2K today announced that industry veteran and Firaxis Games Chief Operating Officer, Heather Hazen, has been promoted to Studio Head, ushering in a new era of development at the legendary interactive entertainment studio behind Sid Meier's Civilization, XCOM, and the recently-released and critically-acclaimed Marvel's Midnight Suns.

As Studio Head, Hazen will manage Firaxis Games' development teams and lead its mission to build the best strategy games on the planet. With 22 years of experience in gaming and entertainment, Hazen joined Firaxis Games in 2020 as the studio's Chief Operating Officer. Prior to Firaxis Games, she was an Executive Producer on Fortnite at Epic Games, as well as Plants vs. Zombies and Bejeweled while at PopCap Games. Hazen's promotion comes as longtime Firaxis Studio Head, Steve Martin, will be leaving the studio after more than 25 years with the organization.

We're entering the second month of the year this coming week and the games being released next week are a mix of turn-based strategy RPG, Sci-Fi and something a bit more child friendly. There are multiple AA, but no AAA titles being released this week and of course, don't forget to vote in the poll.

The King's Dilemma: Chronicles / Monday 30 January
Lead the King's Council for generations as the consequences of your decisions decide the kingdom's resources and political standing. Form alliances, solve dilemmas, and prepare for the final uprising that was foretold by an ancient prophecy.

We're already approaching the end of January and this coming week we're looking at both a new AAA title and a remake of an older AAA title that also gets a collectors edition. In other words, a lot of exciting things are happening, if you're looking at getting a new or old game with improved graphics to play.

Forspoken / This Week's AAA Title / Tuesday 24 January
Mysteriously transported from New York City, Frey Holland finds herself trapped in the breathtaking land of Athia. A magical, sentient bracelet is inexplicably wrapped around her arm, and Frey discovers the ability to cast powerful spells and use magic to traverse the sprawling landscapes of Athia. Frey nicknames her new golden companion "Cuff" and sets off to find a way home.

After a couple of weeks of very limited releases, new games are starting to trickle out again and we're back to give you a heads up on what's coming. From now on we'll also add a poll, so you can vote on the game you're most interested in each week. Please keep the feedback coming if there's something we can improve in this weekly section.

One Piece Odyssey / This Week's AAA Title / Thursday January 12
One Piece Odyssey transports the Straw Hat Crew to a mysterious new island where they embark on quests and fight powerful enemies and massive bosses in exciting turn-based battles. The game is introducing a new chapter for these famed pirates, with an original story and new characters developed under the guiding hand of series creator Eiichiro Oda.

Fortnite maker, Epic Games, has on Monday reached a settlement in court in an investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), to pay a total of 520 million US Dollars in fines. This fine is because Epic deployed shady tactics of manipulating children into purchasing Fortnite V-bucks, skins, etc., without proper consent forms and purchase order confirmations. Even with millions of complaints from parents, Epic decided to proceed with its tactics and used dark patterns that deceived the original intent. Thus, the FTC has made a case that this violates the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) rule, and Epic Games will have to pay the fine.

The fine is consists of two separate causes. The $275 million monetary penalty for violating the COPPA Rule—the largest penalty ever obtained for violating an FTC rule, and the $245 million to refund consumers for its dark patterns and billing practices. The refund fine is FTC's most considerable refund amount in a gaming case and its most significant administrative order in history. Epic said, "Over the past few years, we've been making changes to ensure our ecosystem meets the expectations of our players and regulators, which we hope will be a helpful guide for others in our industry. " The official statement is far longer, and you can read about it here.

Come mid-February 2023, NVIDIA will be ending its GameStream feature on its Shield TV products. The GameStream feature has allowed owners of the Shield TV to stream games from their PC to their Shield TV. It might not have been the flagship feature of the Shield TV, but it has been popular enough that the cancellation has caused quite some stir on the internet. NVIDIA didn't provide any reason as to why the company is ending the GameStream feature, but one could potentially imagine that the company wants to push its customers to use its GeForce NOW paid streaming service instead.

