Dune: Awakening, the Open World Survival MMO set on Arrakis from developer Funcom, today unveiled the second Dune: Awakening Direct. The showcase offers 30 minutes of in-depth interviews and game footage showing character creation, the MMO-like server structure, the narrative ramifications of a world where Paul Atreides was never born, and the spiritual journey the player will undergo in the game, following in the footsteps of the Fremen.

Dune: Awakening, which recently shot past 1 million wishlists on Steam, draws on the visual and aural identity created by Denis Villeneuve and Legendary's recent blockbuster movies and is deeply rooted in the original masterpiece by Frank Herbert. The game unleashes you on a vast and open Arrakis torn by war, where you must survive and strive for control of the spice alongside hundreds of other players.

Today marks a significant milestone for one of the most iconic and influential first-person shooter franchises of all time—Counter-Strike is celebrating its 25th anniversary. What began as a humble Half-Life mod in 1999 has evolved into a global phenomenon, captivating millions with its intense, team-based tactical gameplay. The original Counter-Strike was instantly hit upon its public beta release on June 19, 1999, quickly building a fervent cult following among PC gamers. Valve soon recognized its potential, acquiring the rights and releasing an official standalone version in November 2000. This launched Counter-Strike into the mainstream, kicking off over two decades of continuous development, innovation, and fierce competitive play. Over the years, the series has seen multiple major releases like Condition Zero, Source, and the juggernaut Counter-Strike: Global Offensive in 2012. Each introduced new maps, weapons, graphics enhancements, and gameplay twists like CS: GO's Danger Zone battle royale mode.

But the core hook remained—tightly coordinated attack/defense scenarios demanding skill, strategy, and pinpoint shooting accuracy. Many of us grew up playing Counter Strike. The latest evolution arrived last September with Counter-Strike 2, ushering in a new engine, revamped graphics, and additional gameplay refinements. While initially met with some skepticism from hardcore fans, CS2 has been widely embraced, smashing records with over 1.5 million peak concurrent players. The key to Counter-Strike's enduring success has been its best-in-class core gameplay loop combined with Valve's commitment to evolve with the times. But just as crucial is the passionate global community that has embraced the series' high-skill cap and opportunities for creative strategies. Many have remained devoted for decades, fueling a robust professional esports scene. As it enters its 26th year, Counter-Strike's tactical multiplayer mayhem shows no signs of slowing down. Its unique blend of shooting fundamentals and cerebral team play has firmly cemented its place as one of the most influential games ever made.

Amazon Games and NCSOFT announced today that THRONE AND LIBERTY, a free-to-play MMORPG featuring massive-scale combat in a dynamic world, will launch in North and South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan on Tuesday, September 17, 2024. The game will be available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, with cross-platform play enabled.

"On behalf of Amazon Games and NCSOFT, I'm proud to announce that THRONE AND LIBERTY will launch on September 17, 2024. We all know fans around the world have been eagerly waiting for news on when they can jump into the game," said Merv Lee Kwai, Head of Third-Party Publishing at Amazon Games. "We can't wait to show you what we've been working on, and invite you to experience it all for yourself when the game launches this September."

During Ubisoft Forward showcase, we got a whole new gameplay trailer showing off a lot of details for the upcoming Star Wars Outlaws open-world game that is set to launch on August 30th. In addition, Ubisoft also released the new overview trailer, showing off some of the locations and missions that you will be able to take in the game.

The new gameplay trailer focused on locations and encounters, including Tatooine and Mos Eisley. It follows the protagonist, Kay Vess, on a mission to Mos Eisley, where he needs to track an expert gunslinger. The trailer shows off dogfights, and what to expect from the dynamic side, including stealth aspect of the game. It also reveals how you would be able to gain skills.

Calling all scavengers! Publisher tinyBuild and indie developers Hologryph and TowerHaus have debuted the first gameplay trailer for the open-world PvPvE extraction shooter SAND at today's tinyBuild Connect showcase. Get your first look at the gigantic diesel-punk mechs, action, looting and surprises that await in SAND's vast desert world. More details on SAND's upcoming first playtest will be shared soon, and players can sign up now on Steam to be notified when it begins later this summer!

SAND is set in an alternate-history universe, where the Austro-Hungarian Empire leads space colonization in the 19th century, humanity travels the stars, and the fallen planet of Sophie lays in ruins after an ecological disaster evaporated the world's oceans. Now only the bravest and most reckless treasure hunters, working alone or in teams, scavenge and battle across Sophie's deadly deserts, abandoned settlements and beyond in search of hidden riches.

