In these days of combing online imagery for symptoms of genAI “hallucination”, it’s easy to forget that once upon a time, mutant video game visuals were beautiful. There’s a whole genre of art dedicated to them. Here to remind us is Babushka’s Glitch Dungeon Crystal, a gorgeously scruffy 2D platformer in which an old lady explores a big magic cellar, hitting graphics card malfunctions with a broom. Think Animal Well, but both you and the simulation aren’t as young as you used to be.
Microsoft has created a playable “interactive space inspired” by Quake II using AI, and it’s sparked a vociferous debate online.
As spotted by PC Gamer, the demo is powered by Microsoft’s recently announced Muse and the World and Human Action Model (WHAM) AI system, and “can dynamically create gameplay visuals and simulate player behavior in real-time,” which means a semi-playable environment has been generated entirely through AI and without an in-game engine.
“In this real-time tech demo, Copilot dynamically generates gameplay sequences inspired by the classic game Quake II,” Microsoft explained. “Every input you make triggers the next AI-generated moment in the game, almost as if you were playing the original Quake II running on a traditional game engine. Enjoy the experience, share your thoughts, and help shape the future of AI-powered gameplay experiences.
“This bite-sized demo pulls you into an interactive space inspired by Quake II, where AI crafts immersive visuals and responsive action on the fly. It’s a groundbreaking glimpse at a brand new way of interacting with games, turning cutting-edge research into a quick and compelling playable demo.”
All that sounds pretty impressive, but the demo itself is… well, less so.
After The Game Awards boss Geoff Keighley shared a brief video of the demo in action on X / Twitter, hundreds of people responded, with few having anything positive to say.
Microsoft has created an AI-generated replica of Quake II that you can play in browser.
“Every frame is created on the fly by an AI world model.”
Play it here:https://t.co/WGQymDOmsj pic.twitter.com/35MX5aHPbF
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) April 5, 2025
“Man, I don’t want the future of games to be AI-generated slop,” said one Redditor. “There will be a point where it will be easier to use AI, and then all the greedy studios will do it exclusively. The human element will be removed.
“And the worst part is gamers will buy it. They buy skins for 100 dollars. They will buy whatever you sell them.”
“Microsoft’s boast that they want ‘to build a whole catalog of games that use this new AI model,’ despite it not being clear if the current technique will ever even be capable of letting you turn around without moving to a random point on the map let alone come up with an original game, really typifies what’s wrong with AI and the tech industry,” added another.
“I had a better experience literally just imagining the game in my head,” said another commenter.
Not everyone was so quick to dismiss it, however.
“I don’t know why everything has to be doom and gloom,” said a more cheery respondent. “It’s a demo for a reason. It shows the future possibilities. Having an AI that is able to create a coherent and consistent world is crazy. But this cannot be used to create a full game or anything enjoyable. You cannot play this. Seems like a tool for early concept/pitching phase. This can also bring improvement in other fields in AI as what it is doing is impressive.
“This is not even a product yet but a demo showing how much they’ve improved from just a few months ago.”
Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney had a rather different response:
— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 5, 2025
Generative AI is one of the hottest topics within the video game and entertainment industries, which have both suffered massive layoffs in recent years. It has drawn criticism from players and creators due to a mix of ethical issues, rights issues, and AI’s struggles to produce content audiences actually enjoy. For instance, Keywords Studios attempted to create an experimental game internally using entirely AI. The game failed, with Keywords citing to investors that AI was “unable to replace talent.”
Still, that hasn’t put off a number of video game companies from using generative AI in the development of their products. Activision recently disclosed the use of generative AI for some Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 assets as part of new requirements on Steam, amid a backlash to an “AI slop” zombie Santa loading screen.
And last month, Horizon actor Ashly Burch addressed a controversial AI Aloy video that leaked online, using it to call attention to the demands of striking voice actors.
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.
There are at least hundreds, probably thousands, and possibly tens of thousands of potential houses in first-person labyrinth puzzler Blue Prince. I am genuinely tempted to review them all, but I am not a realtor and Graham’s kneecaps inflate when a review strays above 2000 words, so I’ll settle for describing just four. The first is the house you discover. It waits eternally behind doors that give you a choice of three, semi-randomised rooms when you reach for the handle, each “drafted” on a 9-by-5 grid map that is blank save for the opening foyer and the antechamber skulking at the far end. Every time you enter the house, the layout wipes itself clean and must be filled in again.
Is it worth the hassle, though?
One of the biggest surprises from the recent Switch 2 Direct is that the accompanying Pro Controller will actually come with two new back buttons labelled ‘GL’ and ‘GR’.
