The post Limited-Time Charity Humble Bundle Features 8 Xbox Game Studios Games; Proceeds Benefit Gameheads appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Author: Game Infliction
Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 514: 33 and a Third
Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com!
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here
Hey, everybody! Sid, Tim, and I are back this week to discuss the new Grand Theft Auto VI trailer, explore how Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 innovates on the turn-based RPG formula, and the ways Doom: The Dark Ages goes medieval.
Stuff We Talked About
- Next week’s release highlights:
- Labyrinth of the Demon King | PS5, PS4
- Palia | PS5
- Smash Drums | PS VR2
- Doom: The Dark Ages | PS5
- Capcom Fighting Collection 2 | PS4
- Destiny 2 — Two new expansions: The Edge of Fate (July 15) and Renegades (Dec 2)
- Elden Ring Nightreign — FromSoftware details the classes and deep dives into combat
- Death Stranding 2: On The Beach — Hands-on report and Hideo Kojima interview
- Helldivers 2 — A fresh look at the regal Masters of Ceremony Premium Warbond
- Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 — Scope out nine fresh skate parks
The Cast
Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE
O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE
Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music.
[Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]
Grab Every Mainline XCOM Game for $10 at Humble Bundle
XCOM is one of the most beloved strategy game series of all time, with many entries since the first game’s release in 1994. Right now, you can take home every single mainline XCOM game on Steam for just $10. This includes the mainline games from the 1990s and the rebooted series from 2012 onwards. With over 15,000 bundles already sold, don’t miss your chance to secure to entire XCOM collection for only $10 (if purchased separately at MSRP, the total would be $269).
XCOM Complete Bundle for May 2025
- XCOM: Chimera Squad
- XCOM 2
- The Bureau: XCOM Declassified
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown
- X-COM: Enforcer
- X-COM: Interceptor
- X-COM: Apocalypse
- X-COM: Terror From the Deep
- X-COM: UFO Defense
These games are sent as Steam codes, which are yours to keep forever. You can play them on a desktop, laptop, Steam Deck, or even send them to a friend if you already have the game or want to gift one! In addition to the above games, you will also gain access to all major XCOM 2 DLC, including XCOM 2: War of the Chosen.
The XCOM Complete Bundle supports the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Founded in 2000, the MJFF is aimed at supporting those with Parkinson’s diseases and finding a cure for it. To this day, no cure is available for Parkinson’s, despite over six million people affected around the world. Each bundle purchase will help contribute toward the fight for a cure.
More Game Bundles Available Right Now:
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
The Biggest Pokémon Card Crashers And Climbers This Week – May 9
Another week, another hectic shift in the Pokémon single card market whilst trainers are waiting for Destined Rivals to drop. At least the Black Bolt and White Flare Pokémon Center preorders avoided a hostile bot takeover this time around.
The most dramatic crash this week is Greninja ex 214/167, crashing by nearly half when compared the the start of this year. We’re also seeing some nice price drops across Obsidian Flames and the elusive 151 expansions. Meanwhile, Dragonite V from Evolving Skies is doing the opposite, nearly doubling in value compared to the start of this year, and the artwork alone always made this card undervalued.
Charizard V Alt Art is also a banger, depicting a Pokémon battle against Venusaur whilst slowly climbing up in value. But Rayquazza VMAX Alt Art is quite literally soaring high, scoring an extra $100 in value since the start of this year. Let’s dig into all the rest of the biggest Pokémon TCG climbers and crashers of the week.
Pokémon Card Crashes
Whilst we’re finally seeing a noticeable climb in Sword and Shield era Pokémon Cards, Scarlet and Violet series cards are settling back down into the realm of reality for the most part.
Alakazam ex SIR from 151 is a georgous card, and it’s 34% lower in price than the beggining of March. There’s absolutley no reason for not having Uri Gellars Grandad claiming a spot in your binder this year.
Bulbasaur was my first starter Pokémon when I first loaded up Pokémon Blue way back when, so this Bulbasaur IR has a special place in my heart. This card has dropped by a massive 52% since mid-March, so there’s no reason to not catch this beautiful card.
Moving onto Obsidian Flames, Ninetales IR has always been one of the best cards of the set. If you agree then it’s time to snap this card up seeing as it’s crashed by 40% from Feburary so a reasonable $18.17.
People can complain about Obsidian Flames all they want, but it’s Charizard ex SIR so cool. Rocking a stained glass look in it’s Tera form, it’s a show stopper for sure. Granted it’s not come down too much since March, but $5 less is $5 saved.
Finally the biggest crasher this month is Greninja ex SIR, which at one point was set to become the most expensive Scarlet and Violet era card. Then Prismatic Evolutions came along and took the FOMO up 10 notches. It’s still a class card that’s holding it’s weight at $275, but imagine reading this and paying $411.62 at the end of Feburary. Oh dear.