Today we are thrilled to announce the latest innovation that promises to transform your gaming experience: Razer Cortex: Add-Ons. Our commitment at Razer has always been to push the boundaries of gaming technology and provide our users with the tools they need to succeed, whether they're casual gamers or competitive athletes. Today, we're taking another giant leap forward in fulfilling that promise, with the introduction of Cortex: Add-Ons - a new feature, crafted with the aim of maximizing your gaming experience.

What is Razer Cortex: Add-Ons?
Cortex: Add-Ons is your one-stop destination for all your gaming plug-in needs. We understand that gaming is not one-size-fits-all, which is why we're bringing you a platform that caters to your individual needs. Whether it's optimizing your performance, sharing your gaming highlights, or enriching your gaming sessions with unique tools, we've got you covered.

Bethesda had already promised a big update for Starfield, and yesterday, it announced all the goodies to come, including the May 15th launch date. The May Update, as it is called, will bring detailed surface maps, new gameplay difficulty options, new display settings, new features for ship customizations, and more, as well as an extensive list of bug fixes.

According to Bethesda, the Starfield May Update comes with improved surface maps, new gameplay options which allow fine-tuning for those looking for an extra challenge or want to make certain aspects of the game a bit easier, and a new Ship Decoration mode for the interior of ships that now allows players to decorate the ship in the same way as outposts. The update also adds tabs to container menus for easier inventory management, adds an ability to change traits and appearance after entering the Unity, a new Dialogue camera toggle in settings, and new display settings for the Xbox Series X.

Over 500 games and applications feature RTX technologies, and barely a week goes by without an incredible new game integrating NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex and advanced ray-traced effects to deliver the definitive PC experience for GeForce RTX players. Following the DLSS-accelerated launch of Manor Lords, this week sees DLSS 3 arrive in EVERSPACE 2 and Gray Zone Warfare. Additionally, MotoGP 24 is launching with DLSS 2, and the NVIDIA RTX Remix modding toolkit has upgraded to DLSS 3.5 with Ray Reconstruction, enabling RTX Remix mods to benefit from its fidelity-enhancing technology. Learn more about each announcement below.

EVERSPACE 2 DLSS 3 & Reflex Upgrade Available Now
ROCKFISH Games' EVERSPACE 2 is a fast-paced single-player spaceship shooter with exploration in space and on planets, tons of loot, RPG elements, plus mining and crafting. Since 2021, GeForce RTX gamers have been able to accelerate their EVERSPACE 2 frame rates in both the Steam and Game Pass versions of the game using DLSS 2. Now, the new EVERSPACE 2 Incursions update has docked, upgrading the game to Unreal Engine 5, introducing improved Lumen Global Illumination lighting, and adding a ton of new gameplay features.

As promised earlier, Capcom has released a new Dragon's Dogma 2 patch for PC and consoles, and while it does not bring any performance improvements to the game, which still lacks NVIDIA DLSS 3 support, it brings some much-needed gameplay tweaks and fixes.

The April 25th Update, as it is called, mostly improves the game's Pawns, allowing users to zoom in on the faces of the Arisen and Pawns, as well as their general behavior and dialogue. The update also adds several fixes, including fixes for issues in escort quests and fighting monsters in town which results in jail time. Capcom did say it also fixed some crashes and freezes in specific circumstances, as well as other miscellaneous bugs, but no further details were given.

The time has come, sharpen your axe and ready your shield. ⚔️ Godsworn is now available in Early Access! Godsworn is a classic mythological RTS. Experience an epic fantasy retelling of the northern crusades, where pagan gods and their tribes clash against crusaders and armies of heaven. Choose a divine hero, rally worshippers alongside mythical creatures, and smite the unworthy!

The wild pagan lands have been under the watchful eye of the gods for as long as time. The arrival of a knight order bearing the banner of heaven threatens to upset the uneasy alliance. Will the realm burn, or will blood of both divine and mortal be spilled to protect it?

March 26 2024 is not only the three-year anniversary for It Takes Two…the game has now sold over 16 MILLION units!!! 🤯 Mind-blowing that over 30 million fans have now played it, love you all so much. ❤️ What a way to start off a very exciting year…

Something out of the Ordinary
Bring your favorite co-op partner and together step into the shoes of May and Cody. As the couple is going through a divorce, through unknown means their minds are transported into two dolls which their daughter, Rose, made to represent them. Now they must reluctantly find a way to get back into their bodies, a quest which takes them through the most wild, unexpected and fantastical journey imaginable. Released in 2021 to critical and fan acclaim, It Takes Two further builds on Hazelight's proven track record of making rich and engaging co-op experiences. While developing It Takes Two it has been the team's number one priority to truly merge story and gameplay. Allowing both to influence each other guarantees a game that is as engaging to play as it is compelling to experience.

