The website Video Games Chronicle recently reported on this news. There is a new YouTube video from Xbox titled “No Xbox? Have no fear with Amazon Fire TV Stick” that showcases its new partnership with Amazon:

The whole ad has a creepy, stalker-like vibe like the Scream franchise, with a scary voice telling a woman, “You don’t need Xbox to play Xbox,” in a condescending tone. It is not the way I would try to sell my product, but hey, I am not a marketing executive. There are also silhouettes of who appear to be Raz, the Doom Slayer, and Vault Boy, bringing to mind the vast IP Microsoft spent billions of dollars to acquire. At least the commercial mentions Halo.

As the advert makes clear, gamers can now stream Xbox games from their Amazon Fire TV Stick devices. All that is needed is to install and launch the Xbox app from their Fire TV device, sign in with a Microsoft account, sign up for Game Pass Ultimate, and connect a controller to play.

Related: All Xbox Game Pass Changes, Explained

Xbox head Phil Spencer talked about the benefits of streaming back in 2021, saying, “The cloud will allow us to completely remove these barriers to play worldwide. Of course, there’s still a place for consoles and PCs and frankly, there always will be, but through the cloud, we will be able to deliver a robust gaming experience to anyone connected to the internet, even on the least powerful, least expensive devices, devices people already own.”

It’s certainly a bold strategy to tell users they don’t need to buy an Xbox anymore to experience its library. Also, it may be dangerous to place a lot of your trust into the cloud, seeing as how streaming can be spotty in certain parts of the world. We will see what the future holds and if Microsoft’s strategy pays off, but for me, give me a physical disc or download over streaming any day of the week.

This news comes to us from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier (via Wario64):

In Jason’s newsletter, his interview with Sakaguchi mostly touches on him joining forces with Square Enix, a company he parted ways with over 20 years ago. Square Enix is helping Sakaguchi publish Fantasian on consoles, which was formerly an Apple Arcade exclusive. Despite the newfound collaboration, Sakaguchi “has no interest in revisiting Final Fantasy or any of his old franchises — in part because he’s ‘switched to a consumer rather than a creator.'” Old franchises include titles like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon, which were released on the Xbox 360. The one game he might revisit is Terra Battle, but that is because it was released for phones and is no longer purchasable.

Related: How to Unlock the Pictomancer Job in FFXIV Dawntrail

I can understand Sakaguchi’s logic. Both Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon are backward compatible with the Xbox Series S|X, so at least gamers can play them, even though it would be nice to have them on other systems. However, it is sad to think if Square Enix revisits titles he left his mark on, like Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, he won’t be around to oversee the projects. It’s not like they should ever be touched again, but it’s not going to be the same.

Fans can take solace in the fact Sakaguchi is working on a new game, though. His company, Mistwalker, recently filed a trademark for “Fantasian Dark Edge,” which could be a sequel to Fantasian. Sakaguchi is mum on the details, only revealing that “it’s something new.”

The news broke on the social media platform X (via ResetEra) earlier today:

According to the ransom note, 1.5TB of data was hacked by the BlackSuit group. The group claims it has access to sensitive data, including contracts, DocuSigned papers, legal papers, and financial data. In addition, “personal info, payments, contracts, emails etc,” have also been compromised. All of this data will be leaked on July 1 unless Kadokawa pays the hackers a large sum of money.

If the name BlackSuit sounds familiar, that is because the organization was also behind recent outages at CDK Global, a company that is responsible for providing software to 15,000 North American car dealerships. It looks like they crave chaos and disruption and are willing to do just about anything to achieve it.

Related: How to Use Messmer’s Kindling & Burn the Sealing Tree in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The timing of this attack is extra unfortunate because everyone at FromSoftware should be focused on the release of Shadow of the Erdtree. Sure, the DLC has proven difficult for some, but it has the entire gaming community buzzing, with one person trying to beat it using only their mind, while others marathon the new content in front of thousands of viewers.

It is also disheartening to see a group like BlackSuit go after people’s livelihoods for cash. Instead of going after corrupt politicians or businesses, they prey upon the vulnerable; honest folks just trying to make a living. We shall see soon enough if Kadokawa pays these crooks or, if not, whether BlackSuit is bluffing.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is available now.

As reported by IGN, dataminer @interloko took to social media and YouTube to report on findings in the game’s files, including details on six upcoming characters, five new announcers, and two fresh arenas.

You can watch the video linked above at your own risk. While nothing is confirmed until NetherRealm Studios says it is, there is a high possibility that what interloko is saying is true.

