Gaming in Launches. Reviews, Walkthroughs, News

Myth of Empires, the multiplayer sandbox survival MMO taking place in a feudal world where the threat of war looms, has officially launched on PC via Steam. Explore the world, gather resources and supplies, and craft a society and an army to fit your playstyle. 

After years of demand, Final Fantasy 14, the critically-acclaimed MMORPG with an extended free trial that goes up to the second expansion, Stormblood, up to level 70 with no limits on playtime, is now live as an open beta on the Xbox Series X|S. But there are a few catches—and if you’re a current player, you should pull the reins for a bit. 

Apple has launched a new app tailored for sports enthusiasts, appropriately named Apple Sports. This free app, exclusively available for iPhone users, promises to provide real-time scores, stats, and more, all presented with an emphasis on speed and simplicity. With its user-friendly interface crafted by Apple, the app aims to offer a personalized experience by prioritizing users' favorite leagues and teams.

Coming more than a decade and a half on from the original game’s release, World of Goo 2 isn’t a game many of us expected to ever see. Its announcement at The Game Awards in December was certainly a nice surprise though, and after confirming at the time that the 2D puzzle-platformer would be out sometime in 2024, developers 2D Boy and Tomorrow Corporation have now announced a specific release date.

Surprise! Dead Island 2 has popped up as part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription, despite not being listed by Microsoft when it revealed a list of late February Xbox Game Pass titles earlier this week.

Dead Island 2 is available to play via Xbox Game Pass right now.

A demo for tactical RPG Unicorn Overlord is now available for Switch, and will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PlayStation 4 on February 23 at midnight local time, publisher ATLUS and developer Vanillaware announced. Save data from the demo can be carried over to the full game when it launches.

Metroidvania-style side-scrolling adventure game Turbo Kid will launch for PC via Steam on April 10, developer Outerminds announced. A new demo will launch on February 23.

Elden Ring downloadable content “Shadow of the Erdtree” will launch on June 21 for $39.99, publisher Bandai Namco and developer FromSoftware announced.

Picross S+ will launch for Switch on February 29 for $4.99 / £3.99 / €4.99, developer Jupiter Corporation announced.

Konami will release Felix the Cat for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch on March 28 for $24.99. PlayStation Store pre-orders are available now, and Nintendo eShop pre-orders will open at a later date. Physical edition pre-orders are available via Limited Run Games until March 10.

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, the second entry in Digital Eclipse‘s Gold Master Series, will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on March 13, the developer announced.

Xbox has announced a PlayStation release date for Sea of Thieves, its popular pirate live service game from British studio Rare.

As the rumors claimed, Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush is coming to PS5 on March 18th. Interestingly, the announcement trailer came from Bethesda’s Latin America YouTube channel and has since gone private. You can check out images confirming the PS5 version’s announcement below, courtesy of Idle Sloth on Twitter.

Obsidian Entertainment's former Xbox-exclusive titles Pentiment and Grounded are coming to Nintendo Switch.

Bandai Namco Entertainment has finally revealed its initial gameplay trailer for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, the definitive edition of the fifth entry in the series by ATLUS, is launching on PC and consoles this June, complete with brand-new content.

FromSoftware’s first paid expansion for Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, has received its first gameplay trailer. It also has a release date, launching on June 21st (as rumors claimed) for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC. Check out the trailer below.

After many rumors, Obsidian Entertainment’s Pentiment is confirmed for Nintendo Switch, joining the likes of Grounded. Announced during the recent Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase, it’s out on February 22nd for the platform. Check it out below.

Another Crab’s Treasure will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store on April 25, developer Aggro Crab announced. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass.

Last week, Microsoft announced that it was set to bring four of its first-party Xbox exclusives to rival platforms, and promptly afterward, leaks claimed that one of those games was set to be Grounded, Obsidian Entertainment’s acclaimed survival title. Many have expected an imminent announcement, and sure enough, that announcement came at Nintendo’s recent Partner Direct.

The Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase is live, and Atlus has confirmed the existence ofShin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance. Out on June 21st for Nintendo Switch, it was also rated recently in South Korea for other platforms. Check it out below.

Motiga’s Gigantic, a MOBA shooter whose servers shut down in 2018, is getting resurrected, courtesy of abstraction and Gearbox Publishing. Gigantic: Rampage Edition launches on April 9th for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC, retailing for $19.99. While it features the same content as the original release, there’s also new content. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Launching today, our latest wireless headset, Pulse Elite, brings crisp, immersive audio to the gaming experience on the PS5 console; to PlayStation Link supported devices including PS5, PC, Mac, and PlayStation Portal remote player; and to Bluetooth compatible devices such as smartphones and tablets. Pulse Elite follows the launch of our first wireless earbuds, Pulse Explore, with both audio devices featuring planar magnetic drivers to further enhance the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech. When combined with PlayStation Link, the planar drivers precisely deliver the output of the 3D audio algorithms directly to the player’s ear without loss, and nearly no distortion or delay. 

PhonePe announced the launch of Indus Appstore, a localized app store that is built and customized for Indian consumers, at an event held in New Delhi. Calling it ‘India ka app store', the Indus Appstore supports 12 regional languages natively, allowing users to search and browse through apps in their preferred language. Know all about it.

 Tinder is expanding its identity verification program at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) can make it hard to tell who's real and crime is rising on dating apps. Tinder, the world's most popular dating platform, is rolling out the system in the US, the UK, Brazil and Mexico over the coming weeks and months. It's already been testing the feature in Australia and New Zealand, where people who had been verified saw a 67% increase in matches compared to those who didn't, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. 

Three-versus-seven asymmetrical online multiplayer game Killer Klowns from Outer Space: The Game will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam on June 4, publisher and developer illFonic, and developer Teravision Games announced.

This week in WoW, the Dragonflight Mythic Dungeon International continues on February 23rd and Classic Hardcore Self-Found goes live on February 29th!

Animated dungeon crawler #BLUD will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on June 18, publisher Humble Games and developer Exit 73 Studios announced.

Today, ArenaNet revealed that the second content update for Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure, called The Realm of Dreams, will be available for free starting February 27.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot downloadable content “Goku’s Next Journey” will launch on February 21, publisher Bandai Namco and developer CyberConnect2 announced.

The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series versions of Bang-On Balls: Chronicles will launch on March 5, publisher Untold Tales and developer Exit Plan announced. The new versions will run in 4K resolution and 60 frames per second, and be available as a free upgrade for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners.

6G connectivity is far from commercialization, but that is not stopping nations from carrying out a series of tests to gain an edge against other competing regions. Samsung, for instance, has been conducting tests of a similar nature, but this standard is not expected to go mainstream until 2030. Similarly, China Mobile does not see a 6G launch anytime soon, but that has not stopped the carrier from performing its own benchmarks through a satellite launch.

PowerWash Simulator downloadable content “Warhammer 40,000 Special Pack” will launch on February 27, publisher Square Enix Collective and developer FuturLab announced.

Have you ever wanted to own all the Fallout games, perhaps to celebrate the upcoming TV series? Good news, because Bethesda has announced theFallout S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Anthology launching on April 11th. The physical edition is available to pre-order now and includes all games in the series.

Space journalism point-and-click adventure game Times & Galaxy will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam, GOG, and Humble Store in Q2 2024, publisher Fellow Traveller and developer Copychase Games announced. The console versions are newly announced. Applications are now available for a PC closed beta test that will run from February 26 to March 11.

There’s no shortage of games out there inspired by FromSoftware’s Souls games, but Enotria: The Last Song is drawing water from a unique well. Developer Jyamma Games throws Italian folklore into the Soulslike mix for their ambitious attempt, and it’s officially launching on June 21, 2024.

ASUS has finally launched its ROG Swift PG32UCDM gaming monitor which features a 32" QD-OLED 4K panel for a price of $1299 US.

