Gaming Bolt News, Tips, Tricks, Ideas

ArtPlay’s final update for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Version 1.5, goes live on May 9th for PS4, Xbox One and PC. Nintendo Switch players can expect it on May 16th.

After multiple delays and recent reports of development issues, Ubisoft said that the release date for XDefiant would finally be unveiled soon, and soon is finally here. The company has announced that the free-to-play multiplayer shooter will be launching later this month, on May 21.

Arrowhead Game Studios has announced the next Premium Warbond for Helldivers 2 – Polar Patriots. Going live on May 9th, it offers armor sets for cold climates alongside new weapons, emotes, capes and more. Check out the trailer below.

The Summer of Gaming hasn’t even kicked off yet, but THQ Nordic already has a showcase lined up for August. The THQ Nordic Digital Showcase 2024 goes live on August 2nd at 12 PM PT/3 PM ET/8 PM BST, with a pre-show by HandyGames (of Endling – Extinction is Forever fame).

Despite performance issues, bugs and other problems with its early access launch, Madfinger Games’ Gray Zone Warfare is off to a solid start. It’s sold 400,000 copies within two days, with player counts peaking at 66,944 per SteamDB.

Before Assassin’s Creed Mirage launched for PC and consoles last October, Ubisoft announced that the game would also be coming to certain iOS devices in early 2024. Given that we’re now in May and that has yet to often, plans obviously changed, but the company has now announced a specific release date for the open world action-adventure title’s iOS port.

Sony has revealed the batch of games that will be free with PlayStation Plus for the month of May, and there’s quite a few notable games coming your way if you’re a subscriber. Starting May 7, subscribers of all tiers – Essential, Extra, and Premium – will have access to four games at no additional cost.

Looking at the baffling lack of marketing from Microsoft, you wouldn’t think Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a major first-party game that fans have been waiting for for several long years, but even though Microsoft and Ninja Theory are being unusually quiet about the game, it seems like they do intend to change that to some degree as the game’s launch draws closer.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 emerged as the clear winner of video game sales for the United States in March, but Helldivers 2 wasn’t far behind. Arrowhead’s co-op shooter is not only the best-selling premium title of the year to date but also the seventh-best Sony-published title in the US in terms of dollar sales per Circana.

With all the top-selling titles over the past three months in the US there’s been one constant – the PS5. Circana analyst/executive director Matt Piscatella confirmed that it topped console charts in unit and dollar sales for March 2024 and the first quarter. The Nintendo Switch ranked second in unit sales, while the Xbox Series X/S claimed second place in dollar sales.

Private Division-owned studio Roll7 is being shut down, as per a report published by Bloomberg. The studio, best known for the OlliOlli series and Rollerdrome, will be shuttered soon as part of Private Division parent company Take-Two Interactive’s recently announced mass layoffs, which will see the company cutting around 5 percent of its workforce, which is about 600 jobs. Roll7 was acquired by Private Division in 2021.

Circana’s March 2024 data on video game spending in the United States is available, with Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Helldivers 2 scoring big. In the midst of all this is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the long-awaited second part in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, which is the fourth best-selling title in the US year to date.

The next big update for Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield is arguably its most exciting, with new gameplay options, proper Surface Maps and more display modes on Xbox Series X. But what about the future? The development team confirmed other features in development, including the game’s first land vehicle.

Bethesda Game Studios’ fourth major update for Starfield launches on May 15th with many quality-of-life features and improvements. As director Todd Howard promised, there are “other display modes” for console players, which means you can finally play the game at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X.

Starfield’s largest update yet is launching on May 15th. It adds several much-requested features, like proper Surface Maps for planets, indicating points of interest and markers for vendors in the major cities. You can fast travel to the latter from the map or your Scanner, which should make it much easier to quickly sell excess items.

While Dragon’s Dogma 2 topped US software charts for March 2024 per Circana’s Matt Piscatella, Helldivers 2 wasn’t far behind. It ranked in second place and is still the best-selling premium title of the year to date. Furthermore, it’s the seventh best-selling title (in terms of lifetime dollar sales) published by Sony, despite only being on sale for two months.

Great news! A new Batman: Arkham game has been announced! Maybe-not-so-great news- it’s a VR title.

