PC Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 are due for release in 2024 according to Sony.Silent Hill 2 was originally released in 2001 on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC before a remake was confirmed by Konami in October 2022. Since then though, updates have been scarce with Bloober Team asking for “patience” in November.

Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy 14 has been revealed, showing off the new Pictomancer class.Dawntrail is due out summer 2024 and brings two new jobs to Final Fantasy 14. The first, Viper, was confirmed back in October with the second being unveiled over the weekend at the official fan festival in Tokyo.Pictomancer allows players to use ranged, magical attacks via a paintbrush and paint palette.

Escape From Tarkov developer Battlestate Games has confirmed that snow, which was added as part of the game’s temporary Christmas event, could become a regular fixture in the hardcore shooter.Along with the return of Christmas trees and an in-raid Santa Claus that hands out gifts, Escape From Tarkov‘s December update also blanketed each of the game’s maps in snow.While the shift in weather was presumably designed as a seasonal event, Battlestate Games COO Nikita Buyanov has teased that players could be seeing it more often thanks to its popularity.“Sooo, you like snow, right,” asked Buyanov in this Reddit post. “Vote up! We are thinking about [keeping] it and add as [a] weather event.”The idea has been met with enthusiasm from Tarkov‘s community – Buyanov’s post racked up over 2000 upvotes within three hours of being posted, along with tens of replies approving the change.However, it remains to be seen whether snow would work the same as rain and fog – which can appear in raids year-round – or be one of Tarkov‘s rarer events.Elsewhere, Buyanov added that Battlestate Games is “aware of issues” within the game, though asked for fans’ patience.

Ready Player One author Ernest Cline has teamed up with AI tech company Futureverse for a new “multi-IP” experience, similar to Fortnite.Announced late last night (January 4), Readyverse Studios has been set-up by Futureverse co-founders Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald alongside Cline and the producer of the Ready Player One film, Dan Farah.The first release from Readyverse Studios is set to be the Readyverse, which is due for launch later this year. According to a press release, The Readyverse is a “a dynamic interactive platform of interconnected digital experiences,” with many fans comparing it to Fortnite.Readyverse Studios has already confirmed a partnership with Warner Bros.

Escape From Tarkov wipe has proved a hit with fans, thanks to a massive patch that brought everything from a new map to major recoil changes.Released last month (December 27), Escape From Tarkov patch 0.14 was introduced with a wipe – meaning every player had their quests, progress and inventories reset.The update introduced Ground Zero, a claustrophobic urban map designed for new players, along with a new boss enemy called Kollontay on the Streets Of Tarkov map. It also added several new guns, a rework to the Shoreline map, achievements, an in-depth armour plating system, and the ability to climb and vault over obstacles.However, one of the most popular changes has been a long-awaited recoil rework, which makes it easier for players to fire their weapons without battling high recoil.“The recoil mechanic has been improved to make it more realistic and comfortable for players,” wrote developer Battlestate Games in the latest patch notes.

Islands Of Insight launching next month, NME caught up with game director Elyot Grant to learn about the title’s unusual approach to its genre.Islands Of Insight will task players with completing puzzle-based quests and learning what happened to the game’s universe – which looks more like the setting of a role-playing adventure than a traditional puzzle game.“To us, puzzles can be beautiful, even awe-inspiring, and we feel that the otherworldly fantasy theme aligns with that much better than cartoonish graphics or simpler environments,” explained Elyot Grant, game director and CEO at developer Lunarch Studios.“We aspired to create something a lot more impactful, where the beauty of the environment would add a sense of richness and wonder to the gameplay,” they added. “We also saw a huge number of fantasy-themed games – action-adventures, RPGs – that featured puzzles, but typically as a side dish rather than the main course.

THQ Nordic has confirmed the release date for South Park: Snow Day via a new trailer.South Park: Snow Day was first teased back in 2022 and properly announced during the 2023 THQ showcase. The co-op multiplayer will see players take charge of a team of new kids who must join in the battle between Stan, Kyle and Cartman.

Epic Games Store has changed its own rules to allow blockchain games to be sold on the platform.Epic Games Store had a blanket ban on all Adults Only titles, but it has recently adjusted its own rules to allow blockchain games.As it stands, all games based on blockchain technology or utilising NFTs are rated Adults Only by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) because of how they offer rewards that can be converted into real-world currency.“Products with Adults Only ratings cannot be distributed on Epic Games Store [which also] treats unrated products as having a mature (18+) rating,” said the store’s rules but earlier this week, an amendment was added.