Here are the rumored next six fighters: three from classic Mortal Kombat titles and three guest characters:

• Cyrax
• Sektor
• Noob Saibot
• Ghostface
• Conan the Barbarian
• T-1000

For those of us who have been on the internet a while, you might remember Ed Boon teased Ghostface before, though there were other possibilities, as well:

It will be interesting to see if NetherRealm Studios responds to this datamine. If it is real, though, those guest characters are awesome. Will Arnold voice Conan or will a soundalike be employed, as was the case for the T-800 in Mortal Kombat 11? Can Ghostface summon other Ghostfaces as Kameo fighters? Is it possible Peacemaker will say the T-1000 looks a lot like his dad?

I guess we will find out soon enough, when the first details of the Season 2 content for Mortal Kombat 1 are revealed. There’s no official word on when that announcement will happen, though the first DLC were announced during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con, with the event’s next iteration right around the corner, on July 25, 2024.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now on PC, PlayStation 5, Switch, and Xbox Series S|X.

The website Eurogamer broke the news today. Lara’s model will be based on her appearance in the more recent Survivor trilogy. Funnily enough, while she will have her necklace and tank top, she will lack any weaponry. There wouldn’t be any tension if she could blast away the supernatural.

Developer Behaviour Interactive had this to say about the tomb raider’s inclusion:

“With her experiences and skill set, Lara Croft perfectly embodies the characteristics needed to survive in The Fog and is right at home in the world of Dead by Daylight alongside other iconic characters. Though she may be well-prepared for the Trials ahead, in the Entity’s twisted world, the future is never promised.”

Related: Here’s the Dead by Daylight Year 9 Roadmap

Impatient gamers who want to try out Lara and her unique attributes can do so via a limited-time public test build on Steam, which is available now. Those willing to wait will have to twiddle their thumbs until the July 16 release date. That may not sound like fun, but there’s plenty to play these days, so try out something else. Maybe a Tomb Raider title or two.

While it’s very cool to see Lara appear in Dead by Daylight (indeed, it was hinted at during the game’s eighth-anniversary broadcast), it feels weird to see her or any characters proficient with firearms in this kind of title. Lara, Leon, and Ash; just put them in a spinoff game where they can go hog wild on these monsters. It’s what the world really wants.

Dead by Daylight is available now on PlayStation, PC, iOS, Android, Xbox, and more.

Here is the official reveal trailer, which features plenty of exciting gameplay moments:

Related: Zelda to Take the Lead in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom

Since the new game is coming in 2025, there is a high possibility this will be a cross-gen title for Switch and its successor. Even if that’s not the case, though, the game looks incredible. It has scanning, selectable weapons, and a third-person morph ball, so it is true to the series, as well.

If you have been living under a rock, you might not be aware of Metroid Prime 4‘s troubled development. It was announced with just a logo during E3 2017. Then, crickets. It was rumored another developer was working on the game, presumably Bandai Namco. However, that changed in 2019 when it was revealed the title was being redone from scratch with the original Prime devs, Retro Studios, back on the project. We had been waiting for news ever since, with the occasional image to satiate our hunger. Thankfully, all the waiting is over, and we can start looking forward to the inevitable Metroid Prime 5 fake YouTube trailer.

Related: Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Gets Release Date, Suprise 1&2 Announcement

With Metroid Prime 4 on track for next year, it will pair nicely with Metroid Prime Remastered, which was released on Switch back in 2023. Can we get remasters of Metroid Prime 2 and 3 while we are at it, Nintendo? I know you were really nice and announced a ton of fun stuff during the Direct, but one more surprise would be the cherry on top of what’s looking to be a banner year for the comapny.

Here’s the trailer:

Players will be able to enjoy 80 levels, including the additional levels from the Nintendo 3DS version, and can either play solo or join up with a friend for 2-player local co-op.

Related: Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection Takes Us for a New Ride

Gamers must defeat the villainous Tiki Tak Tribe, who has stolen Donkey Kong’s banana hoard. They aren’t as iconic as the Kremling gang, but the game is still a fun romp. You can stomp obstacles, ride rickety mine carts, fly on rocket barrels, and even hitch a ride on Rambi the Rhino (sadly, all the other Kong animal buds are MIA. RIP, Expresso the Ostrich). And you don’t even need to shake the controller to roll!

While June’s Direct was full of massive announcements, including the reveals of games like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, it’s nice to know that Nintendo isn’t afraid to return to the past for its big events. The only unfortunate bit is that the game isn’t going to be released as soon as some of the other titles featured in the Direct.

Related: Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Gets Release Date, Suprise 1&2 Announcement

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD swings onto Nintendo Switch on January 16, 2025. With this upcoming release and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze already being available on Switch, fans can enjoy Retro Studios’ take on the series. And with the three Rare-developed Donkey Kong Country games available on Switch Online, the whole franchise is accessible. If we could only get Donkey Kong 64 to round out the collection…

Have a look at the reveal trailer for the title below:

First of all, it is a great choice to show the game running in-engine, as I vastly prefer to see gameplay over fancy CG any day of the week. Also, I am already enjoying the sound design. Environments are eerily quiet, and that stillness is clearly shattered with any minor noise. For a series that has monsters that are blind and only react to sound, this is a no-brainer. The visuals are gorgeous, as well.

