Gaming - Page 166

Nintendo has delayed pre-orders in Canada to make sure all of North America is on the same track.

A bit ago, Nintendo made the controversial (but apparently necessary) decision to delay Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States. Nintendo may simply have to raise the price of the Switch 2 in North America, especially the United States, because of ongoing trade tariffs. Now that pre-order uncertainty has been extended to Canada.

"Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada will not start on April 9, 2025 in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the U.S. Nintendo will provide updated information at a later date. The launch date of June 5 is unchanged," Nintendo told website MobileSyrup.

It's a dark day for achievement hunters, as Nintendo has confirmed that the upcoming Switch 2 will not have any system-wide achievements.

Nintendo is not breaking from its longstanding mould of passing on the inclusion of having a system-wide achievement list such as Xbox's Gamerscore, or PlayStation's Trophies system, and the Switch 2 will be no different as Polygon has asked Nintendo's Vice President of Player and Product Experience if the upcoming console will have its own built-in achievement system, and he said, "Nope." Achievement hunters will be somewhat satisfied to know that doesn't mean Nintendo Switch 2 games won't have their own achievement lists.

In fact, two Nintendo Switch 2 Edition games have already been confirmed to have achievements, and those are: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. These achievements will be introduced through the Zelda Notes features in the updated Nintendo Switch App. To unlock these achievements, players will need to defeat bosses, reach shrines, and reach certain in-game milestones. Moreover, players will be able to track their achievements against their friends within the Nintendo Switch App.

If you've ever imagined that it might be hell to work in a fast-food restaurant, someone has taken that thought very literally, making a Doom 2 mod that has the player serving the various demons that we all loved to frag many moons ago in this ancient shooter.

PC Gamer noticed the Doom 2 mod, which is called 'Put The Fries In The Bag' and comes from a modder by the name of SlendyMawn.

As explained in the YouTube clip above, the modder created the fast-food restaurant setting (a well-known brand - and yes, this whole thing is a copyright and legal minefield) in Ultimate Doom Builder.

We have finally gotten to take a close-up look at the Nintendo Switch 2, and during the presentation the company showcased a launch title called Welcome Tour, which was confirmed to have a price tag.

However, Nintendo didn't reveal during its Direct presentation how much Welcome Tour would be at launch, just that it was launching alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 with Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza. For those who don't know, Welcome Tour is a "game" dedicated to explaining the different features and parts of the Nintendo Switch 2 within a virtual world.

Nintendo showed throughout its presentation that users will be able to touch the different buttons and features on the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware within the virtual world to get an explanation of what they do and how to use them. These explanations will come in the form of text boxes with animations showing how to use the feature or in mini-games that enable a user to practise using them. In an interview with The Verge, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser confirmed the price tag for the digital-only Welcome Tour will be $9.99, and the reason for that is as follows:

Valve continues to print money with its Counter-Strike franchise as reports indicate the hub for PC gaming made a staggering $100 million from just Counter-Strike 2 cases in just the last month.

The report comes from Dextero, which states that throughout March 2025, no less than 32 million cases were opened by Counter-Strike 2 players, and for every one of these case opens, it requires a $2.49 key, which is paid directly to Valve. At $2.49 per key and 32 million cases, Valve has raked in $82 million in just openings. On top of that already staggering amount of money, Valve takes a 15% cut from any purchases made on the Steam marketplace, where many of these cases were bought.

So, by adding in the cut from the Steam marketplace and the total number of cases opened (keys), Valve has managed to pull in more than $100 million in revenue just from cases. This isn't counting any transactions on skins, knives, etc -- all of which Valve takes that 15% of the transaction's value.

At the end of March, screenshots leaked showcasing Star Wars: Bruno, the placeholder for Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor's turn-based strategy title. According to reports from MP1st, the mysterious project has an official name, and it is set to be unveiled at Star Wars Celebration Japan later in April.

EA and Lucasfilm Games first announced Respawn's Star Wars strategy game in January 2022, alongside the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and a Star Wars FPS project, which was cancelled two years later in 2024. Respawn's RTS game has survived, however, and as reported by MP1st, it will be released under the title Star Wars: Zero Company.

Star Wars: Zero Company is being developed in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Bit Reactor, a studio formed by former XCOM developers. The title features turn-based tactical gameplay, and previous leaks highlighted imagery including a squad of Mandalorians, a Jedi character, and concept art of the game's possible in-game hub.

More speculation continues to bubble in the rumor pot regarding the possibility that the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remake is set for release in April - and it looks like the game could be out in two weeks' time.

On top of a bunch of other rumors already floated on X, we've got a clarification from Detective Seeds, who previously told us that the Oblivion remake might come out last week (which obviously didn't happen) or this week.

The leaker admitted that they were wrong in this, but as you can see from the new post on X above, they seem very confident the remake will debut during the week of the Elder Scrolls Online anniversary event.

GameChat is one of the big new features of the Nintendo Switch 2. It is a Discord and Twitch-like video chat, multiplayer, and screen-sharing system that uses the Switch 2's new microphone and USB-C camera functionality. With voice chat support for up to 12 people and game screen sharing with video chat for up to four people, GameChat was one of the first features Nintendo highlighted during its big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last week.

