2023-07

Emile Morel, the creative director of Ubisoft's in-development Beyond Good and Evil 2, died yesterday at 40, it's been confirmed.  IGN first reported the announcement yesterday after spotting tributes to Morel on LinkedIn. Ubisoft Montpellier, the primary Ubisoft studio leading development on Beyond Good and Evil 2, then released a statement about Morel's passing on LinkedIn as well:  "It is with a heavy heart that we share the sudden passing of our friend and colleague Emile Morel. We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and teammates all over the world. We would like to take a moment to acknowledge the significant impact he made over the years on different games that make up the rich history of our studio. For us, Emile was a close friend and a boundless source of positive energy. We all valued his passion and the...

Diablo IV’s first season kicks off on July 20, and it’s called Season of the Malignant. Blizzard revealed a new trailer along with details of the content update in a livestream today.  Season of the Malignant introduces a new questline set after the main campaign in which Malignant Monsters, born from Lilith’s corruption, are terrorizing Sanctuary. It’s up to you and a former priest named Cormond to locate and eradicate the source of this blight.  Killing these creatures lets players harness their corrupted hearts to transform into new powers. Up to 30 new Malignant abilities are borne from these monsters, and this power can be imbued into Rings and Amulets. This update also introduces a new boss in the form of Varshan the Consumed. Players can also earn six new Unique items and seven Legendary aspects. Additionally, you can gain...

Nintendo has released a new trailer for Wave 5 of its Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pass, revealing eight more tracks joining the game alongside new additional racers.  Wave 5 hits the game next week on July 12 and comes included with the Booster Course Pass, which costs $24.99, and as part of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscriptions. Here are the tracks coming to the game in Wave 5: Athens Dash (Mario Kart Tour) Daisy Cruiser (Mario Kart Double Dash) Moonview Highway (Mario Kart Wii) Squeaky Clean Sprint (brand new Mario Kart 8 Deluxe track) Los Angeles Laps (Mario Kart Tour) Sunset Wilds (Mario Kart Super Circuit) Koopa Cape (Mario Kart Wii) Vancouver Velocity (Mario Kart Tour) You can check out all eight of these tracks in action in the Wave 5 trailer below:  Wave 5...

In 2020, we learned that Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill, had opened Bokeh Game Studio to develop a new horror game. The following year, at The Game Awards 2021, Bokeh revealed Slitterhead. Thanks to a new development diary released today, we can peek at more early-development gameplay in action.  Most of the video focuses on the developers working on Slitterhead, with a particular look at user tests and gameplay feedback. However, sprinkled throughout the diary are new clips of Slitterhead, ranging from training room-esque encounters, some clips of a neon-lit Chinese city, and even a dog that appears to be playable.  Check it out for yourself:  As you can see in the small and often blurred snippets of Slitterhead gameplay, the studio's debut game continues to look grotesque. We see a character attack enemies using Wolverine-like claws, guns, and more....

NetherRealm has revealed two more playable fighters joining the Mortal Kombat 1 roster: Smoke and Rain.  These two returning characters were revealed as actual fighters on the roster – they still could be part of the Kameo roster, however – in a new gameplay trailer released today focused on the Lin Kuei faction. In it, we witness Scorpion and Sub-Zero's further attempts to establish this faction in Liu Kang's newly rebooted Mortal Kombat universe (hence the Mortal Kombat 1 title), where Smoke and Rain come into play.  Check these two fighters out in the Lin Kuei gameplay trailer below:  "With deep ties to Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Smoke has made the clan's mission his own and joins his Lin Kuei brethren in defense of Earthrealm," a press release reads. "The trailer also provides a first look at Rain, the High Mage of...

Blizzard has released the first episode of its new Overwatch 2 anime series, Genesis.  Today's episode is the first of three, and together, the series will focus on Omnic robots and how they went from human-made creations to what they are in the world of Overwatch 2. In Episode 1, Omnica Corp Scientists finally reveal the next generation of Omnics and it doesn't take long for them to ponder whether what they have done is good for society or the start of a new crisis.  Check out Episode 1 of Genesis: An Overwatch 2 Anime Series for yourself below:  While waiting for the next episode, read Game Informer's Overwatch 2 review and then check out our exclusive hands-on preview of the upcoming PvE story content hitting Overwatch 2 this August.  Editor's Note: The text of this article has been updated to...

Blizzard has released the first episode of its new Overwatch 2 miniseries, Genesis.  Today's episode is the first of three, and together, the series will focus on Omnic robots and how they went from human-made creations to what they are in the world of Overwatch 2. In Episode 1, Omnica Corp Scientists finally reveal the next generation of Omnics and it doesn't take long for them to ponder whether what they have done is good for society or the start of a new crisis.  Check out Episode 1 of Genesis: An Overwatch 2 Miniseries for yourself below:  While waiting for the next episode, read Game Informer's Overwatch 2 review and then check out our exclusive hands-on preview of the upcoming PvE story content hitting Overwatch 2 this August.  What do you think of Episode 1? Let us know in the comments...

Despite having pretty enjoyable gameplay, AEW: Fight Forever is woefully light on features and modes. That gets remedied a bit with the announcement that Stadium Stampede is hitting the game in an upcoming free update.  Stadium Stampede sees up to 30 wrestlers compete in a free-for-all inside a giant empty stadium. Like the real-life version, insanity is the name of the game, as players can assault each other using whatever is around them, whether it's chairs, tee shirt guns, Molotovs, golf carts, or even ride atop a horse. The last competitor standing wins, and the reveal trailer sells how much of a goofy mess it’s going to be (in a good way, hopefully).  Unfortunately, there's no release date for this update other than that it's coming soon. AEW: Fight Forever has other DLC heading its way in the form...

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Capcom has formally revealed the first fighter joining the Street Fighter 6 roster post-launch, and it's Rashid, a returning fighter who first appeared in Street Fighter 5.  Rashid hits the game on July 24, so there are still a few weeks to go until he's playable. All owners of the game's Deluxe Edition, Ultimate Edition, and Year 1 Character Pass can play as him. You can also play Rashid for up to one hour for free using a Rental Fighter ticket, which is obtainable in the in-game Fighting Pass.  Check out the Street Fighter 6 Rashid gameplay trailer below for a look at what to expect:  Rashid will be playable in all three of Street Fighter 6's modes: World Tour, where he'll be added to the story mode with unique moves for your custom avatar, the Fighting Ground as...