Pokémon Card Climbers
Moving onto this weeks climbers, Rayquazza VMAX alt art is one of the main grails of the Sword and Shield era. It was already a $500+ card, but at $649.99 it shows no signs of slowing down. This could arguably hit the $1,000 mark in a few years, so i’d get one fi you can afford it.
There can’t be enough Kanto love in my book, and Charizard V Alt Art smashes it out of the park with this Venusaur battle. The angle is great and it feels like a moving card instead of a static body shot so many Pokémon cards are guilty of (Looking at you, WotC era). It’s earned another $40 since January, and there’s no reason why this card can’t get over $200 before the year is out.
Dragonite V Alt Art is one of the highlights of Evolving Skies. It’s a fan favorite Pokémon that can look cute as hell or ready to rip another mon’s face off. It’s a full package that looks nothing like it’s pre evolutions, but that’s ok because it’s Dragonite.
It’s cute side comes out in this artwork, and that’s exactly why it’s nearly doubled in value since the middle of January. It’s now rocking a solid $225, so make sure to grab yours before it flies any higher. Did you catch last week’s article? There are some bangers on there too.
Pokémon Card Sealed Boosters
If you’ve dedicated your life to pulling chase cards yourself, here’s what we can find in stock right now. Just watch out for pricing over MSRP, we’re in a wierd spot as Pokémon trainers right now, so don’t pay more than what you have too.
Here’s the Pokémon TCG full Release Schedule so far for this year too so you don’t miss anything. Buying singles is the cheapest way to collect right now, but don’t feel like you have to “Catch Em’ All!”.
Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.
Haneda Girl is a furiously retro breach-and-clear murderbox starring one girl and her mecha
The tastiest thing you can currently do in Haneda Girl is eject yourself from your mech straight into a streaking katana blow that carries you though a door and two torsos before teleport-summoning your mech as though inflating a lifejacket to gun down three other mooks in a giddy gout of purple gore. OK, that’s more than one thing. It is, according to local experts, a combo. What are combos good for? Score multipliers, that’s what. Here is a trailer. Ware the techno.
Overwatch 2 Is Getting a Street Fighter 6 Crossover Event and Fans Have Thoughts About The Skin Choices
There have been some truly inspired collabs in gaming, but I never saw this one coming: Overwatch 2 is getting a Street Fighter 6 crossover event.
As revealed on X/Twitter — and leaked a few days ago by PlayStation Network — the event goes live on May 20, “taking your fighting skills to the next level when the legendary characters from Street Fighter 6 square off in Overwatch 2,” letting Overwatch fans “discover the martial artist in you.”
Though the teaser isn’t very long, it does give us a peek at the characters getting a fresh skin for the collab, including Zenyatta as Dhalsim, Winston as Blanka, Sigma as M. Bison, Hanzo as Ryu, Juno as the inimitable Chun Li, and Soldier: 76 as Guile. We also get to see Chun Li kick the crap out of a truck — never a bad thing — and some more familiar faces sure to make both Overwatch and Street Fighter fans very, very happy.
“Soldier 76 as Guile is sending me,” laughed one commenter, whereas another simply said: “Genuinely such a stacked collab.”
“A COLLAB WITH TWO OF MY FAVORITE FRANCHISES?!?” cried this player. “THIS HAS TO BE [Overwatch’s] BEST ONE YET!”
Not everyone is convinced, though, with some players questioning the skin choices.
“Glad to see Winston and Sig get anything, but not having any SF6 original characters in a SF6 collab feels weak,” suggested this commenter. “Manon was right there for Widow. Marisa Zarya. Jamie Weaver. Doomfist also should have probably been a lock for this, he’s the best character that fits the theme.”
“Genuine question. Juri is literally a spider — why is she not Widowmaker lol?” asked this player.
And if there was any doubt that developers do listen to their communities, sometimes it’s worth trying to manifest these things — this fan mocked up a Street Fighter x Overwatch crossover two years ago, and this one, also posted two years ago, took a stab at what “easy” crossover outfits could be available. (This fan really, really wants a Resident Evil crossover next.)
Last week, Blizzard unveiled its Overwatch 2 Stadium roadmap for 2025, teasing some of the heroes and features it plans to add in Season 17, Season 18, Season 19, and beyond.
Overwatch 2 brought Stadium to players when Season 16 launched at the end of April. It’s part of Blizzard’s ongoing initiative to reinvigorate the Overwatch 2 player base, which began with an all-encompassing Spotlight presentation in February. It’s led to the return of loot boxes and an improved Steam rating as players celebrate what some feel is the best Overwatch experience fans have seen in years.
Vikki Blake is a reporter, critic, columnist, and consultant. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Former Metro studio’s new cyberpunk shooter La Quimera has a rough landing in early access
Sci-fi FPS La Quimera is the first game from Reburn, a new incarnation of Metro co-developers 4A Games Ukraine. It’s out now in early access. That last bit is a surprise: the developers had planned to release the new shooter as “a large, complete journey”, but had to make “certain pivots” in the face of resource constraints, technical complications and, presumably, the broad impacts of living in a warzone. This led to a launch delay last week and then, the abrupt announcement that La Quimera would start out as an early access project.