For those who have seen the broadcast, you'll probably note that the overall image quality of the camera and the low frame rate of the streamed game capture isn't broadcast quality or what you'd expect from a premium service. Still, it is impressive to see background removal and how Nintendo is even incorporating this system into Mario Party for mini-games that include the camera for multiplayer.

Although Nintendo or NVIDIA haven't disclosed the full specs of the custom chip powering the Switch 2, we know that Nintendo is leveraging the GPU's Tensor Cores for AI-powered face tracking and background removal, similar to RTX Broadcast.

Following the official unveiling and close-up look at the Nintendo Switch 2, both Sony and Xbox are looking into new handheld devices, potentially for a release sometime in the future.

Xbox has long been rumored to be working on its own first-party handheld, with rumors pegging its release to be sometime in 2027. As for Sony, there have only been rumors based on patents that have become public, with no date mentioned as to when the company could release a PSP 2-esque device.

However, with Nintendo's recent Switch 2-focussed Direct it has both Sony and Microsoft stirring the handheld development pot, as Sony is currently probing its PlayStation gamers with questions about their favorite aspects of the Nintendo Switch 2 device and launch, in what seems to be an effort to gather as much intelligence as it can on what gamers like about the console for its own handheld.

Nintendo Switch 2 developers have sat down for an interview to discuss the upcoming console's hardware capabilities and what game developers will have at their disposal when it comes to building games for Nintendo's latest platform.

Kouchi Kawamoto and Takuhiro Dohta from Nintendo's Entertainment Planning and Development Department, and Tetusya Sasaki from Nintendo's Technology Development Division spoke with IGN, who asked several questions about what is under the hood of the Switch 2. Nintendo was asked if the Switch 2 is running a NVIDIA Tegra SOC (System on Chip), and what graphics architecture the chip is based on. Nintendo slightly deflected from the question by saying that "a lot of details" will be discovered in "NVIDIA's information they've shared."

Additionally, Nintendo was asked what kind of upscaling the system uses, and if it's AI upscaling. Nintendo responded by saying, "I think probably the main kind of easiest upscaling to use is the DLSS that NVIDIA provides. So from that standpoint, I guess you could say this AI." Nintendo added that its planning on rolling out "other options of upscaling through software" that include both AI-based and non-AI-based upscaling.

Switch 2's Game-key Cards will not be account bound upon use, Nintendo confirms.

Nintendo Switch 2 will have a more formalized version of its predecessor's code-in-a-box format called Game-key Cards. These are cartridges that don't have the game on them but instead have a key to unlock a digital download of the game. Now Nintendo has clarified that these Game-key Cards work like any other cartridge, meaning they can be shared with friends and presumably sold second-hand.

"So key cards will start up on the console or system that it is slotted into, so it's not tied to an account or anything," Nintendo's Tetsuya Sasaki told GameSpot. Sasaki worked primarily on the Switch 2's system software environment.

Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer once again mentions his excitement for handhelds, and drops a surprising factoid on Xbox's ever-growing cloud gaming business.

In a recent interview with iJustine, Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer briefly reiterated Microsoft's core game plan for interactive entertainment: Games everywhere, for everyone, at any time.

In the interview, Spencer said that it was the consumer that was at the center of the products and services, not the other way around. This means delivering content and services on devices that people already own--or maybe newer ones introduced in a nascent hardware market. ASUS and Microsoft have teamed up to make what's believed to be an Xbox-themed PC handheld, but the device hasn't been revealed yet. It will be a Windows 11 device and not an "Xbox handheld" that runs native Xbox console versions of games.

Microsoft has released a playable version of Quake II that was created entirely by its generative AI technology.

A bit ago, Microsoft announced Muse generative AI, technology that could create gameplay on-the-fly. Now the tech has been updated and is able to push 10 FPS thanks to training data from an old-school PC classic: Quake II.

Anyone can play an AI-generated, very janky and fever dream-like version of Quake II via Copilot Labs right in their browser. Be forewarned: There's a time limit, and there's not a lot of consistency. Don't expect this to be like an emulator.

The president of Nintendo of America has spoken to Wired about the recent sweeping trade tariffs implemented by President Trump and how they may affect the price of the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo only recently wrapped up its close-up look at the Nintendo Switch 2, where it gave buyers many reasons to purchase the notable upgrade over the original Switch for a price of $449. However, only days after Nintendo set the price, Trump unveiled tariffs aimed at many countries that Nintendo sources its manufacturing/components for the Switch 2, causing Nintendo to postpone pre-orders for the new console as the company deliberates on how it wants to address the new situation.

Now, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser has spoken to Wired admitting the tariffs "weren't factored into the pricing" of the Nintendo Switch 2, and that Nintendo is "actively assessing" the situation and how it will impact the market. Bowser added, "It creates a challenge. It's something we're going to have to address."