Capcom’s Dragon’s Dogma 2 has emerged as the top-selling premium game in the United States for March 2024, per Circana analyst and executive director Matt Piscatella. It’s the third best-selling game of the year to date, with dollar sales surpassing the combined lifetime figures for Dragon’s Dogma and its expansion, Dark Arisen.

Despite how acclaimed Ironclad Games’ Sins of a Solar Empire is, you could be forgiven for not knowing about the existence of its sequel. Thankfully, publisher Stardock Entertainment has announced that Sins of a Solar Empire 2 is coming to Steam this Summer. Check out the latest trailer below.

Take-Two Interactive recently announced that it was laying off 5 percent of its staff as part of a wider cost-saving initiative, and it seems like those cuts are also going to entail the shuttering of an entire studio- specifically, Intercept Games, the team behind Kerbal Space Program 2.

With Honkai: Star Rail’s next update – Version 2.2, “Then Wake to Weep” – launching next week, miHoYo has begun detailing the abilities and skills of its new characters, starting with Robin. She deals Physical damage and follows the Path of the Harmony, supporting allies with her singing. Check out the latest “Keeping Up With Star Rail” to learn more, as Owlbert and her brother, Sunday, discuss her skills.

Hasbro has seen unprecedented success in gaming with Baldur’s Gate 3, so it’s no surprise that the company is planning on greatly expanding its presence in the AAA space. The company has already confirmed that it’s in discussion with multiple potential external partners for Baldur’s Gate 4 (with Larian Studios having confirmed it’s focusing on its own IP for its next projects), while Hasbro-owned Archetype Entertainment is also working on a new AAA sci-fi RPG in the form of Exodus. Beyond that, speaking in a recent interview with GamesIndustry, Dan Ayoub – who’s the head of digital product development at Hasbro-owned Wizards of the Coast – revealed new details on another major project in the works at the company.

Digital Cybercherries’ shooter HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed, which made an impact for its unique setting and visuals, finally has a release date on Xbox. It launches on May 31st for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, retailing for $29.99. Check out the announcement trailer below.

The Earth Defense Force franchise might not be the most pristine or mainstream gaming property around, but it’s picked up a sizeable and dedicated fanbase over the years, one that’s filled with players who’re all too happy to get fresh doses of its pulpy bug-shooting action once every few years. If you’re in that group, you’ll soon be getting another helping of the series’ offerings.

The golden horse’s campaign of terror hasn’t ended yet in Blizzard’s Overwatch 2, but it’s somewhat curtailed thanks to the latest patch. Tank hero Orisa has seen key survival skills, Fortify and Javelin Spin, the former having a duration of 3.5 seconds from 4.5 (and 20 percent slower movement speed) while the latter’s cooldown has increased to nine seconds from seven.

Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed that Diablo 4’s fourth season, Loot Reborn, arrives on May 14th. It contains sweeping changes to the game’s loot and crafting systems, but there will also be balance changes and new items. For those looking to plan their builds, Season 4’s patch notes will go live on May 2nd.

After hosting a Public Test Realm for Diablo 4 Season 4, Blizzard Entertainment has announced that it goes live on May 14th at 10 AM PT. “Loot Reborn” offers extensive overhauls to loot, new activities and challenges, new crafting and upgrade systems, and much more.

Microsoft has a stacked lineup of major first-party releases lined up for 2024, but while a number of them are officially confirmed for this year, not many of them have specific release dates. That, however, is going to change at the company’s summer showcase in June, as per a report published by The Verge.

Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Games Showcase will be returning on June 9, and given the many first-party titles the company has in the pipeline for 2024, it seems safe to assume that it’s going to be a packed show. In fact, according to The Verge, multiple upcoming first-party games are going to get official release date announcements.

Out of nowhere, Zynga has announced a release date for Star Wars: Hunters, its free-to-player third-person competitive multiplayer shooter. Developed by NaturalMotion and BossAlien, it launches on June 4th for Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android, with pre-downloads available now. Check out the latest trailer below.

Destiny 2’s Pantheon, a new raid boss gauntlet, is now available as part of Into the Light. It sees players facing off against raid bosses currently in the game, one after another, with the opportunity to earn raid weapons (including Adept and Deepsight versions), armor, Tokens and more.

Bandai Namco’s Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO, the successor to the Budokai Tenkaichi series, has received a new gameplay trailer. The theme is “Master and Apprentice” and reveals ten additional playable characters, including some fan-favorites. Check it out below.

