Capcom Games Competition Announced, Applications Now Open

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December 9, 2024

Capcom Games Competition Announced, Applications Now Open

Capcom has announced the Capcom Games Competition, a new initiative available for Japanese students. The initiative will give young students in a university, grad school, or vocational school the opportunity to experience game development with the help of the RE Engine. Applications are available now.

As spotted by Gematsu, Capcom Games Competition lets Japanese students create games using RE Engine and other development tools from Capcom in a cloud environment. Students form teams of up to 20 people, and they can assign roles and receive support from professional Capcom developers. The game must be created in half a year.

Capcom will offer game production support, with an opportunity to commercialize the game for the award winners. Each team retains ownership and copyright of their games. According to Capcom, the company wants to strengthen the game industry and serve as a “responsible corporate citizen” going forward.

Applications for the competition will be available from December 9, 2024 to January 17, 2025. Applicants who are at least 18 years old and enrolled in a university, graduate school, or vocational school in Japan are eligible.

Capcom’s next game, Monster Hunter Wilds launches on February 28, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. You can check out our Summer Game Fest 2024 preview of the game here. Further, pre-ordering the game in the PlayStation Store nets an exclusive bonus: the Monster Hunter Wilds digital mini art book. All pre-orders include the Hunter Layered Armor Set: Guild Knight and Talisman: Hope Charm.

Sakamoto Days Mobile Game Launching in Spring 2025

By

Soul Kiwami

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December 9, 2024

Developer GOODROID announced the new Sakamoto Days mobile game, Sakamoto Days Dangerous Puzzle, will launch in spring 2025 in Japan. It will be available on both Android and iOS.

Sakamoto Days Dangerous Puzzle is a matching puzzle game where players can defeat enemies with special movies. Players can team up to build a strong assassin team, and main characters from the anime and manga series will appear alongside all-new original assassins. You progress the game by maintaining a “Sakamoto Store” as well.

Watch the new trailer below:

Before then, the Sakamoto Days anime will premiere on January 11, 2025, and the anime will air for two consecutive cours. Vaundy will perform the opening theme song “Hashire Sakamoto.” Fans can expect the anime to air weekly on Netflix. In Japan, the anime will air on TV Tokyo and affiliate channels, and the second cour will premiere in July 2025.

The cast of Sakamoto Days includes:

Tomokazu Sugita as Taro Sakamoto
Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shin Asakura
Ayane Sakura as Lu Shaotang
Nao Tōyama as Aoi Sakamoto
Hina Kino as Hana Sakamoto
Ryōta Suzuki as Heisuke Mashimo
Miyari Nemoto as Piisuke

16 volumes of Sakamoto Days have been released in Japan thus far, with 14 being available in English right now through VIZ Media. Here’s an overview of the first volume from VIZ Media:

Time has passed peacefully for Sakamoto since he left the underworld. He’s running a neighborhood store with his lovely wife and child and has gotten a bit…out of shape. But one day a figure from his past pays him a visit with an offer he can’t refuse: return to the assassin world or die!

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Last Seasonal Update Releasing on January 14

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Last Seasonal Update Releasing on January 12

Rocksteady has announced that the last seasonal update for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will release on January 14. The game will still be available to purchase and its online servers will still be up, however, no further major updates will release. Offline Mode will release on December 10 alongside the game’s last character: Deathstroke.

The website describes him and the final season as follows:

Though few who meet him live to talk about it, you might recognize the newest playable character: Deathstroke, available December 10 when Season 4 Episode 7 releases. Also known as Slade Wilson, Deathstroke is a cold-blooded mercenary and one the world’s deadliest assassins. As a tactical genius armed with unparalleled swordsmanship, and a few extra toys thanks to a deal with A.R.G.U.S., Deathstroke is a one-man-army with a single objective: put an end to Brainiac’s invasion once and for all.