It's been a month since Battlefield Labs kicked off, implementing player-driven playtesting for every game aspect, including movement, combat systems, and new maps. The game has been no stranger to leaks, and most recently, data miners have uncovered traces of a free-to-play Battle Royale game mode that's expected to launch with Battlefield 6.

The first traces of a Battle Royale for Battlefield 6 were reported in February 2024, and it has since been confirmed that related files were identified in the a build of Battlefield Labs.

Per Insider Gaming, the new mode reportedly features solo, duo, trio, and squad matches. Along with conventional Battle Royale features such as armor systems, loot rarity, call-ins, and a shrinking zone. It's highlighted that the core experience will be made free-to-play, with an additional mode entitled Gauntlet referenced in the game files.

The success of the original Nintendo Switch wasn't just profitable for Nintendo, but created a whole new genre of gaming handhelds, with the original console moving as many as 150 million units throughout its 9-year life cycle. That success was undoubtedly closely watched by the company's direct competitors, Sony and Microsoft.

Rumors have been circulating for quite some time about a Microsoft handheld being in the works, but what about Sony? The PlayStation owner had the PlayStation Portable (PSP) series and the Vita, with the last time Sony released a handheld device in North America being 2014. Since then, Sony has been awfully quiet on any new handheld releases, with only rumors based on patents becoming public causing rumblings about a portable device being in the works.

However, it appears Sony is really looking into the handheld market once again, following the success of the original Switch, and the slew of other devices in its form factor that came after it (Steam Deck, ROG Ally, etc). Leaker eXtas1s has shared an image of Sony asking select PlayStation gamers their thoughts on the Nintendo Switch 2 with a new survey.

It's quite well known that one of the biggest problems Nintendo Switch users faced throughout the lengthy life of the console is the chance of Joy-Con controllers suffering from stick drift. Unfortunately, Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con's may suffer the same fate.

For those who don't know, stick drift causes the system to register movement when no user is touching the stick. This hardware problem can occur in any analog stick and can be caused by multiple things: wear and tear on the contact pads, dust or debris within the stick housing influencing the internal sensors, or a simple design flaw. As for Joy-Con stick drift, the problem became so prominent among users it resulted in Nintendo facing lawsuits and issuing an announcement for free worldwide repairs to those affected users.

Hall Effect sticks are far less prone to stick drift, and now a new report by Nintendo Life can confirm the Nintendo Switch 2 Joy-Con's won't be using Hall Effect sticks, which may come as a big disappointment to some, especially those that have been affected by stick drift issues with the original Nintendo Switch. The confirmation comes from an interview with Nintendo of America's Nate Bihldorff, who outright said the Joy-Con 2's controllers aren't using Hall Effect sticks, but have been designed from the ground up.

Marvel Rivals' Season 2 update is on the way, and with it comes the Hellfire Gala featuring Emma Frost and the villainous Ultron. However, NetEase Games has bigger plans for the game's future rollout, planning to release a hero per month, and shaving the game's season length by a third.

Since its launch, Marvel Rivals has seen four 'Fantastic' additions to the roster, with Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and Johnny Storm joining the cast in February. The game currently has 37 playable heroes, and starting with Season 2 on April 11, that number will continue to grow with the addition of the X-Men Comics' Emma Frost and Avengers supervillain Ultron.

While the game's first and second seasons follow a three-month schedule, game director Guangyun Chen has highlighted NetEase's plans to speed up the content rollout, promising a new hero per month, and a two-month season rotation moving forward.

Schedule I, the drug dealing simulator released by TVGS (Tyler's Video Game Studio), has continued its explosion in popularity since its March 24 launch. Recently, it reached 459,075 active players on Steam, enough to make it one of the most successful solo developer projects of all time.

The game, developed by sole developer Tyler, quickly surpassed heavyweights like GTA V, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Marvel Rivals to become the #4 most played game on Steam - surpassed only by Counter Strike 2, Dota 2 and PUBG: Battlegrounds. The game spent over a week holding the #1 spot on "Trending Games," "Hot Releases," and "Popular Releases," and has gradually climbed in player counts until reaching its peak of 459,075 as of yesterday.

Aside from passing industry heavyweights, Schedule I has also cemented itself as one of the largest solo-developed projects of all time, nearly doubling Stardew Valley's peak player count of 236,000, and quickly surpassing famous solo projects like Lethal Company (241,000), Unturned (113,000), Balatro (44,000), and Undertale (11,000).

Nintendo developers have confirmed an emulator was designed to run original Switch games on the newly announced Nintendo Switch 2.

Nintendo has finally unveiled the Nintendo Switch 2 with a close-up look at the upcoming console during a recent Direct dedicated to the successor of the original Switch, and during the Direct, the Mario-makers revealed the upcoming console will be able to play original Switch games. But there's a catch. It won't play these games natively, as Nintendo developers have recently confirmed an emulator has been created to run these older titles on the Switch 2.

Nintendo developers explained that past consoles such as the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS, along with the Wii and Wii U, had similar enough hardware that backwards compatibility was easy enough strictly through hardware. However, the Switch 2 hardware isn't anything like the original Switch, meaning a workaround needed to be conceived.