KeokeN Interactive ofDeliver Us the Moon andDeliver Us Mars fame has announced layoffs for its entire team. It follows the developer revealing prototypes for five projects last month, seeking publishing deals for the same to no success.

Bandai Namco promised a balance patch for Tekken 8 this Spring, and based on the recent notes, it’s a doozy. Going live on May 7th at 7 PM PDT, Ver.1.04.00 contains adjustments to several fighters. Right off the bat, characters like Asuka, Bryan, Jack-8, Panda, Zafina, and Kuma have received some buffs, improving the usability of the game’s new Heat mechanics or further carving a niche for them.

A new trailer for Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance, the enhanced version of the 2021 RPG, is now available. Nahobino’s new form is in action, alongside some of the new Demons to recruit, but more than anything, its tone is foreboding. Of the coming apocalypse to ensure the “ideal world.” Check it out below.

Rare’s live-service action-adventure title Sea of Thieves is available now for PS5 players. First available on Xbox One and PC in March 2018 before receiving an Xbox Series X/S update, it’s the first game from the developer to release on a PlayStation platform. Check out the launch trailer below.

After launching on Nintendo Switch last year, Forever Entertainment’s Front Mission 2: Remake is now available on PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. While it’s a remake of the 1997 classic, it also marks the first time worldwide audiences can experience the tactical RPG. Check out the launch trailer below.

After rumors of the same, Microsoft has confirmed that the next Xbox Games Showcase will occur on June 9th at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET/6 PM BST. It will be the first to feature titles from Activision, Blizzard Entertainment and Bethesda alongside Xbox Game Studios and third-party partners.

After teasing a Returnal-related announcement for today, Housemarque has announced a graphical novel for its rogue-like third-person shooter – Returnal: Fallen Asteria. It’s out on October 22nd on bookstore shelves and October 23rd in comic shops. An animated video of the first issue is available, providing a peek at the graphical novel. Check it out below.

Remember Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? Rocksteady’s live service looter shooter hasn’t been doing so good, peaking at a measly 193 concurrent players on Steam in the last 24 hours (per SteamDB). Nevertheless, the development team is preparing Episode 2 of Season of the Joker, which goes live next month.

Marvel Rivals will see players battling with and against each other while playing as a variety of different Marvel heroes and villains, but given its nature as a 6v6 hero shooter, the arenas that you’ll be fighting in are going to be just as crucial as the characters you’ll be playing as.

In its latest Community Update video forThe Rogue Prince of Persia, Evil Empire outlined traversal and how players could get around the rogue-lite’s many levels. However, combat is the other part of the equation, and there’s plenty to keep players occupied.

For all long as the Fallout franchise has been around, it has never been set outside of the United States. Of course, its over-the-top, retro-futuristic Americana satirization is a core aspect of what makes Fallout, Fallout, but on new few occasions, large chunks of the series’ fanbase have wondered how locations outside of the US are faring in Fallout’s post-apocalyptic setting, and whether they could fare as suitable settings for a future Fallout game.

Evil Empire’s The Rogue Prince of Persia enters early access on May 14th, so before that, it’s providing more details in various Community Update videos. This week, it delves into Traversal and Combat, the former consisting of wall runs, jumps and more. Check it out below.

Bethesda dropped the Next-Gen Update for Fallout 4 last week on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, adding native 4K support, free new Creation Club content and more. However, it was beset by issues and confusion, especially regarding who received the upgrade on PS5.

Team Ninja’s Rise of the Ronin launched with generally favorable reviews last month, though some were less positive than others (check out ours here). Nevertheless, in its financial results for the fiscal year ending March 2024, Koei Tecmo reports that sales are surpassing its Nioh series.

Square Enix has announced that it “expects to recognize extraordinary losses” for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, attributing them as “content abandonment losses”. The Japanese company has, in other words, cancelled undisclosed projects, owing to which it will incur losses amounting to ¥22.1 billion (roughly $140.4 million).

Earlier this year, multiple leaks and reports claimed that Hi-Fi Rush was headed to the Nintendo Switch, and though Tango Gameworks’ acclaimed rhythm action game has received a multiplatform launch, it’s only released for PS5, with there being no official word on it coming to Nintendo’s console.

DON’T NOD is no stranger to narrative adventure titles with extensive dialogue systems, where your choices can affect the course of the story. While Lost Records: Bloom and Rage sees one playing through two timelines – Summer of 1995 and 2022 – and making decisions that affect each, the development team at DON’T NOD Montreal is going with a slightly different approach to its dialogue system.

