Price Chop on the Meta Quest 256GB, A Santa Sack of AAAs Go Half Off, and More!

Thank your own personal deity—possibly Kaheva the Blacksmith—it's Friday! This is gonna be a short intro because I'm far too busy smashing through review code of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. I'm only three hours in so far, which is about as deep as I was allowed to go during my recent hands-on (and my positive impressions of that experience have not changed, obviously). Anyway... stay safe, save often, and catch you Monday!

If Pokemon GO fans thought the glitter and glitz would end with the New Year’s Event, they’ve got a pleasant surprise coming with the latest in-game event. Niantic has announced a sparkling January Dazzling Dream event featuring fairy-type Pokemon.

The GTA 5 voice actor behind Michael de Santa has offered his advice to the GTA 6 cast, urging them to enjoy their '15 minutes of fame', and make the most of the fandom's enthusiasm.

Michael De Santa is one of the most fully fleshed out characters in the Grand Theft Auto franchise. A former crook who feels disconnected from his spoiled, wealthy family, Michael struggles with a desire to relive his ‘glory days’ and finding peace and solace with his estranged loved ones. As relatable as Michael’s story can be at some points, it’s hard to see him as a good person, though one can believe he is trying to become one.

GTA 5's Michael reckons GTA 6's tone looks like it's hitting a blend of the fourth and fifth games in Rockstar's series.

GTA 6's reveal trailer showed that we'll be playing as a woman called Lucia in Rockstar's hotly-anticipated sequel. There was a lot of outrage, with some gamers decrying that the series had gone "woke", swearing off GTA once and for all. Now, Michael De Santa himself has spoken up, calling out the detractors.

The gaming world is buzzing with anticipation as Rockstar Games teases fans with the prospect of GTA 6. Since the release of the first official trailer, enthusiasts have been engrossed in a debate about the identity of Lucia, one of the game's protagonists. This trend mirrors the past excitement when fans swiftly identified Ned Luke as Michael De Santa in GTA 5 shortly after its trailer release. The biggest mystery surrounds the Lucia voice in GTA 6

Thank your own personal deity—possibly Doomguy after typing 'IDDQD'—it's Friday! Today is all about the continuing deals of "Winter" at places like Fanatical, Green Man Gaming and the various first-party console eshops. I've done my best to filter through the white noise of a thousand odd "deals" to find you the true hidden gold. Business as usual, basically.

Fullmetal Alchemist Mobile did not survive the holidays and has released an End of Service notice on their Twitter. Maybe the game didn’t behave and ended up on Santa’s naughty list hence this dampening announcement.

Today is Christmas and, as expected, most businesses and governments have shut down for the day and people are enjoying a holiday. Yet artificial intelligence developments have found a way to emerge even today. In a shocking development, the parent company of Paytm, One97 Communication, has fired more than 1000 employees. The underlying reason behind the Paytm layoff is reported to be the AI advancement of the company that has caused a few positions to be surplus to requirements. This and more in today's AI roundup. Let us take a closer look.

 As children around the world eagerly await Santa's arrival on Christmas, the military is closely tracking his every move. Armed with radar, sensors, aircraft and Christmas spirit, the North American Aerospace Defense Command in Colorado is reporting on the movements of Santa's sleigh since his takeoff from the North Pole for parts of the globe where Christmas comes first. Once again it is sharing those details so kids can follow along.

Between the Hallmark rom-coms, the litany of Peanuts specials, and all those films with a goofy guy who must do something to save Christmas, media becomes inundated with fluff as we enter the holiday season. Sifting through the stew can be difficult when not limited by the confines of television schedules. Before, a somewhat unknown IP would be discovered simply because it was what was on TV.