The stage is set and the anticipation palpable as DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO adds new names to its latest lineup of fighters. Power and speed are often worthless without precision and timing. These new characters are well aware of that. In the DRAGON BALL universe, you have encountered characters who seamlessly blend both speed and power, creating a formidable fusion of strength and agility. However, among all of them, some make their raw strength or rapid movements their defining trait. The newly revealed characters are charted below.

Producer Jun Furutani revealed more details about the game's mechanics
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO brings back enhanced gameplay elements that the franchise has been known and cherished for, making battles even more spectacular, faster, impressive and authentic to the anime. Evolved features such as "Skill Count", "Revenge Counter" and "Vanishing Assaults" have been added, giving chances for players to counterattack their foes, and add more strategy to their fights. As you discover more about DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, ask yourself: will you prefer raw, overwhelming power or lightning-fast agility?

Skydance New Media, helmed by award-winning writer and director Amy Hennig, and Marvel Games today shared new details on their upcoming narrative-driven action-adventure game, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. A new trailer gives fans a sneak peek into an original story that takes players on a WWII-era adventure with an ensemble of four heroes playable at different points in the game.

As the game's narrative unfolds, players will assume the role of four central characters: a young Steve Rogers, AKA Captain America; Azzuri, T'Challa's grandfather and the WWII-era Black Panther; Gabriel Jones, a U.S. soldier and member of the Howling Commandos; and Nanali, a Wakandan spy embedded in Occupied Paris.

Season 2 of The Finals launches on March 14, and strange things are happening in the arena. The game show has been compromised by the rogue hacking collective CNS, and showrunners are scrambling to decipher their cryptic messages—but one thing is clear: the show must go on! Throughout the jam-packed season of this free-to-play game, contestants can experience new weapons for each class, the hacked new map SYS$HORIZON, the all-new 5v5 game mode Power Shift, a new skill-based League System, rewarded weekly career progression, private matches—for now in a feature-limited beta version—and the new Hacker Playstyle, which adds several ways for contestants to alter the arena to their favor.

THE Finals' new Hacker Playstyle lets players step into the shoes of CNS, with a set of new gadgets and a new specialization that can be mixed and matched with players' existing toolset. Remove walls, defy gravity, tunnel across the arena, and transform items—become the glitch in the system, the ultimate cyber tactician, and bring a new dimension to the game.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a highly unique, Japanese-inspired single-player game that blends multiple genres to create an action-packed adventure unlike any other! First revealed in June last year during Xbox Games Showcase 2023, this new title from Capcom will release day one with Game Pass, as well as on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Windows in 2024.

A New Tale of the Kami Awaits
The story begins when the legendary Mt. Kafuku is covered by an evil defilement and the 12 masks, including their special powers, are stolen. Our protagonist, Soh, must work together with Yoshiro, the Maiden with divine powers, to purge and cleanse the villages of the defilement. The masks worn by Soh and the villagers each feature a different divine power, and these powers are the key to protecting Yoshiro. As you cleanse additional villages from their evil defilement, you'll recover more masks and work together with the various villagers that each mask unlocks to bring Mt. Kafuku back to its original beauty.

The characters in a Lovecraft story are susceptible to… mutation. Minds and bodies are forever altered by exposure to the horrors hiding in the darker corners of the world. It's perhaps no surprise, then, that The Sinking City 2—which just got a world premiere in the latest Xbox Partner Preview broadcast—has undergone its own unexpected change. Where the first game was a detective adventure, with horror bubbling up from its flooded world, its sequel has taken on a darker, more aggressive form. The Sinking City 2 is a true horror game now, with more emphasis on combat, while keeping a Lovecraftian narrative close to its twisted heart.

"The Sinking City is one of our most successful titles, because of our stronger horror genre leanings and the setting," Frogwares Head of Publishing, Sergey Oganesyan tells me. "For us, it was kind of a breakthrough, and we are super excited to work on a full-scale horror game. We have created quite a few detective adventures in the past, so now we're going to mix things up to keep doing what people love from us - meaning story-rich experiences - while still being able to evolve."