Feature: “We’re Very Confident” – CD Projekt Red On Delivering The Full Cyberpunk 2077 Experience On Switch 2
“Nintendo was very supportive”.
When Cyberpunk 2077 first launched back in 2020, it had more than its fair share of issues. Nevertheless, largely thanks to CD Projekt Red’s excellent Witcher 3 port, there was a part of us that thought, “Man, it would be great to play this on a Switch one day.” This feeling only strengthened as time went on and the developer managed to iron out the game’s issues, resulting in an open-world experience like no other.
Truth be told, none of us really thought it would actually happen, though. So when game director Adam Badowski showed up during the Switch 2 Direct and the penny dropped, so too did our jaws. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition is heading to Switch 2 on day one on 5th June 2025. Incredible!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The Real-World Inspirations Behind Spirit of the North 2, Available Now
Summary
- Spirit of the North 2 is out now for Xbox Series X|S
- Lead Developer Tayler Christensen explores finding inspiration for the sequel and bringing more of the game’s vision to the world.
- The prequel, Spirit of the North, is available on Game Pass.
Today is the day I’ve been looking forward to for five years, the release day of our second game, Spirit of the North 2. To celebrate its launch, I’d love to share the story behind how (and why) we made this game.
A Vast World, A Tiny Hero
Back in 2016, I was at a crossroads. I was an architecture graduate training in 3D environment art, but I was also working as a general manager for an ice sculpting company. I’d always enjoyed creating spaces for people to enjoy, and that remained true through all my work. But how could my expertise in snow, ice, and environments be brought to life in a video game?
The answer came during a holiday in Reykjavík, Iceland.
The Fox Leads The Way
Iceland’s landscapes stunned me: volcanic rock fields, glacial lagoons, geothermal pools, and basalt columns that looked designed by nature. Everywhere I turned, I had the inspiration I was looking for. Stone became sentinels guarding secret passageways. Geysers became dynamic obstacles. The glaciers became slides with hidden chambers lost to time. Even the folklore seeped into my imagination, especially when I later discovered a book about Tulikettu.
The Tulikettu is what the Finnish call a fox whose tail sparks in the air, sending flames to float to the sky and form the Northern Lights, (Or The Revontulet, the ‘Fox Fires’ as the Finnish call them). This enigmatic little creature encapsulated the essence of awe, something I felt in these nordic landscapes. The idea of an Aurora touched fox that roams the lands, healing spirits and being this guardian of nordic culture was the perfect tug on all of the threads, on all of these ideas, to bring everything together.
Story and Allure
Spirit of the North grew from those artifacts: a fox’s adventure through scarred landscapes, where players uncover stories of war, lost spirituality, and environmental ruin, not through dialogue, but through exploration. The sequel expands this vision, with richer lore, deeper mysteries, and guardians like the sorrowful Stag and the brooding Raven, each hiding tales of their own.
Spirit of the North is far more than a game to me. Its world is an extension of myself, my team, and encapsulates everything that inspires and uplifts us. We hope that it’s story, music, and environment create wonderment for you. Thank you always. Spirit of the North 2 is available now on Xbox Series X|S.
Spirit of the North 2
Silver Lining Interactive
$29.99
$25.49
Embrace the Aurora, Save the Guardians.
In an ancient world left in ruin, embark on the journey of an isolated fox far from home. With the help of a wise Raven companion, seek out the lost legendary guardians and release them from the grasp of the dark shaman Grimnir.
A VAST OPEN WORLD
Roam freely through a vast and ancient open world, rich with long-forgotten history. Explore unique and visually captivating biomes, each with its own challenges and secrets to uncover.
SEEK OUT POWERFUL RUNES
Discover potent runes that enhance your abilities as your quest takes you from dense forests, through snow-capped peaks and to dark & ancient crypts to save the lost guardians.
EXTENSIVE CUSTOMIZATION
Tailor your fox’s appearance and skills to suit your playstyle, making each playthrough unique.
ANCIENT GUARDIANS
Face off against formidable foes as you save the legendary guardian beasts in thrilling, puzzle-based encounters.
The post The Real-World Inspirations Behind Spirit of the North 2, Available Now appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Share of the Week: Days Gone Remastered – Deacon
Last week, we asked you to share portraits of Deacon St. John from Days Gone Remastered using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights:
Evo_Pixel shares Deacon standing holding a shotgun
MdeavorVP shares a side profile of Deacon with a red light flare
blackcatvp Deacon seated on his motorcycle
robsbakk shares Deacon wielding a shotgun in the rain
calisarah1998 shares a shadowy portrait of Deacon and a bear
TheNotoriousGKE shares a hyper closeup of Deacon at the lookout with Boozer
Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week?
THEME: Days Gone Remastered – Landscapes
SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on May 14, 2025
Next week, we’re taking in the sights of Days Gone Remastered. Share broken down and nature-filled landscapes using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.