However, NVIDIA does suggest that users could use Steam Link instead, to stream games from their PC to the Shield TV. That said, this would limit users to games found on Steam, which doesn't seem like a great compromise. For those that stream their games, NVIDIA Share is compatible with Steam Link, so there shouldn't be any problem continuing to stream games when playing on the Shield TV.

Redemption Reapers, the dark fantasy tactical RPG developed by Adglobe and published by Binary Haze Interactive (ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights,), sneaks into striking distance and prepares for launch on Steam for Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in February 2023. Redemption Reapers is being brought to life by industry luminaries, including tactical RPG veteran Masayuki Horikawa (Fire Emblem series director and scenario/level designer; Kingdom Hearts III planning), as well as a star-studded voice cast featuring Kyle McCarley (13 Sentinels: Aegis of Ruin, NieR: Automata), Allegra Clark (Apex Legends, Dragon Age: Inquisition), David Lodge (Persona 5, Final Fantasy XV), and Lucien Dodge (Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel series).

Hope fades across the land following the sudden appearance of the ruthless Mort armies. Efficient as they are brutal, the macabre forces descend upon civilizations, leaving destruction in the wake of their nightly raids. As entire nations fall to the Mort onslaught, the Ashen Hawk Brigade, a contingent of mercenaries specializing in surprise tactics, band together to fight back against the invading legions.

Ghost Story Games, the development studio led by game creator Ken Levine, today announced that Judas, an all-new single-player, narrative first-person shooter is in development for the PlayStation 5 computer entertainment system, Xbox Series X|S console systems, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The new project was revealed at The Game Awards 2022 as a world premiere unveiled by Geoff Keighley. In conjunction with the project reveal, Ghost Story Games has launched the official pages for Judas on Steam and the Epic Games Store where fans can now add the game to their Wishlist.

"We founded Ghost Story Games to build upon the legacy of System Shock 2, BioShock, and BioShock Infinite," said Ken Levine, President & Creative Director. "With Judas, we've created an entirely new world and set of characters while exploring different approaches to single-player, narrative first-person shooters."

Global video game publisher Good Shepherd Entertainment has revealed a new partnership to adapt series creator Mike Mignola's Hellboy franchise, published by Dark Horse Comics. Developed by Upstream Arcade, Hellboy Web of Wyrd is an upcoming roguelite action-adventure game in development for all major gaming consoles and PC. It features an original storyline crafted in collaboration with Mignola, as well as the renowned voice talents of Lance Reddick as Hellboy himself. Mignola has also designed the game's unique key art.

"Adapting the Hellboy comics to a game is a dream project for all of us. The opportunity to create something authentic—that's something we take very seriously," said Amanda Kruse, Publishing Director at Good Shepherd Entertainment. "Our partnership with Mike Mignola and the creative team at Dark Horse has been inspiring. The support and trust they've given us has allowed Upstream Arcade to bring their vision to life. Hellboy Web of Wyrd is a bold new work we are excited to share with fans of the comics and action-adventure games alike."

Following the success of Vampyr, FOCUS ENTERTAINMENT and DON'T NOD had announced a new collaboration to bring one of the most ambitious projects in the history of both the publisher and the studio. FOCUS ENTERTAINMENT's participation in The Game Awards 2022 (5 nominations for A Plague Tale: Requiem, 2 nominations for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge) is the occasion to unveil this brand new project, set to release in late 2023: Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden.

Experience a powerful and intimate narrative in this Action-RPG, playing as two proficient ghost hunters and lovers, faced with impossible choices and their dramatic consequences for the living… and the dead. The World Premiere Reveal Trailer showcases the hallmarks of DON'T NOD: a striking art direction, strong characters and plot, as well as a unique fantasy world.

Gearbox Publishing and Gunfire Games have announced Remnant II, the sequel to the best-selling game Remnant: From the Ashes, a third-person action-survival shooter that pits the last remnants of humanity against the harrowing forces of evil.

