Call of Duty: Warzone Drops Back Into Verdansk With Limited Time Mode, Exclusive Rewards, and Black Ops 6 Free Trial

Activision, Treyarch, and Raven Software have detailed a special Return to Verdansk event and free trial period that will coincide with the launch of the original Call of Duty: Warzone map next week.

The team behind the current iteration of the massively popular military shooter battle royale experience shared everything players could ever want to know about Verdansk’s revival today. Included with a breakdown of all new and returning features, locations, modes, and more was a schedule for the Return to Verdansk event, which includes an ammo crate filled with rewards to earn from launch on April 3 to April 15.

Activision is calling its limited-time event a “celebration” of the return to the open-world map that started it all. It includes 12 unique zones to explore in Battle Royale and Plunder modes, each with safes to crack and exclusive rewards to obtain. Most goodies come in the form of loading screens, sprays, emotes, finishing moves, etc., but there is a rare chance that your hidden safe will grant access to an Operator skin completely unique to the Return to Verdansk event. Acquiring all 12 rewards also gifts players the freedom to use one of Modern Warfare 2019’s most infamous melee tools: the Kali Sticks.

Thankfully, if you’re the kind of player who can’t sink in the time to loot all 12 safes and try for that rare skin, you’ll be happy to know all players earn six free rewards simply for logging in. They are as follows: Kilo 141 (primary weapon), Domino (Warzone Operator), Mil-Sim USEF (Warzone Operator), Blue Legacy (Contrail for Verdansk Veterans), Coming Home (Parachute for Verdansk veterans), Like We Never Left (Gunscreen for Verdansk veterans).

Weapons Free

Call of Duty: Warzone’s return to Verdansk is more than just a simple retread. The OG map’s reintroduction marks a significant moment for longtime fans and Activision, so it makes sense that the publisher wants to see as many players get in on the fun as possible.

As Warzone launches into its most significant seasonal update in years, players will be allowed to access all Premium Black Ops 6 content for 24 hours starting on April 2 at 9:00 a.m. PT. That means unlimited access to Zombies and Multiplayer modes and a whole day to unlock a treasure trove of rewards that can be carried over to Warzone. It’s an access period that launches alongside Season 3 that same day, meaning all trial players can enjoy the full experience of the update at no extra cost.

The trade here is that Warzone will be down from April 2 – 3 as the team welcomes Verdansk in and sees Urzikstan out. Once the downtime ends, though, it’s back to Atlas Superstore, Stadium, Gora Dam, and more on console and PC for the first time since 2021. For more on all things Call of Duty, you can read up on how Activision is battling cheaters to help prepare for Verdansk’s return to Warzone.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Kung fu roguelike Forestrike feels like a Sifu demake in the best possible way

Quick reflexes and brute strength will only get you so far in the brawls of Forestrike. This Devolver-published rougelike of pixel art punishment was announced last summer and has been quietly meditating in a bush somewhere ever since. But this week the developers released a demo in which you can practice the flowing dodges and sneaky turnarounds of the “Leaf” school (a style of fighting from one of five masters planned to appear in the full game). As the fighty boy of RPS, I’ve had a go. It’s quite the satisfying little bruiser. Imagine if someone demade Sifu with retro graphics and wisdomously advised you that the brain hits harder than the hand.

Read more

Talking Point: Nintendo Direct Predictions – What Do You Want To See?

No, not THAT Direct, THIS Direct!

After some vague rumblings earlier in the week, Nintendo has only gone and announced another Direct presentation for this Thursday, 27th March 2025.

While we await the big Switch 2 blowout next week, this one will focus on games for the original Switch, clocking in at roughly 30 minutes in length. Nintendo, as expected, hasn’t given any indication as to what we can expect from the presentation beyond saying that Switch 2 won’t feature. Given that it’s neither a Partner Showcase nor an Indie World, though, it’s safe to assume that some first-party games will be there.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Introducing More In-Game Benefits for Free-to-Play Games with Game Pass

Introducing More In-Game Benefits for Free-to-Play Games with Game Pass

F2P Game Pass Hero Image

Starting this week, we’re rolling out even more value to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members with in-game benefits for free-to-play games.

