Ages is slated to be the most narrative-focused DOOM game yet, serving as a prequel to the story in DOOM 2016.

Ubisoft's new top-seller Assassin's Creed: Shadows might be coming to the Nintendo Switch 2.

Assassin's Creed: Shadows has been rated for the Switch 2 on the European PEGI rating board site, strongly indicating the game will be crossing over to Nintendo's new system.

Mention of the Switch 2 platform showed up on a AC Shadows marquee card on front page of the PEGI website, but the official PEGI game listing doesn't actually mention it, however it can be found mentioned on a listing directory button via page's source code with a quick right click-> View Page Source -> CTRL+F "Switch 2".

Cyberpunk 2077 will leverage NVIDIA DLSS to help scale and run the game at on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Thanks to a new-and-improved NVIDIA chip, Nintendo's new Switch 2 can now run games in 4K resolution. The hardware is only half of the equation; NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling tech streamlines gameplay to ensure a more fluid and enjoyable experience. That's especially important for demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077, which is coming to the Switch 2 at launch.

CD Projekt has recently confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will use DLSS in all modes of play, including handheld/tabletop mode as well as when the system is docked to a 4K TV.

Blizzard is set to introduce new Hero bans in Overwatch 2 and its Competitive Play, something that has been designed to give players "strategic agency without punching down at weaker niche picks" says the developer.

The new Hero bans have a goal of encouraging the banning of Heroes that you see as too strong or annoying, all without encouraging you to ban Heroes solely because enemy players enjoy playing them. Once enabled, you'll no longer see the enemy team during the Ban Phase, with match text chat -- which communicates to the whole lobby -- also disabled in the Ban Phase or Competitive Play of the match at hand.

Blizzard explains that before you vote for your Hero Bans, you'll be able to select your "Preferred Hero". By selecting a Preferred Hero, it won't protect you from being banned, it just allows your team to know which Hero you'd like to play with. Your Preferred Hero isn't locked in, as you can still change it during the Ban Phase, and you aren't required to play this Hero during the match. Team text chat or voice chat can be used for communicating, and your team will be able to see your Preferred Hero during the Ban Phase.

The Switch 2 has a second USB-C port at the top, but it's not for video output.

As the name suggests, Nintendo's new Switch 2 is basically a new-and-improved Switch. The device makes some major quality-of-life changes like a sturdier kickstand, snap-on magnetic controllers (that now incidentally cost $95 a pair), and a second USB port on the top so gamers can charge while in Tabletop Mode.

That extra USB-C port sparks all kinds of possibilities for extra attachments for the Switch 2, maybe even a second screen, whether it be a clamshell-style mini panel like the DS or a larger portable LCD screen. Nintendo has since confirmed the top USB-C port is only for charging and interfacing with other accessories like the Nintendo Camera. Video output is reserved for the port on the bottom--this port uses a process called DisplayPort Alternate Mode to deliver video signals through USB-C.

Ubisoft's latest samurai Assassin's Creed game continues its success streak with surprising performance in the United States.

Based on the data, we know that Assassin's Creed: Shadows is a success. No one knew beforehand whether or not Shadows would shoot Ubisoft to the moon or bury it. Controversy (principally caused by the game's shrine destruction, which is incredibly disrespectful to Japanese culture) and continual pressure from fans made Shadows feel almost volatile, but Ubisoft assuaged controversy by updating the game while also delivering on fan requests.

As a result, Shadows is a hit, with 3 million players in a week's time. Reports also say that Assassin's Creed: Shadows sold so well that it brushed up against Valhalla's incredible record-setting performance; Shadows' day one sales revenue is so large that it's second only to Valhalla.

There currently is no plans for a beta test of The Witcher 4, and any emails or links saying otherwise are fake, CD Projekt says.

CD Projekt RED is currently knee-deep in developing The Witcher 4, which marks a beginning of a new trilogy starring Ciri as the protagonist. While most of the details surrounding the game remain under wraps, we typically get snippets of information here and there during CD Projekt's earnings calls. One thing that hasn't been discussed, though, and that's a beta test for The Witcher 4 (but internally the devs are playtesting the game like mad).

Unfortunately, fraudsters have been sending out links for Witcher 4 beta sign ups. CD Projekt caught wind of the scam and now warns gamers to avoid sending their information. Any official details will be directly communicated by the studio--in other words, it won't be a mystery and everyone will know what to expect.

Two modern Assassin's Creed games have set major player milestones, potentially indicating that Ubisoft's push into non-traditional gaming is doing well.