Remnant II evolves the co-op survival shooter with new unseen worlds filled with deadly surprises and encounters. Join the battle to save humanity in a dynamically generated world filled with branching quest lines, unique loot, and overwhelming odds that encourage exploration and replayability either alone or in three-person co-op. Players will define their own playstyle with an expanded Archetype class system and a wide assortment of guns, armor, and special augmentations as they overcome hard-fought challenges to stave off humanity's extinction. Remnant II will be available on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in 2023.

Leading video game publisher and developer Bandai Namco Europe and FromSoftware, Inc. today announced a new action game, ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON. Jointly developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. and FromSoftware, Inc. this is the latest title in the ARMORED CORE series, now revived and reimagined as a new action game after 10 long years since the last entry in the franchise.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON will offer a game experience based on the mech game know-how FromSoftware cultivated over 25 years of developing games in the series, but now introducing groundbreaking gameplay found in the developer's recent action games. The new ARMORED CORE title will combine these elements into thrilling action that only mechas can provide. The game promises to be a unique entry in the mech action game genre.

Following the game's reveal at Gamescom 2022, Funcom is now excited to show off the first pre-alpha footage of Dune: Awakening, their ambitious Open World Survival MMO. Inspired by the sci-fi masterpiece DUNE written by Frank Herbert and Legendary Entertainment's award-winning, blockbuster film from Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Awakening is built with both Dune and Survival fans in mind by the veteran developers at Funcom. Witness the vastness of Arrakis in today's brand-new teaser trailer.

ncom has innovated in the Massively Multiplayer and Survival genres for over two decades, most recently with Conan Exiles. Dune: Awakening builds upon this strong foundation, weaving together Open World Survival and MMO aspects into a Dune tapestry that brings Frank Herbert's epic universe to life in a completely unique way. With this gameplay teaser, Funcom has also updated the Dune: Awakening website, giving a panoramic view of the player experience.
In Dune: Awakening you strive to survive the countless dangers of Arrakis alongside thousands of other players. Explore your role and identity while experiencing an epic personal journey, from searching for water and building shelters against storms to controlling the flow of spice in the top echelons of the planet.

Ascendant Studios, an independent team of veteran developers with BAFTA and Game of the Year award-winning experience, has partnered with Electronic Arts Inc. EA Originals Label to release the studio's debut title, Immortals of Aveum. Immortals of Aveum is a groundbreaking new single-player, first-person magic shooter that delivers a visceral, cinematic campaign experience. The game is set in an original fantasy universe engulfed in magic, rife with conflict, and on the verge of oblivion. It will release on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2023. Watch the teaser trailer, which debuted at The Game Awards, on the official Immortals of Aveum YouTube channel and follow the game on Twitter and Instagram.

"I was the creative director on four big games in a row, the original Dead Space and three Call of Duty titles, and I had an amazing opportunity to start my own studio and build an incredible team that I'm lucky to work with every day," said Bret Robbins, CEO and Game Director at Ascendant Studios. "I founded Ascendant Studios to make original and epic games, and here we are, four years later, about to finish our first one. What started as a crazy, exciting idea has grown into a crazy, exciting triple-A game. I chose EA as our publishing partner because we know they'll help Immortals of Aveum reach the biggest audience possible. I'm thrilled to have the expertise and resources of EA backing us and I can't wait for everyone to play!"

The galaxy is more dangerous than ever as the next chapter in Cal Kestis' journey begins. Today at The Game Awards, Respawn Entertainment, Electronic Arts, and Lucasfilm Games revealed that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on March 17, 2023. During the annual awards show, a first look at gameplay was premiered in a new Official Reveal trailer showcasing Cal Kestis (Cameron Monaghan) as a stronger and more experienced Jedi Knight while setting up the threats that await him. The veteran team at Respawn Entertainment is developing Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for the latest generation of gaming hardware to deliver action-packed Jedi combat with the deepest exploration and cinematic gameplay in the series.