Today, during the latest Xbox Partner Preview broadcast—as a surprise for Xbox gamers everywhere—GSC Game World launched the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Legends of the Zone Trilogy for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S (via backwards compatibility). That's right - it's available today! The Legends of the Zone Trilogy bundle—available on the Microsoft Store for $39.99 USD—includes all three iconic games that make up the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Trilogy: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat—or you can pick up each of the games individually for $19.99 USD each. Every element from the original games has been maintained and faithfully ported to console thanks to the hard work of GSC Game World and their partners at Mataboo. This all makes for a great opportunity for Xbox gamers everywhere to get some foundational knowledge of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'s universe in the lead-up to the launch of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, coming day one to Game Pass on September 5, 2024.

But translating these hardcore PC games to an Xbox controller has been no small feat. For a series that is known for blending a variety of genres like horror, first-person shooter, exploration, and immersive sim, it was important for the team to get it right. Speaking with GSC Game World PR Specialist Zakhar Bocharov, we wanted to learn more about what this process was like, bringing these cult-classic, hardcore PC titles to console, and some of the innovative design and UI adjustments the team had to make to bring all three games to Xbox.

Funcom is proud to reveal a brand-new trailer and featurette for Dune: Awakening, premiered in the first of a new showcase series, Dune: Awakening Direct. Hosted by the prominent Soe Gschwind, the fifteen-minute show dropped spectacular new footage of the open-world survival MMO, where you will fight to survive on the most dangerous planet in the universe.

After announcing Dune: Awakening back in 2022, Funcom has kept its cards close to its chest. With the release of Dune: Part 2 this weekend, however, the developers are finally ready to uncover what has been growing beneath the sand's surface this whole time. In Creating Worlds: From Book to Film to Game, Funcom takes us on a breathtaking journey into the heart of Arrakis, featuring never-before-seen footage from the game. Interviews with Greig Fraser, academy award-winning Cinematographer on Villeneuve's Dune Part 1 and 2, and Funcom Creative Director, Joel Bylos, reveal the creative overlap between Dune: Awakening and the recent movies. Get a glimpse at what it takes to bring the ultimate Dune fantasy to life.

Make sure it's in your diaries: a new edition of NACON Connect will take place on 29 February at 19:00 CET. The French games publisher will use this conference as an opportunity to make some new announcements, and share with gamers from all over the globe new info on its two activities: video games and gaming accessories. This new edition is set to feature 30 minutes of all-new videos showcasing the company's accessories, as well as its action-adventure, sports and simulation games, including: Ravenswatch, Crown Wars: The Black Prince, GreedFall II: The Dying World, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, the new game based on the world of Terminator, plus a few other announcements.

The conference is set to be followed by a post-show, during which the developers of will share some new info about the game on their Twitch page. Gamers can log in at the end of the conference on Steam to check out more gameplay from their favorite titles. Visit NACON's official channels on 29 February at 7:00 PM CET / 10 AM PST to follow the announcements and share your reactions live.

Explore, fight and ride epic vehicles in this first SAND LAND gameplay overview. In a distant future, humans and demons live together in a desertic world deprived of water: the SAND LAND. To restore balance to the world, the Fiend Prince Beelzebub forms a strange trio with his chaperone Thief and the human Sheriff Rao. Together, they will set off on an epic journey, in search of the Legendary Spring. SAND LAND is an immersive and exciting Action-RPG, based on the manga by Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball. In this article, you will discover its environments, gameplay systems, and unique elements that will make your adventure unique and memorable.

EXPLORE TWO UNIQUE WORLDS
The long-lasting desert is yours to explore. Encounter unique creatures, dive into unique biomes such as canyons and dungeons, loot essential materials, but beware of a challenge that awaits: the King's Royal Army, commanded by the Supreme Commander Zeu, is coming… No respite allowed! The end is only the beginning, as beyond the dunes lies an unknown lush world to explore, populated by even more unique and dangerous enemies to overcome. Be ready to dive into an epic adventure!

It's finally (almost) here! With Nightingale's Early Access launch just a few days away on February 20th, we (Inflexion Games) wanted to share with you some gameplay and feature updates before we open the portals to the Faewilds. If you have any questions or feedback on the topics below then jump into our official Discord and join the discussion. Set out on a journey of survival and adventure, into the mysterious and dangerous Fae Realms of Nightingale! Become an intrepid Realmwalker, and venture forth alone or with friends—as you explore, craft, build and fight across a visually stunning Gaslamp Fantasy world.