Members will get items like cosmetics, characters, in-game currency, and more for additional games, including Heroes of the Storm, Naraka: Bladepoint, and The Finals. Plus, we’re adding even more benefits starting in April 2025, like Call of Duty: Warzone and Enlisted. With seasonal content drops, members always have new benefits to look forward to.

These new additions expand upon existing in-game benefits, including unlocking the full roster of champions in League of Legends, six skins in Overwatch 2, all Agents in Valorant, and more. Whether it’s customization, personalization, or progression, players get even more from Game Pass.

To access all these in-game benefits, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members just need to log in with their Xbox profile or link their Xbox profile with each game’s account. Then, simply launch the game with Xbox on PC or console and your extra benefits will be available in-game. For Game Pass Ultimate members, these benefits will be available when playing with Xbox across cloud, console and PC.

New In-Game Benefits Coming to Game Pass

Starting this week, Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members will have access to in-game benefits for the following games:

Heroes of the Storm (PC)Link your Battle.net account
In this realm between realms, anything is possible – play and unlock 30 Heroes from across Blizzard Entertainment’s universes as we welcome you to the Nexus!

Naraka: Bladepoint (Cloud, Console, and PC) – Use your Xbox profile to log in
Unlock all heroes, exclusive Xbox headgear, and the Phoenix Princess Pack (Justina Gu).

Smite 2 (Console and PC)Link your account
Unlock the exclusive High Velocity Hecate Skin, 5 gods (Ares, Anhur, Hecate, Hercules and Nemesis), the OP Title, and GG Emote with the Smite 2 Welcome Pack.

The Finals (Xbox Series X|S and PC)Link your Embark ID
Unlock the Stryker Grid Set, sponsored by Ivada, featuring a full outfit, three weapon skins, a charm, and a 25% boost to Match XP. Players also unlock 500 Multibucks when they claim their prize!

We’ll be bringing even more in-game benefits for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members regularly. Starting in April 2025, players will get access to in-game benefits for the following titles:

  • Asphalt Legends Unite
  • Call of Duty: Warzone
  • Enlisted
  • War Thunder

Plus, Don’t Miss These Existing In-Game Benefits

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can also take advantage of existing benefits for Overwatch 2, League of Legends, Valorant, and more when they link their Xbox account.

Genshin Impact (Console)Link your HoYoverse account
Travelers who reach Adventure Rank 2 will unlock the “Wings of Fate’s Course Intertwined” as a gift in their in-game mailbox upon logging into Genshin Impact on Xbox. Plus, unlock Intertwined Fate ×2, Northlander Billet Trove ×1, Hero’s Wit ×10, Mora ×100,000, and Mystic Enhancement Ore ×15.

League of Legends (PC)Link your Riot account
Unlock all 160+ champions, get day one access to new champions, and enjoy a 20% XP Boost to account leveling.

Legends of Runeterra (PC)Link your Riot account
Unlock all cards in the Foundations Set.

Overwatch 2 (Console and PC) Link your Battle.net account
Unlock six skins, including Cardboard Reinhardt and Turtleship D.Va! Plus, you’ll get a one-time grant of 30 Mythic Prisms, and a 10% XP boost with access to Shop cosmetics from the past three seasons (excludes Battle Pass, Collab, Mythic, and other Promotional content).

Teamfight Tactics (PC)Link your Riot account
Unlock 1-Star Rare Little Legend Tacticians and 1 skin on a monthly rotation.

Valorant (Console and PC) Link your Riot account
Unlock all Agents, get day-one access to new Agents, and enjoy a 20% Match XP Boost to Battle Pass, Event Pass, and active Agent Contract progress.

In-game Benefits Are Getting Easier to Find

Starting this week, we’re making it even easier for players to discover the in-game benefits available with their Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass memberships.