With Deathstroke joining the roster, the Suicide Squad’s crusade against Brainiac is drawing to an end. Season 4 will finish up with Episode 8, which is scheduled to release in January 2025, and that will serve as the last seasonal Episode for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. While Season 4 Episode 8 will mark the final battle against Brainiac, all online features will continue to be available, so you’ll still be able to enjoy co-op with friends, as well as all previous seasonal/episodic content. You’ll also have the option to play the game via the new Offline mode, which allows access to the main story campaign and all post-launch seasonal gameplay content without an internet connection.

Lastly, the last seasonal update for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will release on January 14. The game is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

LEGO Fortnite Brick Life Announced, Releasing on December 12

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

LEGO Fortnite Brick Life Announced, Releasing on December 12

Epic Games has announced LEGO Fortnite Brick Life, a new “social roleplay experience.” It will release on December 12 and be available via the Fortnite discover tab. Check out the first trailer for LEGO Fortnite Brick Life below:

The official website describes it as follows:

Pack up your bricks and pieces and step into an ever-evolving city, where you can build your own stories by interacting with both the environment and your fellow residents.

Gather your friends (and make new ones!) as you explore vibrant locales, like sunset-drenched beaches and the mysterious Mourndale Academy, alongside 31 other players. Become the ultimate socialite and hang out in restaurants, house parties, and rooftop clubs. Activities in LEGO Fortnite Brick Life are better together too; host a band practice down the beach, grab a bite to eat with friends, or race through the streets on hoverboards.

You’ll also decorate your own home with a wide range of LEGO furniture, afforded by taking on an assortment of jobs — from a mystical Fortune Teller to a hard-working Sushi Chef.

Start your dream job

First things first, you’re going to need to make a living — which means you’ll need to get a job! Whatever you fancy, there’s a profession for everyone in Brick Bay. Here are just a few of the different roles you can take:

Courier – Deliver parcels to other Brick Bay residents!
Academy Professor – Share your knowledge with the class at Moundale Academy.
Security Officer – Make sure crime doesn’t pay.
Scoundrel – Prank fellow city-goers.
Sushi Chef – Serve up the tastiest fish in Brick Bay!
Bobom Milk Tea Bobarista – Serve Brick Bay’s most refreshing beverage.
Fortune Teller – What does your future hold? New furniture!

Fancy a career change? Go right ahead! In Brick Bay, you can take up a new job whenever you feel like it — no interview required! Try out all the different professions until you find your favorites. Keep an eye on your in-game Phone too, as businesses will occasionally send out calls for help.

Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.2 Announced

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

CD Projekt Red has announced Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.2. The release date and contents for the update are currently unknown. However, a livestream showcasing the update will air tomorrow, December 10, at 5 PM CET/11 AM EDT/8 AM PDT. Expect the full patch notes for the upcoming update to release either tomorrow or in the coming days.

CDPR initially released Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020. The game is available now on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Update 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion are available exclusively on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Both the base game and DLC will be available on Mac devices. Critics initially criticized it for its rushed release, game-breaking glitches, and failure to stay true to the game’s initial promise.

However, CD Projekt Red recently released both Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty and Update 2.0. The recent expansion and patch have completely overhauled the game’s mechanics and brought it closer to the game’s initial promise. Additionally, Netflix will be making a new anime series in collaboration with CDPR based on the Cyberpunk universe.

The official Steam page describes Cyberpunk 2077 as follows:

Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world, action-adventure RPG set in the megalopolis of Night City, where you play as a cyberpunk mercenary wrapped up in a do-or-die fight for survival. Improved and featuring all-new free additional content, customize your character and playstyle as you take on jobs, build a reputation, and unlock upgrades. The relationships you forge and the choices you make will shape the story and the world around you. Legends are made here. What will yours be?

Deltarune Chapter 1 and 2 Patch Released

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

Deltarune Chapter 1 and 2 Patch Released

Toby Fox has released a new patch for the LTS versions of Deltarune Chapters 1 and 2. The patch is available on PC via Steam and Itch.io with various improvements, bug fixes, and much more.

The patch notes for Deltarune Chapters 1 and 2 are as follows:

Overall:

GameMaker LTS (the engine) was updated again, with a fix that’s potentially supposed to fix an issue using full-screen when swapping Chapters with game_change().
…However, it doesn’t seem to fix the problem when using the “borderless full-screen” setting that we use, so this basically has no effect. The mechanism which records which Shadow Crystals you have attained has been completely rewritten, and should now keep that information stored more permanently. The game now displays the correct buttons when using a PS5 controller.