DON’T NOD recently announced that Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, its next narrative adventure, would launch in late 2024. The new trailer showcased Swann, one of the main characters, and some locations in Velvet Core. Players go through the Summer of 1995 and 2022 when the core cast reunites, making decisions that shape both timelines.

Microsoft has announced the first wave of titles coming to Game Pass in May. It’s kicking things off early with Have A Nice Death, a 2D action rogue-like available today on console, PC and the cloud.

Bethesa’s RPGs are typically gargantuan experiences that players end up playing for years and years on end, and while a lot of that is down to their sheer longevity, it can also be attributed to the fact that new instalments in those franchises take an inordinate amount of time to come out. For instance, The Elder Scrolls 6 only entered full production last year, with Skyrim approaching its 13th anniversary. Meanwhile, though the Fallout TV’s show’s success has brought about a sudden uptick in sales and engagement for Bethesda’s Fallout games, the series’ next mainline instalment is several years away, to say the very least.

poncle’s Vampire Survivors is gearing up for some Contra collaboration DLC next week, but for now, a free new update is available. Version 1.10 “Laborratory” adds seven new Achievements, a new Challenge Stage, a new Bonus Stage and a new character. Check out the trailer below to see it all in action.

Moonana and Serenity Forge revealed a new gameplay trailer for Keylocker during the recent ID@Xbox Showcase, and it looks more sumptuous than ever. The turn-based cyberpunk rhythm RPG launches this Summer and will be available for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

As excited as some may be for new ship-building options or city maps in Starfield, there’s the ever-present question of when official mod support will go live. Director Todd Howard confirmed it would be this year, previously stating the sci-fi RPG would be a “modder’s paradise.” As it turns out, some new information will be dropping soon.

Pocketpair’s Palworld appeared during the recent ID@Xbox Showcase, with the upcoming Summer update receiving its first trailer. It revealed four new Pals, two new weapons, and a new island players will traverse. While the new Pal count may seem low, the developer reiterated that the roster will grow with subsequent updates.

The Fallout franchise has been the center of attention despite the Next-Gen Update’s issues, but Bethesda continues supporting Starfield. The space-faring RPG will receive its first paid expansion this Fall with Shattered Space, and an update is coming up to add maps for cities and “some great stuff” for shipbuilding.

One of the most bizarre yet compelling puzzle titles in recent years is making its way over to Xbox consoles. THA Limited and Enhance’s Humanity, released last year for PlayStation and PC via Steam, and the acclaimed puzzle action title will soon be opening the gates for a new audience.

Bethesa’s RPGs are typically gargantuan experiences that players end up playing for years and years on end, and while a lot of that is down to their sheer longevity, it can also be attributed to the fact that new instalments in those franchises take an inordinate amount of time to come out. For instance, The Elder Scrolls 6 only entered full production last year, with Skyrim approaching its 13th anniversary. Meanwhile, though the Fallout TV’s show’s success has brought about a sudden uptick in sales and engagement for Bethesda’s Fallout games, the series’ next mainline instalment is several years away, to say the very least.

Bethesda Game Studios has been promising new content and features for Starfield for a while now, and though updates for the space-faring RPG haven’t been as significant as many would have hoped, more new details have emerged on when to expect some of that. Shattered Space, for instance – which will be Starfield’s first paid expansion – has been given a narrower launch window.

It’s been six years since Fallout 76 came out, and close to a decade since Fallout 4. Even if fervour surrounding the franchise wasn’t as high as it is right now thanks to the wild success of Amazon Prime’s Fallout series, demand for a new game would still be ravenous, but in the aftermath of the show, that feels doubly true. And even though it’s clearly going to be a while (to say the least) before that long-awaited new game releases, it seems like Bethesda might actually have two unannounced Fallout projects in the works in some capacity.

Fallout has been a massive success for Amazon Prime, while the show’s success has also resulted in resurgent sales and player numbers for Bethesda’s Fallout games. Last week, it was reported that the show had had more than 5 million views in its first full week, racking up over 2.5 billion hours of collective watch time. Now, updated figures have been revealed.