War Thunder user has shared sensitive military documents on the official forums again.War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat multiplayer game, developed by Gaijin Entertainment. It was released back in 2013 but still has a hugely loyal and dedicated following.However, sometimes users will criticise how certain real-world vehicles or weapons are portrayed in the game, using official documents to back up their arguments.

Ubisoft has launched a new update for Assassin’s Creed Mirage, bringing New Game Plus mode to the action adventure game.Update 1.0.6 went live today (December 12) and introduces New Game Plus mode to Assassin’s Creed Mirage. “Upon completing the main story on any difficulty, start a new game while keeping all collected skills and gear/costumes from your first playthrough,” reads the patch notes.Players will also be able to start New Game Plus playthrough via the title screen or pause menu, as well as being able to skip the prologue and start directly in Baghdad.Starting a New Game Plus playthrough will also unlock Bayek’s Medjay outfit from Assassin’s Creed Origins.

Remedy Entertainment have released a new update for Alan Wake 2, featuring a new ending alongside various improvements.The 1.0.13 update went live yesterday (December 12) and brings the New Game Plus mode to Alan Wake 2, after it was teased last week. Players will need to have completed Alan Wake 2′s main storyline before accessing the New Game Plus mode, which allows them previously unlocked and upgraded weapons for subsequent playthroughs.

The Day Before developer Fntastic has announced a sudden shut down, just four days after the game entered early access.In a statement shared on social media, the studio said that The Day Before had “failed financially” with the developer “lacking the funds” to continue.The Day Before was originally due for release in June 2022, before being delayed until March 1, 2023. At the start of the year, Fntastic revealed that The Day Before would be delayed by eight months after the studio failed to trademark the game’s name.

Interior Night CEO Caroline Marchal has told NME why narrative drama As Dusk Falls will be a good fit for PlayStation fans when it launches for PS4 and PS5 next year.As announced during The Game Awards on Friday (December 8), As Dusk Falls will launch on March 7, 2024, for both PS4 and PS5. Additionally, the game will be coming to PC storefronts GOG and the Epic Games Store on the same day.The crime drama will also be getting some new features, including support for haptic feedback, touchpad controls, and an audio description accessibility setting that will be available on all platforms.Originally launched for Xbox and PC in 2022, As Dusk Falls is a branching narrative that lets players choose how a motel robbery unfolds for those involved.

Steam release The Day Before has launched to over 10,000 negative reviews decrying the quality of the game.The Day Before launched on December 7 following a series of delays. Throughout the pre-release period, the title has been accused of being an asset flip, with developer Fntastic disputing these claims.“Please don’t accuse us of asset flip; that’s not true also.

Skull & Bones has received yet another release date at The Game Awards 2023. It’s the game’s sixth planned launch following a series of delays.Skull & Bones is set to release on February 16 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Pine Hearts nears launch, NME sat down with Scottish developer Hyper Luminal Games to discuss the game’s accessibility support, themes of loss, and “Souls-like level design”.An isometric adventure game set in Pine Hearts Caravan Park, Pine Hearts follows protagonist Tyke as they fill out their hillwalking journal, solve puzzles, and reminisce on their childhood memories of the area.Speaking to NME, creative director Rob Madden shared that Pine Hearts was made following the loss of his father, who passed away from cancer in 2019.“I wanted to make a game about that experience, but it was important that the game told this story in a positive and hopeful way, and didn’t dwell too long on the actual component of loss,” shared Madden. “I think we’ve managed to strike a nice balance between those things in the game.”Besides Madden’s own experiences, Pine Hearts also draws on the likes of The Legend Of Zelda and FromSoftware‘s Dark Souls series for inspiration – the former for its puzzles, the latter for their interconnected areas and levels.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has been released on Xbox Series X|S. The hit fantasy game was surprise dropped last night (December 7) during The Game Awards 2023.Baldur’s Gate 3, which is based on the long-running tabletop role-playing game (RPG) Dungeons & Dragons, was released on PC back in August, with a PlayStation version following in September.

Destiny 2 developer Bungie is facing a full takeover by Sony, according to a new report, leaving employees worried about the studio’s future.Sony already owns Bungie, but the developer retains some autonomy. In a statement issued when the acquisition process started in January 2022, Bungie said “we remain in charge of our destiny.

Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios has revealed the most-romanced character in the game, along with several other interesting statistics about the title.According to Larian, Shadowheart has proven to be the most popular romantic interest among fans, with 51.3 per cent of players reaching the end of her romance path, with Karlach and Lae’zel taking the number two and three slots respectively.1.3million players have completed the game so far, with 94 per cent of players creating a custom character instead of choosing from the available origin characters. Speaking of origin characters, people who did choose to play as one of the pre-created characters chose to play as Gale, with Astarion closely following as the number two choice.The least played as origin character was Lae’zel, with only 228,960 people choosing to play as her, which is almost half of the number that chose to play as Gale.In terms of total playtime, Larian has confirmed that around 452,556,984 hours have been spent in the game, or the equivalent of over 51,662 years.

The Day Before developer Fntastic has issued an apology ahead of the early access release of the title.Though The Day Before is set to launch this week (December 7), the run-up has been plagued with allegations of plagiarism, trademark disputes and unpaid volunteers.The apology was directed at both people who are looking forward to the game and people who aren’t, with Fntastic writing to people who “didn’t believe in us” that they “accept any kind of criticism and don’t hold a grudge”.The developer also asked that people “don’t accuse us of scamming” and also not to “accuse us of asset flip: that’s not true also. Our team worked day and night for five years to make our dream game a reality”.“Please don’t underestimate our work; it wasn’t easy,” Fntastic wrote.

Fortnite has confirmed The Weeknd as the first headlining act for its new Festival game more.According to a press release, Fortnite Festival will be the first entirely music-focused mode to be introduced to the immensely popular battle royale game. While Fortnite itself is developed by Epic Games, the Festival game mode is being developed by Harmonix – the studio behind the Rock Band video game franchise.

Remedy Entertainment has seemingly confirmed a new Game Plus mode for Alan Wake 2, via a not-so-subtle teaser on social media.Over the weekend, Remedy shared an image of Alan Wake exploring an abandoned building with his torch illuminating a message that reads “New Game +”. The image came alongside a message that said “new month, new game… plus?,” leading fans to assume the update will be released by the end of 2023.Alan Wake 2 was released at the end of October as a sequel to 2010’s original.

Elden Ring, Shadows of the Erdtree, likely won’t be previewed next week at the The Game Awards 2023.Speaking to Japanese publication Game Watch (with a translation provided by PCGamesN) at the PlayStation Partners Awards, producer Yasuhiro Kitao was asked whether the long-anticipated Elden Ring DLC will be unveiled at next week’s annual industry bash.Kitao replied, stating “It’ll be a little while yet, but progress is going well.” He then went on to specify that the DLC is “like Bloodborne” and that it has “new battles and new characters.”Kitao also spoke a little on FromSoftware’s development process, stating that its “long-standing stance has been to work diligently to create something interesting and valuable.”Elden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree was officially announced in February of this year, with no real details available other than that the DLC is in development. Fans were hoping to see details from the expansion at The Game Awards 2023, as it was also a Geoff Keighley-hosted show, Summer Game Fest 2021, in which we saw a lengthy look at the base game, but that’s looking increasingly less likely as the event approaches.NME‘s review of Elden Ring stated that the game “exceeds every expectation”, with writer Andy Brown noting that:“A refined open-world format adds unimagined wonder to the game, whilst legacy dungeons will likely go down as some of FromSoftware’s best level design.

Fortnite skin has been readded to the game ahead of the upcoming Big Bang event.The original Black Widow skin has returned to Fortnite in a shock return, with this being the first time that the skin has been available in-game since Avengers: Endgame was released in 2019. In addition to this, Black Widow’s emote has also returned to the game.Popular Fortnite account ShiinaBR posted the news on X (formerly Twitter), simply writing “OG BLACK WIDOW HAS RETURNED OMG.”Another X account, Ali-A, noted that the skin has been away from Fortnite for a total of 1,668 days.It’s unclear if this is the first of several rare skins returning to the game, or if this is just a one-off, however.Recently, Fortnite revealed that Eminem is coming to the game during the upcoming Big Bang event, with a selection of skins currently available based on the rapper.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has received its fifth patch, fixing numerous issues and adding new content to the game in an update that weighs 30GB.The patch includes a new epilogue which adds almost 4,000 additional lines of dialogue and allows you to say goodbye to characters that you’ve found yourself bonding with throughout the massive RPG.In addition to this, the update has added two new difficulty modes: honor mode and custom mode. Honor mode is a harder version of the game, adding new moves to every boss fight and making it so that you can’t save scum (reload a past save to get a different result).