In a pioneering effort to address the growing concern of space debris, Japanese scientists from Kyoto University, in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry, have developed a unique spacecraft known as the LignoSat. What sets this satellite apart is its construction material- magnolia wood.

Helldivers 2 is off to a record-breaking start on Steam, with the game’s concurrent player count now eclipsing that of all other PlayStation PC ports combined.

Italian Soulslike action RPG Enotria: The Last Song will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on June 21, developer Jyamma Games announced.

Digital Extremes' fan-favourite sci-fi RPG, Warframe, is coming to iOS later this month.

Petroglyph has announced that the sequel to 2016’s 8-Bit Armies, titled 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far, will release into PC Early Access on February 23.

Physics-based simulation game Cricket Through the Ages will launch for Switch and PC via Steam on March 1, publisher Devolver Digital and developer Free Lives announced.

Dragon Ball Z fans have the next DLC release to get excited for when it comes to Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. This game was launched in 2020, but support is still pressing onward. The developers over at CyberConnect2 have released two season passes so far, and next week, we are getting the last of the DLC for season two. But with it comes an exciting rematch that fans might be eager to see unfold. 

A Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth crossover event kicked off in Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis on February 16. This development arrives mere weeks ahead of the much-anticipated RPG's release, as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled to launch on February 29.

2.5D horror RPG Withering Rooms will leave Early Access and launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam on April 2, publisher Perp Games and developer Moonless Formless announced.

With Google upscaling its game with its new AI model Gemini, ChatGPT maker OpenAI is looking to maintain its lead and itself announced a new text-to-video model. After excelling in creating a successful generative AI model with ChatGPT and entering the AI image generation race with DALL-E, CEO Sam Altman has now also stepped into the AI video generation market with Sora. This tool can generate minute-long videos with a simple text prompt empowering users to tap into their creativity. Know all about OpenAI Sora here.

Hawked, a treasure hunting and extraction shooter from My.Games, has now fully launched on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. This comes after PC Early Access since November, and a cross-playbeta.

One-hit-kill fighting game Die by the Blade has been in development for a very long time, becoming a staple of our most anticipated fighting games lists, but it seems like the long wait is finally over, as the game will finally release this year on PC and consoles.

The Switch version of open-world fantasy RPG Outward: Definitive Edition will launch on March 28, publisher PLAION and developers Nine Dots Studio and SneakyBox announced.

Fantasy fishing RPG Whisker Waters will launch for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam on April 19, publisher Merge Games and developer Underbite Games announced.

“Horrorpunk” action adventure game and Morbid: The Seven Acolytes sequel Morbid: The Lords of Ire will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC version via Steam and Epic Games Store on May 23, publisher Merge Games and developer Still Running announced. A demo is currently available for PlayStation 5 and PC.

Physics-based sumo wrestling game Nyaaaanvy will leave Early Access and launch for Switch and PC via Steam on February 22, publisher Phoenixx and developer Team DigitalMind announced.

Publisher PM Studios and developer CryingPsycho will release rhythm platformer Krimson for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on March 21, the companies announced.

Minecraft has launched its new Universal Studios Experience DLC.

After one year of exclusivity on the Epic Games Store, Dead Island 2 will release on Steam in April.

The PC version of boys love visual novel Voice Love On Air will launch via Steam on March 14, developers Softstar Entertainment and Noisy Fish announced. The Switch version will follow at a later date.

Sons of the Forest will leave Early Access and launch for PC via Steam on February 22, developer Endnight Games announced.

Strategy RPG Blade Prince Academy will launch for PC via Steam on March 7, publisher Firesquid and developer Angel Corp announced.

In today's This Week in WoW, Blizzard announced the launch of WoW Classic Hardcore's Self-Found Mode for February 29, 2024. This new game mode will restrict players from sending or receiving mail from other players, buying or selling on the Auction House, or trading in any way.

The Switch version of action adventure game Girl Genius: Adventures in Castle Heterodyne will launch digitally on April 3, developer Rain Games announced.