Since its announcement last year, Dungeons of Hinterberg is a game that many have had their eyes on. Set in the Austrian Alps, where players will be exploring magical dungeons during their virtual vacation, the action RPG has made some intriguing promises, and at Microsoft’s recent ID@Xbox showcase, we got another new trailer for the title.

After announcing it last month, Odd Bug Studios has released a new gameplay trailer for Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter. As a sequel to the 2001 cult classic, it sees players controlling Arlo battling through the North to defeat the Dark Wings, who have more than a taste for blood. Check it out below, courtesy of IGN.

Alan Wake 2 enjoyed widespread critical acclaim upon its launch last year, while as of the beginning of February, it had also sold over 1.3 million units worldwide, becoming Remedy Entertainment’s fastest-selling game to date. In spite of a solid start, however, it hasn’t quite sold enough to start turning a profit yet.

Announced at last year’s Xbox Games Showcase, Thunder Lotus’ 33-player co-op action roguelike 33 Immortals has looked like an exciting prospect each time it has been shown off, and during the recent ID@Xbox showcase, the developer offered another glimpse at the upcoming action game.

Amid the latest kerfuffle to hit Escape from Tarkov, Madfinger Games has announced that Gray Zone Warfare enters Steam Early Access on April 30th. Check out the announcement trailer below, highlighting positive impressions from various content creators.

In its most recent quarterly report, Remedy Entertainment has provided updates on which stage of production each of its many current projects is at.

Late last year, Life is Strange developer Don’t Nod revealed its next narrative adventure game with Lost Records: Bloom and Rage, and at the recent ID@Xbox showcase, we got another look at the title with a new trailer, revealing more details about its story, characters, and more.

Pocketpair is working on adding PvP to Palworld via the Arena. However, in the meantime, it’s preparing a sizable Summer update. In a new trailer revealed during the ID@Xbox Showcase, the developer revealed the new island, Pals and weapons included in the update. Check it out below.

Alien Day 2024 came and went this past Friday, celebrating Ridley Scott’s acclaimed Aliens franchise. While a new VR title,Alien: Rogue Incursion, was announced for this Holiday, Cold Iron Studios’ Aliens: Fireteam Elite also received a free update.

Square Enix’sSaGa Emerald Beyond launched last week as the first mainline sequel in the cult-classic franchise since 2016’sSaGa: Scarlet Grace. Unfortunately, this may be all fans get for the time being. In a new Steam Community post, the developer said there aren’t any plans for DLC.

Bandai Namco’s Tekken 8 has a busy year ahead, but first, there will be a balance patch this Spring. Before you count the days till it ends, the developer has confirmed that the “first battle balance adjustments” for the season are “coming soon.” Patch notes for update 1.04 will also go live tomorrow.

Out of nowhere, Arrowhead Game Studios has released an extensive balance patch for Helldivers 2. While it reduces burning damage by 15 percent and reduces headshot damage on those with armor ratings above 100, it offers many changes to existing weapons and Stratagems.

Honkai: Star Rail’s next big update – Version 2.2, “Then Wake to Weep” – goes live on May 8th for all platforms. It concludes the Penacony storyline as players face off against The Great Septimus of The Family. Check out the trailer below (though beware of spoilers).

Street Fighter 6’s final Year 1 DLC character, Akuma, is one that fans have been looking forward to for some time. The fan-favourite series veteran is set to close out the game’s first wave of DLC fighters sometime this spring, and Capcom has now announced a specific release date for his arrival.

Following the conclusion of XDefiant’s Server Test Session on April 19th to 21st, executive producer Mark Rubin says a release date is coming “very soon.”

Housemarque turned a lot of people into fans of its work with 2021’s Returnal, which, of course, means the studio’s next project is going to have more eyes on it than any of its past titles. But while it doesn’t look like the developer is ready to share details on its next big title just yet, it looks like another announcement related to Returnal might be coming soon.

If it weren’t enough to see Bandai Namco announce free updates and new story content for Tekken 8 this year, it also outlined its roadmap for Season 1 DLC fighters. After Eddy Gordo, the next DLC character is one that should be familiar to Tekken 7 fans – Lidia Sobieska. Check out some teases of her power below.

Klei Entertainment’s Rotwood launched into early access last Friday and garnered quite a strong reception, with over 200,000 players. However, there were multiple complaints regarding its difficulties (known as enemies) and certain enemies. Patch [605165] went live recently to adjust these but also added a Rotwood Public group for players to match with.