"Star Wars Jedi: Survivor evolves the gameplay, story, and exploration from Fallen Order in every way," said Stig Asmussen, game director, Respawn. "Responsive and powerful combat makes players feel like a true Jedi Knight, with new lightsaber skills and Force abilities that add additional layers of strategy to each enemy encounter, and worlds that are filled with environmental challenges that must be overcome to unveil the mysteries within."

Prime Matter and Smilegate are proud to announce that Crossfire: Legion - a fast-paced RTS heavy on action, meant to honour the legacy of the giants that defined the genre at the turn of the millennium - has left Early Access and is now fully released! Co-developed by Blackbird Interactive, the game leverages Smilegate's hugely popular Crossfire universe - where rival military conglomerates fight for global domination across a shattered version of the near future.

For months, the teams have been hard at work enhancing the playing field: new commanders and units have been added, then carefully tweaked and balanced; new competitive and co-operative game modes have introduced new ways to play; and the high-octane single-player campaign has been finalized. The 1.0 version now packs a ton of content for campaign players, co-op players, and competitive players alike - with substantial improvements across all areas and game modes!

Tomorrow is your coronation day, Sovereigns! Knights of Honor II: Sovereign is launching, and today's video presents all aspects of the game in a play session from developers Black Sea Games. As rulers of the small Spanish kingdom of Aragon, they attempt to gain control over the whole of Spain - but must overcome many obstacles, including a tragic death. Check out how - and if - they can manage to regain their strength.

Choose your kingdom and be the king as you wrestle over control of Europe in this fresh take on medieval real-time grand strategy. Knights of Honor II: Sovereign includes all the depth players desire while being the gate-way game to the grand strategy genre, presenting the world as a living, breathing miniature, alive and ripe for the taking. Choose your royal court carefully and determine the destiny of your people, be it riches, conquest, intrigue, trade, or defeat! Raise armies to defend your lands or take war to the enemy - even jump into battle directly in action-packed RTS combat. The path is open: become the true Sovereign of your people.

2K and Marvel Entertainment announced that Marvel's Midnight Suns is now available worldwide on Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 (PS5) and Xbox Series X|S. The PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions of the game will be available at a later date. Created by Firaxis Games, the legendary studio behind the critically-acclaimed, world-renowned XCOM and Civilization franchises, Marvel's Midnight Suns combines the rich story, character relationships, customization, and progression of an RPG with the tactical strategy and combat mechanics of a revolutionary new card-based tactics game.

Marvel's Midnight Suns launched to critical acclaim, with VGC awarding it at 5 out of 5, calling it a "modern strategy classic;" PC Gamer said it was "completely brilliant" and scored it an 88 out of 100, and Rock Paper Shotgun called it "one of the best super hero games full stop." "The Firaxis team has created a remarkable game in Marvel's Midnight Suns," said Jay Ong, Executive Vice President at Marvel Games. "Marvel authenticity and love for our characters permeates every battle, decision, and interaction. It's a dream come true for any Marvel fan who ever fantasized of being able to not just fight alongside legendary Marvel heroes, but to live among them as well."

Evil Licorice has today released their debut title Retro Gadgets via Steam Early Access. Available for £16.99, $19.99, EUR €19.99, the gadget-creation title lets players make, code, and customise their own gadgets and share them with the world. The first playable demo saw thousands of inventors make all sorts of devices, from fully playable portable consoles to functional MP3 players, and even 3D painting tools.

In Retro Gadgets, players make and customise their own gadgets, which they can code to bring to life before sharing with the community. Working in a tactile interface, tinkerers will press buttons, flick switches, twist dials, and move joysticks to build and interact with any gadget they can think of. The game features full Steam Workshop integration, letting players download, inspect and reverse engineer each other's projects to create their own versions.

World of Warcraft : Dragonflight, the ninth expansion to Blizzard Entertainment's critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online role-playing game, is now live! Heroes of the Horde and Alliance are called back to Azeroth to explore the mystical Dragon Isles and its ancient secrets, where the dragon aspects have returned to reclaim their kingdom and ancestral home.