Launch Xbox on PC, navigate to the Game Pass tab and click “More Benefits”, or navigate to a participating game’s page to see available in-game benefits.

Getting Started

Step 1: Become a Game Pass member
Join Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass to get in-game benefits for some of the biggest free-to-play games.

Step 2: Link your Xbox profile
Launch a participating game and sign in with your Xbox profile, or navigate to a participating game’s website and link your Xbox profile with your game account.

Step 3: Claim your benefits with Xbox on PC or console
Launch the participating game with Xbox on PC or console and your benefits will be available in-game.

We can’t wait to see how you customize, personalize, and progress with Game Pass. Be the first to learn about future updates by looking for the “Coming Soon to Game Pass” announcements on Xbox Wire.

To learn more about eligibility for these benefits, players can reference the table below:

GameAccountHelp Article
Heroes of the StormBattle.net accounthttps://us.battle.net/support/en/article/357105
Overwatch 2Battle.net accounthttps://overwatch.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24107758/
The FinalsEmbark IDhttps://id.embark.games/the-finals/support/faq/70-account-faq
EnlistedGaijin accountLog in with your Xbox profile
War ThunderGaijin accountLog in with your Xbox profile
Asphalt Legends UniteGameloft Club accounthttps://gameloft.helpshift.com/hc/en/15-asphalt-legends-unite/faq/640-how-do-i-link-my-account-to-save-or-transfer-my-progress/
Genshin ImpactHoyoverse accounthttps://genshin.hoyoverse.com/en/news/detail/126848
Naraka: BladepointNaraka: Bladepoint accountLog in with your Xbox profile
League of LegendsRiot accounthttps://www.riotgames.com/en/riot-game-pass-benefits
Legends of RuneterraRiot accounthttps://www.riotgames.com/en/riot-game-pass-benefits
Teamfight TacticsRiot accounthttps://www.riotgames.com/en/riot-game-pass-benefits
ValorantRiot accounthttps://www.riotgames.com/en/riot-game-pass-benefits
Smite 2Smite 2 accounthttps://support.hirezstudios.com/en/articles/10366500-smite-2-account-linking-instructions-faq

The post Introducing More In-Game Benefits for Free-to-Play Games with Game Pass appeared first on Xbox Wire.

PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for April: RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory

Protect the streets of Detroit, survive a family of horror icons, and turn digital detective with April’s PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup. RoboCop: Rogue City, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory will be available to PlayStation Plus members from April 1. 

Let’s take a closer look at the games. 

RoboCop: Rogue City | PS5 

Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit. With your powerful Auto-9 or one of a range of weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities can be upgraded as you progress, to make you an even more formidable law enforcement officer. 

Explore open areas and complete your objectives according to your own sense of justice. Finding evidence, interrogating suspects and maintaining public order are just some of your daily tasks as a police officer. But don’t take decisions lightly: your choices can determine the fate of citizens and the result of your mission. Your investigation leads you right into the heart of a shadowy conspiracy in an original story that takes place between RoboCop 2 and 3, with striking locations to explore and familiar faces to meet. Peter Weller, the original RoboCop actor, is even back on duty to voice the cybercop.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre | PS4, PS5

Take on the role of one of the notorious Slaughter family, or their victims, in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, a third-person asymmetrical horror experience based on the groundbreaking and iconic 1974 horror film. As a victim you must use your wits and stealth to stay out of the Family’s reach and find the tools you need to lead to your eventual freedom. Slaughter Family players must seek out, track down, and stop their guests from escaping. Players of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can finally find out if they have what it takes to survive.

Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory | PS4

After being accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Keisuke Amazawa has no choice but to dive into the Digital World and investigate to prove his innocence. Even if that means joining a group of hackers and helping them to solve the troubles threatening this mysterious universe. Discover the mysterious backstory to the events that happened in Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth as you dive into a deeper and darker adventure, at crossroads between real and digital and experience the perfect mix between Adventure, Raising and Battle with over 320 Digimon to discover. 