FSR 3 Removal
After reviewing crash data from the Server Stress Test, a significant number of them seemed to point to FSR 3 integrations, whether or not users had the setting turned on. To ensure better stability, we temporarily have removed FSR 3 from the launch build and are working with various external and internal teams to see if we can implement it, or an older FSR version, in future updates. We've added an update to our Performance Expectation blog to reflect this change. For those who wish to use XeSS or DLSS, these will still be available at launch.

On February 8 Arrowhead Game Studios invites you to customize your Helldiver, drop into hell, wipe out infestations, and repeat the victorious process. Have you ever watched the anonymous soldiers of a sci-fi movie get obliterated by aliens and thought to yourself, "I could do better"? Helldivers 2 is Arrowhead Game Studios' invitation to brave players dying to experience the chaotic fun of facing seemingly impossible odds. For the uninitiated, Helldivers 2 is a full sequel that maintains the 4-player cooperative essence of the 2015 top-down PS4 entry, while adding modern over-the-shoulder third-person gunplay and deeper customization options. I recently had a chance to suit up and drop into a hands-on session with Helldivers 2 on PS5, and lived to share this debriefing. I teamed up with three other Helldivers to learn the ropes and emerged with a whetted appetite for eliminating space bugs and murderous Automatons. Let's dive in.

Action sci-fi gunplay
Helldivers 2 is bursting with customization options and strategic depth, but shooting lots of enemies is your bread and butter. Arrowhead managed to translate the frenetic top-down energy of Helldivers into a smooth third-person shooter. Weapon recoil feels powerful yet predictable enough to maintain your accuracy. I specifically loved watching Automaton's armor dent and shatter off as I punched them full of sniper rounds. Players have options when it comes to gunplay. Hold the Square button to switch between single, burst, and autofire. Press L2 to shoulder your weapon and zoom in with R2. Click R3 button to aim-down-sights for even deeper precision and immersion. The direction buttons are used for quick actions, like switching to grenades by pressing right or pressing for a life-restoring stim. Remember to save a few 'nades to close up bug nests or destroy enemy factories. The moment-to-moment action is tight and reliable, which is key when all hell inevitably breaks loose.

Good evening Kindred, in our recent Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 stream, we shared exciting news about the game and our first extended gameplay trailer. On the stream, The Chinese Room (TCR) Community Manager Josh Matthews was joined by Alex Skidmore, Project Creative Director at TCR, who shared insights on the game, the narrative background, and how the game plays. If you missed the stream, you can check it out below. The gameplay stream contains several spoilers, and if you wish to avoid them, there are sections marked in the video timeline, or you can watch the trailer version of the gameplay video, which does not contain any major spoilers.

Matthews and Skidmore highlight an early-game mission, discussing why the player character, Phyre, infiltrates an abandoned warehouse to uncover clues about the mysterious mark on their hand. Players must choose their actions wisely, whether confronting the court's secret keeper like Willem or meeting unruly ghouls and illusions that cloud the environment. Acting as "The Sheriff" of the Court, Phyre's choices impact how the world perceives them and bring them closer to uncovering Seattle's secrets.

Released in 2013, and directed by the singular Josef Fares, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons was a truly unique game. After their father falls ill, the game follows two, well, brothers as they set out into a strange and often dangerous world—with the twist being that a single player controls both characters simultaneously. They must cross dangerous lands, face deadly foes and rely on each other more than they ever have before to find a cure, leading players through a beautiful world by way of action-packed puzzles and obstacles. Almost a decade after the original game's release, nothing has quite replicated this game's mixture of unique controls and emotive storytelling. So, with our remake, we've concentrated on not just how to bring a modern classic back to life, but to preserve and enhance this incredible, one-off experience.

Remaking a Masterpiece
Our philosophy throughout the Remake process was to enhance the original, not distort. As we began to study the game, we realized that everything in Brothers, each environment, the puzzle, and interaction, is there for a specific reason and has its own goal to help support the overall story. Our job then became to modernize the experience while keeping everything that made the original special and memorable. Gameplay in Brothers is designed primarily for a unique, single-player experience (though local co-op is also included). As you explore, one controller controls both brothers and their ability to interact with the world. Each brother has their own unique abilities that will be required to solve the various puzzles and enemies they encounter.

Warner Bros. Games and DC today announced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a new genre-defying open-world action-shooter, is now available for PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam) as part of the Deluxe Edition. The Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Standard Edition will launch worldwide on Feb. 2.

Developed by Rocksteady Studios, creators of the best-selling Batman: Arkham series, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League combines the studio's signature character-driven storytelling with a seamless fusion of enhanced traversal mechanics and fast-paced, action-packed combat, which can be enjoyed solo or with up to four players via an online cooperative mode.