Baldur’s Gate 3 will receive Patch 5 later this week, with developer Larian Studios confirming that performance issues have been caused by crime.Baldur’s Gate 3 Patch 4 was released at the start of the month to a mixed response, with several people on the Baldur’s Gate 3 Reddit complaining about performance issues. One user noted that Act 3 was a “buggy mess” and was absolutely “unplayable”, with companions refusing to follow the player around, and conversations also lagging.Larian offered a statement to IGN explaining the reason that performance issues had been cropping up, stating that a fix in Patch 4 which would “prevent the Scrying Eyes in Moonrise Towers from immediately calling the guards on you” was behind the issue.According to the statement, the fix that the developer made caused the game to essentially always think about the crimes that you’ve committed “without ever moving on or verbalising them”, with players who are more prone to committing crimes in front of Scrying Eyes adding a massive amount of data to the behind the scenes of the game, which caused slowdown issues in Act 3.As Larian put it: “Essentially, the dungeon master becomes unable to operate.”In a five-star review by NME, Andy Brown called Baldur’s Gate 3 a “must-play fantasy”, with our writer stating that “the scope of Baldur’s Gate 3 should be impossible – but time and time again, it proves there’s no such thing.”The game launched in August to near-universal critical acclaim on PC, before launching on PS5 a month later.

Starfield has already vanished from many people’s collective consciousness, but Bethesda has begun defending the game from criticism in Steam reviews by replying to certain users.As spotted by YouTuber JuiceHead on X (formerly Twitter), Bethesda has started replying to Starfield reviews using the handles Bethesda_FalcoYamaoka and Bethesda_Kraken.In a reply to one review that criticised the number of loading screens in the game, a Bethesda developer wrote that “while there may be loading screens in between fast travelling, just consider the amount of data for the expansive gameplay that is procedurally generated to load flawlessly.”In a reply to another review, which called the game “wide as an ocean- shallow as a puddle”, the same developer wrote that “if you feel that things are getting boring, there is so much more to do than just the main mission! There are many side missions where you can learn more about the people and story of Starfield.”There’s currently no word from Bethesda as to why they’ve suddenly decided to reply to Steam reviews, however.Starfield launched in September of this year, releasing on the same day as the PS5 version of Baldur’s Gate 3, to fairly positive reviews. The game is currently sitting at 83 on Metacritic, with an 85 on Opencritic.NME’s own review of Starfield was positive, writing that “Starfield promises so much, but comes up short of perfection.

Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate is free to keep for the next week from the Ubisoft store.The game is free to own until December 6, with the only prerequisites being that you have a Ubisoft Connect account and the Ubisoft store installed.Players can also only redeem the game on PC, with the Ubisoft Connect launcher not available on Xbox or PlayStation.Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate launched back in 2015 and has a Metascore of 74 on Metacritic, with a 76% rating on OpenCritic.The title revolves around a pair of twins, Evie and Jacob Frye, who are raised as Assassins and decide to free London from the villainous templars.

Marvel Snap publisher down, the official X (formerly Twitter) account for the game has reassured fans not to worry about the future of the popular digital card game.A report from Reuters states that ByteDance, which also owns the popular social media platform TikTok, is looking to “wind down its Nuverse gaming brand and retreat from mainstream video games”, with the decision likely to impact “hundreds of employees”.According to sources that have spoken to the outlet, the company will look to tell its employees to “stop working on unreleased games by December”, before looking for ways to “divest from titles already launched.”While both the aforementioned Reuters report and the statement offered by ByteDance don’t mention layoffs, a separate report from TechCrunch suggests that a round of mass layoffs started “on Monday”, with many members of the development team still “anxiously awaiting a verdict on their future.”The official Marvel Snap X account offered a statement on the matter yesterday.“Some of our players have expressed their concerns regarding reported structural changes at Nuverse,” the post read.“We wish to thank you for your concern and assure you that regardless of any changes at Nuverse, SNAP will continue to operate and flourish in the future!”NME writer Jake Tucker reviewed Marvel Snap last year, calling the game an “essential play”, explaining that: “It won’t turn every player into a card shark, but it’s bound to win fans in unusual places, and with a low barrier to entry you’re really only hurting yourself if you don’t give it a go”Elsewhere in gaming, Cult of the Lamb has denied that an update adding sex to the game is coming with the newly announced Sins of the Flesh update.

Quake players in the world has confirmed Elon Musk’s claims that he once played with the game’s top-level competitors, though he “wasn’t very good”.In a podcast with computer scientist Lex Fridman, Elon Musk stated that he has a “lifetime of playing video games”. Musk then said that “at one point I was, you know, maybe one of the best Quake players in the world”, and mentioned that he “actually won money” in “the first paid esports tournament in the US.”Posters on X (formerly Twitter) doubted the claim, with many questioning whether Musk was simply trying to brag.