All three games will be available to PlayStation Plus members on April 1 until May 5.

Last chance to download March’s games

PlayStation Plus members have until March 31 to add Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Sonic Colors: Ultimate and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection to their game library. 

Lies of P Director Says Overture DLC Isn’t Connected to Base Game’s Massive Final Cutscene Reveal

Ever since the upcoming DLC for Lies of P, Overture, was announced, fans have been speculating about what mysteries it might contain. And at the Game Developers Conference last week, IGN learned at least one mystery it won’t explain: the base game’s buck-wild twist of a final cutscene.

For those who haven’t yet finished Lies of P, here’s the spoiler-free version: there’s a cutscene that plays at the end of the game that seems to suggest where Neowiz might be taking the Lies of P universe next. It’s a pretty wild twist of a scene, which has left fans speculating how it might be implemented and whether we’ll get an explanation in the DLC. However, Lies of P director Jiwon Choi confirmed that this cutscene isn’t DLC-related. All he’d say beyond that was, “Please stay tuned for additional announcements in the future.”

Neowiz has already announced a full-blown sequel to Lies of P, which means it’s likely this cutscene is instead related to that. But we don’t really know any details about Lies of P 2 either, just that it’s being worked on. And Choi wouldn’t share any sequel hints in our chat with him, either.

“What I can certainly tell you is when we share such news or media and assets with you, you’ll know for sure that we are ready to present it to you. And that follows very our strict focus on quality [amid] all the pressure that we talked about in the past. So that is the one promise that I can share with you, that when we actually share those contents with you and the news, we will be ready to share that with you.”

SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THE ENDING OF LIES OF P. READ BELOW THE VIDEO AT YOUR OWN RISK.

The scene we’re referring to that we asked Choi about is, of course, the Dorothy scene. We wrote about this in detail here, but the short version is that the game’s final cutscene depicts Paracelcus speaking to someone on the phone, eventually mentioning that he will “find her, for sure. Another key of ours: Dorothy.” We’re then shown the unmistakable striped sock legs and ruby slippers of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, suggesting that whatever comes next for Lies of P, it will tie into other public domain “fairy tales”. But we still don’t know how or why, and we now also know it won’t be in Overture.

SPOILERS END HERE.

We did manage to glean a few hints about what will be in the DLC. Choi recommends that while they want for Overture, Lies of P fans should replay the base game, as there are clues in the world of the game already that suggest what might be coming:

“When you play through the base game again, you’ll see many hints that we scattered throughout the whole experience,” Choi said. “A lot of hints and a lot of windows into the world, and you’ll be able to actually see that and experience that in expansion…There are many things that I actually wanted to accomplish when we were working on the base game. It didn’t get put into the base game, and all of that, at least key elements of that are going to be included in expansion.”

He adds that some fans are already onto Neowiz’s tricks, saying that he regularly reads fan theories online and that “some of them are quite close.”

We also learned a few other tidbits: Choi told us that the DLC should take roughly between 15-20 hours to complete “for experienced players” and will become available to players once they’ve passed a “certain” chapter of the game, and then accessible all the way to the end. And we know from the game’s announcement that the DLC is technically a “prequel”, with the main character getting transported back in time to Krat just before its fall. The DLC will feature new locations, new enemies and bosses, new characters, and new weapons – though again, Choi was keen on keeping the details on these a surprise for the release.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Basketball: Zero Codes (March 2025)

Looking to dominate the court with Basketball: Zero codes? Well, you’re in luck! We’ve searched for all active working codes for the Roblox experience, so you don’t have to. Redeem these for a range of bonuses that include Lucky Spins and cash, helping you swish your way to victory.

