2025’s massive month of gaming news, ahead of Summer Game Fest and other presentations like it, began in earnest today with Epic Games’ State of Unreal event, and it brought the big guns. CD Projekt Red was on hand to show off some footage ofThe Witcher 4, and dang, it’s looking pretty unreal. Devs took the stage to show off what was basically a playable tech demo, but it’s enough to get real excited about....

So long, Denuvo Sega is continuing totighten up the PC version ofYakuza 0, a wonderfully weird and charming game that’ll consume your life. I don’t think I’ll ever care to revisitYakuza 0— once on PS4 was enough, and I still have multiple sequels to see through — but if my mind does change, I’m definitely double dipping on PC. This port should look more and more tempting to anyone considering starting the series....

Earlier today we unveiled the biggest virtual reality headset on the market,Destructoid Cockeyes, but a few experts and taste-makers have already had their hands on and heads in it. A highlight among the glowing reviews came from Lucas, professional gamer upset in 1989 by an unknown contender using what many suspect was insider information on a previously unreleased game. Of the VR headset, Lucas extolled: “Bad” doesn’t even begin to describe it....

Release dates finally confirmed [Update: The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog has released a statement regarding the recent plot leaks on its official Twitter. To avoid the possibility of encountering spoilers in said tweet channel, the statement has been reprinted below.] Original Story: Sony Interactive Entertainment has confirmed release dates for two of its biggest upcoming PS4 releases. Naughty Dog’s long-awaited sequelThe Last of Us Part IIwill launch on June 19, while Sucker Punch Productions’Ghost of Tsushimawill follow on July 17....

Most anime fans have a long list of anime that they’ve watched, falling in love with the characters or settings along the way. If you’ve ever looked into the origin of your favorites, you may have come across some that are adapted from light novels. I love anime, and I love reading, so light novels are a natural stepping stone for me. I’ve spent hours in comic book shops perusing the light novel shelves, and most of my anime choices have actually been introduced to me via the light novels I’ve purchased over the years....

Hold onto your carts The Analogue Pocket, a new machine that can play a breadth of portable games, is delaying shipments due to a shortage of necessary components. Analogueconfirmed in an announcementthat the current global state of affairs has created supply chain challenges outside the company’s control. The new shipping window for the Pocket is set for Oct. 2021. “There have been sudden and severe electrical component shortages as well as logistical issues leading to a domino effect of challenges for nearly everyone in the industry,” the blog says....

And a GHOST DOG! I’ll happily get down with more games that draw fromGhouls ‘n Goblinsand this new one,Battle Princess Madelyn, has a few extra niceties going for it. Besides looking and sounding the part, there’s the range of targeted platforms — PC, PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch — and the joyous fact that the heroine has a ghost dog sidekick to help her get to otherwise out-of-reach areas....

Offer valid until Tuesday Electronic Arts’On the Houseprogram for Origin lets users download free games for a limited time and keep them. It is obviously a way to get the service installed on more computers, and it’s EA so some people are going to complain about that, but I’m a fan of the promotion. Past titles have includedDead SpaceandPlants vs. Zombies. Right now, through June 3, it’sBattlefield 3. Go crash some jets, for me....

It’s like GTA of the sea I enjoyed my time withManeaterfar more than I had any right to. For what is essentially a shark simulator (or a “shaRkPG,” as Tripwire calls it), there was a surprising amount of balance between the calm and the ridiculous. At some points it felt likeOdell Down Under, where my only goal was to eat and to avoid being eaten,and at other points, Chris Parnell from SNL was narrating as I set boats on fire and unrelentingly tail-whipped beach-goers into bloodied pieces....

If you played it, you’ll get at least one reward AFallout 76battle royale? Sure! I meanFallout 76threw a lot of stuff at the wall to see what sticks, and apparently this fell to the floor. As Bethesda announced a few months back, Nuclear Winter, the aforementionedFallout 76battle royale mode,is going bye bye very soon in September. It’s part of a mass exodus of sorts from the battle royale craze, as tons of companies try and compete with each other will full-on battle royale games, or modes within existing titles (like this one!...

An important distinction to celebrate There’s something to be said about the excitement surroundingBlack Panther. That it’s profoundly impacted so many people, particularly black people, to see the world of Marvel’sBlack Panthercomic books adapted for the big screen is considered an affront to some individuals whose existence, both in fiction and reality, is routinely reaffirmed and so they feel entitled to what they take for granted. I can’t put a number on the umpteenth occasions fans ofStar Wars,Star Trek,Harry Potter,Lord of the Rings, other Marvel and DC films, and various video games and anime series have congregated before a convention or cineplex cosplaying as their favorite characters, brandishing weapons, tools, jewelry, and other paraphernalia that is true to some fictional work or another but indisputably inspired by historical illustrations of European attire and technology (yes, even most anime)....

At the end of recording every episode we pick a title which is based on some of the dumb stuff we say. While arguing over what to call this episode I discovered the greatest website of all time –Angel does stuffwhich became the inspiration for this week. On Episode 13 the cast once again talk about what games they have been playing — except I’ve done nothing but read theGame of Thronesbooks — and we talk about the loss of jobs from Future Publishing, who are behind some of the UK’s finest gaming magazines....

The most reliable discounts year after year I can go years and years without a single video game Black Friday sale grabbing me. Sometimes it’s a bunch of games I’m not interested in anymore, even if they’re steeply discounted. Sometimes it’s a bunch of games I was never interested in in the first place. Here’s something I ensure to do every Black Friday, though: I buy a new controller. Sales on controllers come around literally every Black Friday, and they’re almost always the exact same — usually about $20 off the normal retail price....