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Over at the game’s official website, we are able to gather a few tidbits of information. The adventure is inspired by the movie franchise and you play as a young survivor trying to navigate a post-apocalyptic world. Observing your landscape and using tools you scavenge from your surroundings will be key to keeping you alive.

A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead will be released later in 2024 on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. As a colleague of mine pointed out, it would be awesome if the title used your system’s microphone to gauge how loud you are being. It reminds me of how great it was when Until Dawn detected how still your avatar was in-game by how calmly you held the controller. Unique features are what make games great, after all.

For those who can’t wait for the game, though, the next movie in the series, A Quiet Place: Day One, hits theaters later this month, on June 27.

The news broke late last night from ResetEra via Wario64:

A tool called EpicDB, which has a web server that is currently down, let users search Epic Games Store listings. However, the program allowed people to see unannounced titles in addition to ones that already exist. By looking through the listings, various code names may give some insight into what publishers have in store for the gaming masses in the near future.

One, with the code name “Momo,” might hint at the long-rumored remake of Final Fantasy IX. This is because there are associated DLC listings called “Tetra Master Starter Pack” and “Thief’s Knives,” which are references to the game’s card game and weapon, respectively. There is also a listing for “Turok” from publisher/developer Saber Interactive, which may mean a new title in the series is forthcoming. It would go well with the recently re-released trilogy, after all.

Related: How to Beat Alexander and Get Alexander Summon in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

There are code names that may point to less exciting prospects, too. “Skobeloff” could mean a PC port of Final Fantasy XVI is on the way, while “Utah” and “RhodeIsland” might point to a PC port of The Last of Us Part II.

For my money, I believe a remake of FFIX is definitely coming to the Epic Games Store at some point. This is the second time it has leaked. While I doubt it will be as grandiose in scale as the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, it would be nice to see a better-looking version of the RPG with quality of life improvements.

Here is the reveal:

More details on Night Springs were shared over at PlayStation.Blog. The first expansion for Alan Wake 2 brings three new episodes featuring familiar characters. Play as Jesse Faden from Control, the waitress Rose Marigold, and sheriff Tim Breaker. They are a little different, as they are Night Springs versions of themselves, so they are known as the Sibling, the Number One Fan, and the Actor, respectively. The Actor is seemingly the most meta of the three, as he is also known as the actual actor portraying him/Tim Breaker, Shawn Ashmore.

Night Springs will be available with the Alan Wake 2 Expansion Pass, which is included in both the digital Deluxe Edition and the upcoming physical Deluxe and Collector’s Editions of Alan Wake 2. You can pre-order the physical editions starting tomorrow, June 8. They are trying to make me buy the game twice, I swear.

In addition, Photo Mode will be released tomorrow for free. A second expansion, The Lake House, is due later this year.

Check out the reveal below:

Terry and Mai! My heart is full of happiness.

Here’s the full rundown of characters and their release windows:

M. Bison – Summer 2024

Terry – Autumn 2024

Mai – Winter 2025

Elena – Spring 2025

Released in 2023, Street Fighter 6 is the latest installment in the long-running Capcom fighting franchise. Overall, the game received extremely positive reviews from critics and has so far proven a financial success. Fatal Fury, meanwhile, is a fighting game series that began in 1991. While it’s been a long time since a new Fatal Fury game was released, a new installment, subtitled City of Wolves, is slated for 2025.

M. Bison will be the first DLC of Season 2. He will get a gameplay debut at 8 am PT tomorrow, June 8, on YouTube here.

I screamed when I saw Terry in the trailer. As a huge fan of SNK fighters, it is great to see him and Mai outside of a crossover title like Capcom vs. SNK. This will mark the second time Terry is a guest fighter in recent memory, as he was DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well. The guy gets around!

Check out the reveal below:

It is a nice trailer, but I’ll take actual gameplay over fancy CGI any day.

Here is a breakdown of what to expect in Civilization VII:

“Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history. Establish your civilization, construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations in pursuit of prosperity, and explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Will you build an empire that stands the test of time?”

Created by Sid Meier, the Civilization series kicked off in 1991 with the original eponymous name. There have been several different spinoffs and mainline games since then, with the latest release being Civilization VI in 2016. Its developer, Firaxis Games, is also responsible for the XCOM franchise.

Civilization VII is coming to Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S | X, and PC, Mac and Linux via Steam in 2025. There will be a gameplay showcase this August. You can wishlist the game on its official website. I can’t wait to change the course of history.