Working Basketball: Zero Codes (March 2025)

Below, you’ll find a list of all the currently active Basketball: Zero codes we’ve found as of this month:

  • 1MLIKES – 3x Lucky Style spins, 3x Lucky Zone Spins
  • 400KWOW – 1x Lucky Style Spin, 15,000 Money

All Expired Basketball: Zero Codes

Time’s up on these codes, unfortunately. As of this month, the following codes no longer work:

  • 100KW
  • WCHROLLO

How to Redeem Basketball: Zero Codes

  1. First, you’ll need to like and join the Basketball: Zero group on Roblox to be able to use codes
  2. Then, load up the Basketball: Zero Roblox experience
  3. In the bottom right corner of the screen, you’ll find the codes button. It’s purple with a gift box icon.
  4. Copy your code and paste it into the box
  5. Press redeem and claim your bonuses!

Why Isn’t My Basketball: Zero Code Working?

Typically, when a code stops working, it’s just because it’s expired. However, plenty of codes for Roblox experiences are also case-sensitive. So, it might be that you’ve typed it incorrectly. Whether a code has been entered incorrectly in Basketball: Zero, or it’s expired, you’ll see a pop-up saying “code doesn’t exist.”

To avoid using an incorrect code, we’d recommend copying them directly from this article and pasting them into the code box. We test them all before we add them to the article, so you can be certain that if it’s on here, it’s a valid code. Just be sure to check you haven’t added a sneaky extra space in there when copying it over.

How to Get More Basketball: Zero Codes

We check for codes on a daily basis, so if there’s a new code, you’ll be able to find it in this article. If you want to search for them yourself, however, you can head over to the Basketball: Zero Discord server.

What is Basketball: Zero in Roblox?

It’s no surprise that in Basketball Zero, you’ll be playing… basketball. The fast-paced 5v5 game will see you dribbling the ball across the court to face opponents and try to score as many points as possible. By unlocking new styles and zones, you’ll earn a range of atheles and bonuses that will give you special advantages. The Flash, for example, has excellent speed and agility, while the Star athelete can leap like no other. Redeeming the codes above will give you chances at Lucky Spins, which unlock the Styles and Zones, while the cash will enable you to unlock emotes and goal effects, to really celebrate the wins.

Lauren Harper is an Associate Guides Editor. She loves a variety of games but is especially fond of puzzles, horrors, and point-and-click adventures.

Honor of Kings: World – The First Preview

If you didn’t already know it, Honor of Kings is one of the most played games in the world. Taking the number one spot in the Chinese MOBA charts, the TiMi Group is taking its free-to-play characters – and world – in a new direction with Honor of Kings: World. While its scale and monetization screech in dissonance, its flashy combat, diverse roster of playable classes, and multiplayer-flexible modes do carry some promise.

During my half-hour-long hands-on with Honor of Kings: World at Tencent’s GDC booth, I took some time to toy around with a couple of World’s different classes, take on a boss inspired by Chinese folklore, and see a brief glimpse of the story.

Although it boasts many of the same characters as its mobile MOBA predecessor, Honor of Kings: World is no MOBA. Instead, it’s a class-driven action game – for PC as well as mobile, by the way – with the kind of over-the-shoulder, action-driven combat you might expect from something like Genshin Impact. But rather than locking mechanics or gameplay behind randomized drops like in MiHoYo’s game, Honor of Kings offers players different classes to choose from. And while the same overall control scheme unifies each class – a dodge, three standard abilities, and an ultimate of sorts – the roster of different classes struck me as fairly diverse, each with its own abilities and special perks.

Honor of Kings: World is no MOBA. Instead, it’s a class-driven action game – for PC as well, by the way.

Usually, you’ll be able to play with two separate classes, though sometimes you might need to stick with just one for story purposes. It seems like TiMi’s put a lot of effort into the dual-class system, allowing you to switch between the two during combat. The most interesting example they showed during my demo was starting a long, multiple-attack combo and switching characters once the target was launched into the air to extend a combo. It kind of reminded me of a tag system in a fighting game.