Turbo Golf Racing will leave Early Access and launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store in Q2 2024, publisher Secret Mode and developer Hugecalf Studios announced. The PlayStation 5 version is newly announced.

Cooperative hack-and-slash action game Go Fight Fantastic! will launch for PC via Steam on March 26, publisher Kinda Brave and developer Dinomite Games announced. To celebrate the announcement, the currently available demo has received a major update with new content.

Assam launches AI flood app 'RAHAT' for disaster relief; Young Chinese turn to AI game for lunar new year family prep; Half believe AI to amplify hacker attacks: Report; OpenAI CSO touts India's AI potential at Global Business Summit 2024- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.

Disney Realm Breakers soft launches for Android users in select regions today. Developed by JOYCITY Corp., it’s free to play and offers in-app purchases. JOYCITY is known for a number of other popular titles, including Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War, Game of Dice, Rule the Sky and Gunship Battle: Helicopter 3D.

EvilVEvil, the 2020-announced vampire cooperative first-person shooter from Toadman Interactive, will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam this summer for $19.99, developer Toadman Interactive announced. A PC closed beta is scheduled to begin on March 1.

Roblox has built an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can translate supporting languages in chats in almost real-time. There is a latency of roughly about 100 milliseconds, claims the company. The online gaming platform, which has more than 70 million daily active users, created a native large language model (LLM) to build the tool that can translate any combination of 16 languages. The foundational model behind the feature puts a heavy emphasis on accuracy, fluency, as well as the context of the rest of the sentence to find the best translation.

Mecha girl action game Dolls Nest will launch for PC via Steam in 2024 with English and Japanese language support, developers NITRO PLUS and NITRO ARTS announced.

Botany Manor will launch for Xbox Series, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on April 9, publisher Whitethorn Games and developer Balloon Studios announced. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass.

502’s Arcade, a collection of fast-paced arcade games, will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam on February 22, developer 502 Studios announced.

Homeworld 3 was finally available to play thanks to the War Games demo available as part of this week's Steam Next Fest. However, the feedback from the demo has apparently pushed developer Blackbird Interactive and publisher Gearbox to delay the game once more.

Krafton India, which is the company behind Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), in collaboration with Alchemist Games, has unveiled its latest venture, Garuda Saga- a mobile game that delves into India's cultural tapestry. The game is currently open for pre-registration on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, with exclusive rewards awaiting early registrants.

Terra Memoria will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam this spring, publisher Dear Villagers and developer La Moutarde announced. A 40-minute demo will be available for PC on February 6, and save data can be carried over to the full game when it launches.

SPYxANYA: Operation Memories will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch on June 27 in Asia and June 28 worldwide, publisher Bandai Namco and developer Groove Box Japan announced. The PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions will also launch on June 27 in Japan. The PC version will launch via Steam sometime in 2024.

WitchSpring R will launch for PlayStation 5 and Xbox One in addition to its previously announced Switch version, developer KIWI WALKS told Gematsu. Release dates for the console versions are not yet fixed, but a physical edition is planned.

SPYxANYA: Operation Memories will launch for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch in Asia, and for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in Japan on June 27, Bandai Namco announced.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising downloadable content character 2B from NieR: Automata will launch on February 20 alongside the game’s version 1.2 update, publisher Cygames and developer Arc System Works announced.

Roguelike action game Ancient Weapon Holly will launch for PlayStation 5, Switch, and PC via Steam on March 8, followed by PlayStation 4 at a later date, publisher and developer ACQUIRE, and publisher Aniplex announced. It will cost 1,980 yen in Japan. It will support English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Polish language options. A demo is currently available for PC.

In a Special Program livestream, miHoYo finally revealed the release date for Honkai: Star Rail’s massive Version 2.0 update, “If One Dreams at Midnight.” It goes live on February 6th and adds a new realm – Penacony – with new Trailblaze Missions. Check out the first trailer below, complete with a catchy theme song and appearances by several new characters.