Rise of the Rōnin’s open world will let players explore Yokohama, Edo and Kyoto

Anyone who’s been anticipating the release of Final Fantasy 14 on Xbox Series X|S doesn’t have much longer to wait, as director and producer Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) has confirmed that the open beta will begin next month. 

Softstar Entertainment-developed horror game The Bridge Curse 2: The Extrication will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Switch alongside its previously announced PC (Steam) release in 2024, Japan and Asia publisher Game Source Entertainment announced.

2023 was a banner year for anime. From beloved continuing series like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Jujutsu Kaisen to long-awaited passion projects like Pluto and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, there was pretty much something for every type of anime fan. While we’ve already published our picks for the best anime of the year and where to watch them, we also wanted to highlight one of the important yet overlooked elements of any great anime: the opening title sequence.

Even as we enter the weekend today, December 23, interesting tidbits from the world of artificial intelligence keep coming in. In a shocking development, Infosys has lost a deal worth $1.5 billion with an undisclosed AI firm. The announcement came just days after Infosys Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Nilanjan Roy's resignation. In other news, a group of teachers worked with Yamaha to create an AI-assisted piano that tracks the notes of the music and augments the performance by adding whatever keys are needed but not pressed. And, Arizona creates its own deepfakes to prepare for polls. This and more in today's AI roundup. Let us take a closer look.

There once was a time when video games were hard simply because that’s how game developers wanted them to be. Then, it became a thing where it should be “easier to play” because not everyone was a “hardcore gamer.” And now, we’re in an age where certain titles should have multiple difficulty levels or be “naturally hard” because many gamers love to be masochists. No matter where you fall in those difficulty categories, Rise of the Ronin from Team Ninja will have you covered. Team Ninja is known for making games difficult, and that will be no different with their upcoming game.

The reboot of noughties gem Jet Set Radio teased with ruthless efficiency during The Game Awards has had a smidge of new information revealed. For being such a small detail, though, it’s a very intriguing - if perhaps a tad predictable - one indeed.

The first quarter of 2024 kicks off in style, with titles like Koei Tecmo’s Rise of the Ronin for PS5. Developed by Team Ninja of Nioh fame, it’s the studio’s most ambitious project to date, and thanks to a new preview by Game Informer, we get a better idea of its scale.

Rise of the Ronin is easily Team Ninja’s biggest game, with a massive open world to explore. Set in Japan during the Bakumatsu, players encounter historical figures like Sakamoto Ryoma and Yoshida Shoin, but your decisions influence the narrative direction.

Pre-orders for Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin are now available digitally on the PlayStation Store and physically on PlayStation Direct and various retailers. The Standard Edition retails for $69.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition costs $79.99.

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developer Team NINJA have opened physical and digital pre-orders for Rise of the Ronin, which will launch for PlayStation 5 on March 22, 2024. It will cost $69.99 for the standard physical or digital edition, and $79.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition. Physical edition pre-orders are available at retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Play-Asia, PlayStation Direct, Walmart.

A Pokémon-themed park will be opening in Yomiuriland, an existing amusement park located in Tokyo, Japan.

A new Rise of the Ronin action-packed trailer was shown during yesterday's The Game Awards, providing the best look yet at Team NINJA's open-world action game.