"Dragonflight goes to the heart of what players have always loved about World of Warcraft—exploration, customization, and the feeling of wonder as the world and its stories unfold," said Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment. "The updates to core systems, such as the new talent trees, build on the legacy of WoW for players of all types, allowing old friends and new to enjoy everything Azeroth has to offer for years to come."

OddBallers, the new multiplayer party game, releases on January 26 for Switch, Xbox One, PS4, and PC, as well as Xbox Series X|S and PS5 via backwards compatibility. A new type of dodgeball game, players in Oddballers can throw anything and everything at their opponents to win - the more absurd, the better. With many different arenas, a variety of mini-games, and perilous environments that include electric fences, explosive gas tanks, and tennis ball launchers, OddBallers provides a fresh experience with every match.

Up to six players can compete locally on the Switch, and up to four players on other platforms. For long-distance competitions, dodgeballers can also play OddBallers online, taking on opponents around the world. Each match also comes with customizable accessibility features, allowing players to adjust match length and difficulty. Players can also customize their avatar, celebratory dance moves, and choose which mini-game to play thanks to OddBaller's custom mode. You can pre-order OddBallers today, and be sure to challenge your friends and family to some goofy dodgeball when the game releases on January 26, and stay tuned to Ubisoft News for more updates.

Having made a splash at the 40th Golden Joystick Awards last night in London, Fictiorama Studios can today confirm Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099 - the sequel to popular digital voyeur simulator Do Not Feed the Monkeys - will launch on Steam on March 9th, 2023.

Do Not Feed the Monkeys 2099 picks up when its predecessor left off, charging players with becoming master voyeurs as they spy on strangers through security cameras, observing and analysing every aspect of their (frankly bizarre) day-to-day lives. It's a satirical preview of a potential future we may all be sleepwalking into, where our most intimate secrets serve as currency and titillation for our lords and masters.

Fringe Realities are pleased to announce that their atmospheric horror VR game Project: Nightlight is planning to be released on Steam VR with a release window of Q1 2023. Project: Nightlight sees the player take control of a nightguard, unravelling the mysteries of The Department and the secrets it's trying to keep from going public. When something is amiss with the contained Artifact, the player will be guided by the distressed co-worker Dave over the walkie-talkie.

Project: Nightlight aims to provide a whole new level of immersion thanks to the unique capabilities of virtual reality. The game allows the player to interact with objects with an acute attention to real-life accuracy, such as handling bolt cutters or melting locks with a blowtorch. Further details will be provided in the leadup to the launch of Project: Nightlight on Steam VR in Q1 2023. For more information and future updates, they'll be available on the official Twitter page @FringeRealities.

Samsung Electronics announced exciting new ways for gamers to experience game streaming with the addition of new partners and the introduction of game streaming to select 2021 Samsung TV models and 4K games, further delivering on its promise of bringing the future of gaming to consumers across the globe.

Antstream Arcade is the world's largest cloud gaming service that provides players access to over 1,500 iconic games and weekly new multiplayer challenges and tournaments. Select Samsung TV owners will soon be able to battle their friends and the global community at the best games from the 80s, 90s and 00s, from Pac-Man to Mortal Kombat and Metal Slug.

Award-winning studio Owlcat Games is thrilled to reveal the first gameplay trailer for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader - the first cRPG set in the legendary grim darkness of the far future of Warhammer 40,000. Set to be released on PC and consoles, the game features turn-based combat and is being produced in close collaboration with Games Workshop.

Owlcat unveiled a new gameplay trailer during the PC Gaming Show 2023 Preview, giving viewers a taste of what it truly means to be a Rogue Trader. The launch of the trailer is also heralding the opening of the Steam and GOG wishlists for the eagerly anticipated title. The fabulous Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader collector's box revealed on the show includes an 8-inch painted figure of Navigator Cassia Orsellio, hardcover art book, Warrant of Trade that you can personalize with your name, Rogue Trader banner, and sticker pack. Together with physical items you will receive a digital version of the game in a selected store with the pack of various in-game goodies and access to Alpha and Beta versions. The Collector's Edition is available for pre-order via owlcat.games' website.