With 11 different classes in the demo I played, I’m certain there are tons of different combinations and ways to style on your opponent. But since this was my first time playing, I looked for balance above all else: I stuck with an even-keeled loadout, using a sword-wielding class for my primary role and a ranged gunner for the second. The two nicely filled in gaps left by the other during my attempt at a boss fight: I’d lay down fire using the gunner’s active reload mechanic to improve my damage and rate of fire when the boss was spitting out attacks in a frenzy, making sure to dodge the occasional flaming projectile and then rush him down with my sword, laying on the damage with a vengeance.

This swapping was easily my favorite part of the demo. I enjoyed hammering away at the boss’s stance meter, breaking his stance, and shooting the gunner’s R ability as I closed the distance, swapping to my sword class, and unleashing a devastating ultimate attack of sorts to juice every second from the boss’ temporarily weakened state.

Taking the boss down to a certain point also revealed an interesting story beat that eventually led to me playing as a completely separate character from the pre-built avatar provided for the demo. TiMi didn’t offer much information on how frequently to expect this kind of change, only that it would happen from time to time. The demo took place somewhere closer to halfway through Honor of Kings: World’s runtime, opening up my two classes’ skill trees just enough for me to have some fun with them without overcomplicating its combat.

The boss itself was a giant monkey character with various different masks, with a personality and attacking style for each. According to the developer leading my demo, this mechanic has its roots in a traditional style of Chinese theater called Bian lian. One mask might see him spitting fire in a massive area of effect on the map, while another might see him throw around a few melee attacks. I loved this melding of culture, history, and story with a gameplay mechanic.

Aside from briefly seeing another journalist in my demo in a hub area before the tutorial, I didn’t have a chance to check out any of World’s multiplayer offerings. TiMi showed a few clips of four-person squads crawling dungeons and taking on bosses before our demo, but teased something that sounded more like an MMO. That part is still a work in progress, so they didn’t share much beyond acknowledging that there would be a bigger scale multiplayer mode in the full game, so I’m curious to see what that looks like given my demo’s single-player scope.

I left the demo concerned about monetization.

Before the demo, one of TiMi’s developers walked me through some of World’s premise and setup, saying that Honor of Kings: World was a gift of sorts to the MOBA’s loyal fanbase that’s propelled it to massive success in the ten years since its launch. True as that may be, I left the demo concerned about monetization.

When another journalist asked about how TiMi plans to make money with Honor of Kings: World, the developer leading our session gave a concerning answer. “The game’s gonna be based around social, so outfits and stuff,” they said.

On its own, funding a free-to-play game with cosmetics isn’t necessarily a problem – especially since the developers made it clear that there wouldn’t be any pay-to-win – but given Honor of Kings: World’s scale, with flashy cutscenes, tons of playable characters, and epic boss fights, I can’t help but feel concerned about whether or not World’s model is financially sustainable, regardless of whether or not it’s based on one of the most successful games of the century.

Honor of Kings: World undoubtedly has a bright future ahead of it, provided TiMi can stick to its promise of giving fans of its MOBA hit a celebration worthy of its success. Even though I’m still a little worried about the amount of microtransactions that Honor of Kings: World could potentially need to fund its high production value, I still had a ton of fun dodging the big primate’s swings.

Grit and Valor – 1949’s real-time World War mech-stomping launches on Steam today

Grit & Valor – 1949 is the tale of an alternate timeline in which the Nazis got hold of mechs and promptly overran the British Isles. As Nic semi-alluded last year, you could summarise the game itself as the product of a timeline in which the people behind Wolfenstein: The New Order decided to make Into the Breach instead. Except that it isn’t quite as deviously made, based on the demo, and it isn’t turn-based. Ah, I do kind of wish it was turn-based.

Read more

Nintendo Direct Confirmed For Tomorrow, 27th March 2025

30 minutes of news for OG Switch games.

A Nintendo Direct presentation has been confirmed for Thursday, 27th March 2025 at 2pm GMT / 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm CET / 12am AET (Fri) focused solely on Switch games.

That’s right, there will be no information provided for the Switch 2 folks, we’ll need to wait until 2nd April for that one. Instead, we’ll be graced with 30 minutes of announcements for OG Switch titles, likely including the highly-aniticpated Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com