Chapter Select Screen:

The Chapter Select menu is reprogrammed from scratch.
The Chapter Select menu now shows more information about the completion status of each Chapter, ex. showing yellow stars which indicate Chapters have completion data.
(Note: There are no plans to require the player to complete multiple different file slots.)
You can now toggle the language at the bottom of the screen. If you intentionally return to the Chapter Select screen from within Chapter 1 or 2, it will skip the intro screen where it asks if you want to continue from a given chapter.

Chapter 1

The Lancer and Susie battle no longer has the SOUL escape from the box when she gets up from being attacked.
Fixed crash if you use the ReviveMint on Susie after defeating King.
Fixed Jevil not having the correct text sound when receiving ShadowCrystal
Fixed a missing line of pixels on final image of the sepia intro
Adjusted bottom collision for King’s battle arena
Fixed Susie flickering at the end of Susie and Lancer battle
The HP bars of the characters properly go away in the Starwalker room

Chapter 2

Fixed an exploit in cyber_maze_tasque where you could fight Tasque violently infinite times.
Regenerated Japanese fonts to support missing kanji.
Fixed a a problem where, when dodging bullets before fighting Sweet, Cap’n, and K_K, if the system’s audio settings were changed, the game could get stuck.
The Egg is no longer unintentionally lost at the convenience store.
Changed the “Sleep Margin” to “30”.
Various sound effects now play at the correct pitch.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Update 1 Released

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Update 1 Released

Bethesda has released update 1 for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Additionally, the game is now available on Xbox Series X|S and PC. The patch notes for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle update 1 are as follows:

New Features

Added Full Ray Tracing (Path Tracing) feature on supported NVIDIA video cards. A minimum of 12GB VRAM is required to make use of this feature. Please note that we’re also working to support AMD FSR in a future game update.

General

Fix for a rare crash that could occur while saving the game.
Fix for an issue where you could temporarily lose Pre-Order/Deluxe outfit entitlements.
Fix to ensure your photographs appear more quickly when inspecting them from the journal.

Gameplay

Fix for a broken animation that could occur if you equip the rebreather immediately upon jumping into water.
Fix for a situation where you may not be able to interact with objects temporarily if you tried to push an enemy with your revolver while stamina is exhausted.
Fix for an issue that could prevent you from being able to block punches while looking at a nearby pickup object.
Fix for issue where you may not be able to change your disguise after leaving the Sukhothai village via a fast-travel signpost.
Fix for several places where the whip may detach unexpectedly when swinging.
Fix for an issue where Indy’s legs may unexpectedly snap into place when swinging across the gap in the bridge in Nepal.
Fix to prevent enemies from being unaware of Indy when reloading a checkpoint made very close to soldiers that are guarding the entrance to a restricted location.
Fix for an issue that may result in Gina not appearing near your docked boat when expected.
Fix for camera shaking unexpectedly when dying to scorpions near the end of the Gizeh level.
Fix for an issue where first shot made from a temporary gun would be silent.
Fix for an issue where enemies may have a delayed response after you have stolen valuables from them.
Fix for an issue that might make you appear in a broken animation state if restarting a checkpoint after using a zipline while the game is saving.
Fix for an issue that might result in being unable to use your whip if you were performing a whip crack while saving the game, and then reloaded that save.
Fix for an issue where you may become stuck in the “Lucky Hat” recovery state.

UI

Added “Reset to Default” selection in the Options menu.
Fix for a situation where rapid cycling of the Quick Equip menu might result in the wrong item being shown in the menu.
Added explanation of the Blue Suitcase revisit icon on maps to the in-game manual.
Prevent map location titles from overlapping with photo opportunity names.
Fix for intermittent text flicker during the credits.
Ensure the player’s Adventure Book list is updated immediately after unlocking a new book.