Ubisoft's cloud and subscription model appears to be paying off. The publisher has announced that both Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey have both broken 40 million players since release. This metric includes all access points to the games, and is a combination of full game sales as well as temporary access granted via subscriptions like Ubisoft+ and Xbox Game Pass.

While we don't know the breakout ranges for these parts--we don't know how many of these players accessed via the cloud versus buying a copy of the game--but these player count numbers are nonetheless impressive.

Capcom has officially acknowledged the rampant cheating that is occurring in Monster Hunter Wilds, with the company stating it's already taken action and will continue to take action against any players engaging in the practice.

Monster Hunter Wilds released its first limited-time challenge quest that involves players competing against each other on a global leaderboard for the fastest clear time in a hunt. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before that leaderboard was riddled with cheaters who displayed scores that physically weren't possible to achieve without alterations made to the game. Capcom has acknowledged the problem in a recent Steam post, along with two separate posts on the Monster Hunter Wilds X account.

In the Steam post, Capcom wrote that it's reviewing the leaderboard and will be releasing the final rankings in 1 to 2 weeks. In addition to purging the leaderboard from players simply downloading mods that enable them to kill enemies in a single attack, Capcom has stated it's going to introduce additional deterrents against mods that break the game's terms of service. What is interesting is how Capcom is going to determine what mods are cheating and what mods are harmless. Another question is what data is Capcom going to use to make these decisions?

The remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is rumored to release next week, and new information has surfaced online suggesting that when it does release, it will include all the DLCs.

Bethesda released Oblivion in 2006, and now, nearly 20 years later, we are getting a remaster of the classic title. Neither Bethesda nor the developer, Virtuoso, have officially confirmed the existence of the title, but a recent leak sourced from Virtuoso's website blew the lid off the project, and there have been rumors ever since that Bethesda is planning on shadow dropping the title as early as the week beginning Monday, April 21.

For those who are unfamiliar, shadow dropping refers to the practice of releasing a title without prior marketing; it will simply become available to play without any prior announcement. The latest rumor regarding Oblivion Remastered includes DLCs, which comes from the Defining Duke podcast, where host Barry "Lord Cognito" Eversly said that when Oblivion Remastered releases, it should have "all the DLCs included."

Nintendo has kept the Switch 2 at $450 for the United States and will not raise the price despite the volatility of ongoing tariffs.

Nintendo today announced that the Switch 2 will stay at $450 in the US and that Switch 2 pre-orders open next week on April 24, 2025. The system will release worldwide on June 5, 2025.

"Retail pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 will begin on April 24, 2025. At launch, the price for Nintendo Switch 2 in the U.S. will remain as announced on April 2 at $449.99, and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle will remain as announced at $499.99. Pricing for both physical and digital versions of Mario Kart World ($79.99) and Donkey Kong Bananza ($69.99) will also remain unchanged at launch," Nintendo said in a press release.

As part of its big GeForce RTX 50 Series reveal earlier this year at CES 2025, NVIDIA showcased the impressive 'Zorah' tech demo that featured the latest Neural Rendering technologies. As expected, the demo focused on path or full ray tracing to present realistic and cinematic lighting and effects in real time. However, with AI-powered Neural Shaders and rendering techniques, new tech exponentially increases the detail in objects and environments.

In fact, in the video of the Zorah tech demo you see above, everything is ray-traced. And on top of this, new tech like RTX Neural Texture Compression compresses thousands of textures to save on VRAM requirements dramatically. RTX Neural Materials paves the way for realising materials like porcelain and silk. RTX Neural Radiance Cache uses AI to infer infinite bonuses when path tracing, dramatically improving performance.

Some of the new technology, like RTX Mega Geometry, can already be found in Alan Wake 2. It boosts performance by around 15% on GeForce RTX GPUs without sacrificing image quality. And now, if you've got a GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU, you can see all of this tech in action as NVIDIA has made the Zorah tech demo available.

Nintendo is an important partner for Xbox, and the Switch 2 represents yet another place for Microsoft to sell its once-exclusive games.

Releasing more Xbox games onto Nintendo's platforms is the plan for Microsoft. In fact, thanks to the Switch 2's new upgrades, that's the plan for almost everyone in the industry. The Switch 2's boosted horsepower means it can now run modern games, and it also means that the games that missed the Switch 1 due to its lower-end power can now release on the Switch 2. The platform is expected to help revivify the industry in this way.

It's no real surprise then when Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer talks up Nintendo as a partner, the Switch ecosystem, and how important the Switch is for the future of Xbox. While Minecraft is currently the most successful Xbox game on Switch, Microsoft certainly wants to bring more of its IPs, games and franchises to the platform, including the $31 billion Call of Duty series, which Microsoft is contractually obligated to bring to the Switch at some point.