Graphics

Fix for bottles appearing overly blurred when moving around with an equipped bottle.
Fix for an issue where Indy’s right arm might look pinched above the wrist when in a bare-armed costume.
Fix for occasional stuttering that might be seen in cutscenes.
Fix to make Indy’s whip behave more naturally when attached to his belt.

Missions and quests – Please note this section contains some small spoilers

Ensure several photo opportunities are still available when revisiting levels or after completing sections of the game.
Ensure several journal notes are still available to be collected when revisiting levels or after completing sections of the game.
Ensure several Adventure Books are shown correctly on the map after purchasing map information booklets.
Fix to prevent player from getting stuck when dropping Giuseppe’s Key, rather than stashing it, in A Savage Predicament.
Fix to prevent rare issue where Gina may not path to the open door after the fire trap in the Chamber of Fire – Silver Trial mission in the Vatican.
Fix to prevent rare issue where Gina may not use the levers or may get stuck when pathing to an elevator in Wat Si Sawai in Sukhothai.
Fix for an issue where Gina may not help open the Game Room door at the Sukhothai Ziggurat.
Fix for an issue where Gina may not enter a co-op vault or climb when she has recently been in combat.
Fix for an issue where pieces of the Vatican fountain puzzle may keep moving slowly, that could prevent its completion if left for a very long time.
Fix for an issue that could prevent the “Finish Forging the Gold Key” quest objective from ever being cleared in your journal in the Vatican.
Fix for an issue where dying shortly after opening the safe in the Sukhothai HQ may result in player being unable to pick up all of the gold.
Fix for an issue where gates may be locked inside the caves if restarting a checkpoint while sneaking into the Nazi Compound in Gizeh.
Fix for an issue that prevent player from picking up an important book in Voss’ office inside the Nazi Compound in Gizeh.
Fix for an issue that might result in Antonio or Ventura being stuck in a “cower” state while you are in Antonio’s office in the Vatican.

PC Specific fixes

Improved performance on larger game levels if using an 8GB VRAM video-card.
Fix an issue where Alt-Tabbing might prevent you from being able to open your inventory.
Fix to make sure that the “Revert” option works correctly when you change video modes.
Fix for torch or lighter flames flickering when playing the game at a high refresh rate.
Fix for Sand Pouring and Torch flame effects not rendering correctly in Peru level on AMD video-cards.
Fix for issue where enabling HDR and DLSS simultaneously might result in a moiré effect on plain white walls.
Fix for an issue where black artifacts may appear in Indy’s eye during cutscenes inside the cave in Peru.
Fix for issue where black squares may appear intermittently on screen if renderscale is used at certain resolutions on AMD video-cards.
Fix to ensure that your Photos can be exported correctly from Steam cloud saves if you decide to switch to using Xbox cloud saves.
Please note that AMD FSR support will be added in a future game update.

Known Issues

We are aware some players may experience reduced performance if launching the game with DLSS enabled and we are looking into it. Players encountering this issue can try:
- Navigate to the Options Menu after loading the game
- Select Graphics Options
- Switch from DLSS to TAA
- Switch back to DLSS and exit the menu. Performance should return to normal shortly after

Lastly, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC. It will release next year for PlayStation 5.

Sonic the Hedgehog and Transformers Toy Collaboration Announced

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

Sonic the Hedgehog and Transformers Toy Collaboration Announced

Hasbro has announced that they will be working with SEGA to produce toys that combine Transformers and Sonic the Hedgehog. Two figures, titled “Wingtail” and “Blue Booster” will be released together. The former features the likeness of Tails while the latter is based on Sonic. Check out a picture of the figures and box below:

The press release describes them as follows:

The worlds of TRANSFORMERS robots and Sonic the Hedgehog collide with the Sonic the Hedgehog x TRANSFORMERS mash-up pack! Inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog characters, these 5-inch action figures convert from robot to alt mode and feature accurate deco and details. The Blue Booster figure converts between robot and car mode in 27 steps. The Wingtail figure converts between robot and biplane mode in 32 steps. Comes with accessories including ring shield and jewel accessories for the Blue Booster figure, and a detachable engine thruster that becomes a blaster for the Wingtail figure.

TRANSFORMERS robots have always been — More Than Meets the Eye — but now, through the TRANSFORMERS Collaborative, fans can experience these larger-than-life characters as they team-up, mash-up, and meet up with other characters, teams, and people who share this same special quality. Available for pre-order on December 10 at 1PM ET exclusively at Target, with limited quantities available on Hasbro Pulse. Hasbro Pulse Premium Members can pre-order this item exclusively 1pm-2pm ET.

The upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie will release on December 20. Further, the most recent Transformers movie, titled Transformers: One, is available now to watch at most local and online retailers.

The Game Awards 2024 Players’ Voice Nominees Announced

By

Soul Kiwami

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December 9, 2024

The Game Awards 2024 Players' Voice nominees revealed

Voting for the Players’ Voice award is underway for The Game Awards 2024, and 30 nominees were selected for Round 1. Only 10 of the 30 games will make it to Round 2, and Round 3 will narrow that down even further.

Here are the nominees for the Players’ Voice award for The Game Awards 2024:

The Game Awards 2024 Players’ Voice Nominees

Round 1

Voting for Round 1 ends on December 4 at 8:00 p.m. GMT-8 at the official page. Only 10 out of the 30 games from Round 1 will move onto Round 2.

Astro Bot
Balatro
Black Myth: Wukong
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Final Fantasy XIV
Fortnite
Genshin Impact
Helldivers 2
League of Legends
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
No Man’s Sky
Palworld
Persona 3 Reload
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Silent Hill 2
Sonic x Shadow Generations
Stellar Blade
Wuthering Waves
Valorant
Warframe
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Zenless Zone Zero

Round 2

Voting for Round 2 ends on December 8 at 8:00 p.m. GMT-8 at the official page. Only five out of the ten games from Round 2 will move onto Round 3.

Black Myth: Wukong
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Genshin Impact
Helldivers 2
Metaphor: ReFantazio
Palworld
Stellar Blade
Wuthering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero

Round 3

Voting for Round 2 ends on December 11 at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST at the official page. This round determines the winner of the Players’ Voice award, which will be revealed at The Game Awards 2024 on December 12.

Black Myth Wukong
Genshin Impact
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
Wuthering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero

All of the nominees for The Game Awards 2024 were officially announced at the nomination special event on November 18, ahead of the December bound show. Astro Bot, Balatro, Black Myth Wukong, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio are this year’s headlining titles for the Game of the Year award. You can vote for these nominees today at the official website for The Game Awards.

Along with the awards, fans around the world can expect major game announcements and trailers to be shown. So far, an Arcane Season 2 special performance and the release date announcement for Warframe: 1999 were confirmed for The Game Awards 2024.

Lastly, The Game Awards 2024 will be held on December 12, 2024 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Marvel Rivals Reaches 10 Million Players, New Trailer Released

By

Saras Rajpal

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December 9, 2024

Marvel Rivals Reaches 10 Million Players, New Trailer Released

NetEase and Marvel has announced that Marvel Rivals has reached 10 million players after just 72 hours. It’s a massive milestone that is likely to increase in the coming days, weeks, and months as more updates, characters, and maps are added to the game. Additionally, they also released a trailer showcasing the many Marvel Cinematic Universe-themed costumes that players can purchase. Check it out below:

The full roster for Marvel Rivals includes:

Captain America
Doctor Strange
Groot
Hulk
Magneto
Peni Parker
Thor
Venom
Black Panther
Hawkeye
Hela
Iron Man
Magik
Moon Knight
Namor
Psylocke
Scarlet Witch
Spider-Man
Star-Lord
Storm
Punisher
Namor
The Punisher
Winter Soldier
Adam Warlock
Jeff the Land Shark
Loki
Luna Snow
Mantis
Rocket Raccoon
Hawkeye
Wolverine
Black Widow
Squirrel Girl
Iron Fist
Cloak and Dagger

The Steam page describes Marvel Rivals as follows:

Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter! Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!

Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.

With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there’s never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.

Marvel Rivals is available now on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.