In addition to a slightly revamped design in which Nintendo took inspiration from the GameCube controller, the new Pro Controller is also seemingly taking a few cues from the likes of the Xbox Elite Controller and PlayStation Dualsense Edge, both of which sport their own customisable back ‘paddles’.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Each year, the BAFTA Games Awards celebrate the best of gaming, both inside and outside the UK, and it was a delight to see so many games available on Xbox platforms make their mark on the nominations list for this year’s awards, which take place on Tuesday, April 8. From games by our own first-party studios, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Diablo IV, Sea of Thieves and World of Warcraft, to pioneering ID@Xbox titles like Animal Well, Balatro, Botany Manor, and more, there’s a huge range of BAFTA-nominated games available on Xbox platforms right now.
But today, we wanted to shine a light on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, which picked up a staggering 11 nominations across a wide variety of categories, covering practically every element of the art of making games, and beyond. It’s a major moment for developer Ninja Theory (which previously picked up 9 nominations, winning in 5 categories, for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice), a testament to the hard work and care that went into creating this singular experience.
To celebrate this moment, we spoke to developers across the studio about the work that went into their nominated category, and what it means to see this recognition.
“The whole animation team was thrilled to be specifically recognised in the Animation category. We’re glad that the all the hard work, love and specific vision for Hellbade II: Senua’s Saga has been received so well.
“Our aim was to bring Senua, her cohort and adversaries to life as vividly as possible , whether it was the up-close nuance of an intimate moment between friends or life and death struggle against her deepest fears.”
Guy Midgley, Ninja Animation Director
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“The team at Ninja Theory has always had such a passion for taking the art to new places in our games, but to have the recognition from BAFTA is incredible and means so much to everyone here.
“For Senua’s Saga we learnt so much on the journey, whether it was getting to grips with new features of UE5 and understanding how they could allow us to present our vision like never before, working with costume designers to build the real-life outfits for us to scan and understand their movements, or training how to fly professional drones so that we could capture meaningful data from the beauty of the Iceland landscape.”
Mark Slater-Tunstill, Ninja VFX Director
“To bring to life the world, the reality of Senua through sound is a privilege, a journey that requires a strong vision and a certain bravery that leads to finding a unique voice.
“Receiving this nomination brings a lot of joy to the whole Ninja audio team, who have worked tirelessly and with such craftsmanship to deliver an experience like no other.”
David García Díaz, Ninja Audio Director
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“We’re very proud to receive a nomination for Best British Game and have Hellblade II sit alongside such a diverse and creative group of nominees in the category. Best British Game is a particularly special category for me, as I see it as a vehicle for inspiring the next generation of developers in my home country.
“I like to think that there will be a kid out there somewhere that will see the wonderful games being created in the UK and it will spark in them a dream to one day feel the same pride that I do in receiving a BAFTA nomination of their own.”
Dom Matthews, Ninja Studio Head
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“In Senua’s Saga, Ninja Theory have represented one of the most misunderstood of conditions with incredible skill, respect and sensitivity. Their depiction of psychosis was crafted with unerring attention to the underlying clinical neuroscience and, more importantly, to the personal experiences of those who have themselves carried the burden of psychosis.
“Ninja Theory have told the story, and amplified the voice, of people who are frequently unheard or dismissed. It has been an enormous privilege to play a small part in their work and to observe the depth and range of its impact in challenging stigma.”
Paul Fletcher, Bernard Wolfe Professor of Health Neuroscience, University of Cambridge
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“To tell a story without words that connects the emotions with the listener, that is the quest of all the musicians involved in the creation of the soundtrack for the game.
“At the core of it is the word ‘collaboration’: From Heilung, Ren and Arunka, the fantastic voices and talent of Helen and Abbi, plus our own composers here at Ninja. It’s an honour for us to receive this nomination for a work that is done with great passion and care.”
David García Díaz, Ninja Audio Director
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“Our heroine Senua faces down both inner and outer conflicts with persistence and strength of heart, and I feel fortunate to be part of the team sharing her unique perspective with the world.
“Storytelling is always foremost in our minds with all of Ninja Theory’s games, and I’m deeply honoured and grateful that the team’s work in this area has been recognised by BAFTA with a nomination in the Narrative category.”
Lara Derham, Writer and Stage Director
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“I am deeply honored to be nominated at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards as ‘Performer in a Leading Role’ for my portrayal of Senua for the second time. It means the world to have my work as a performer recognized in such a meaningful way.
“BAFTA Games Awards play a vital role in elevating gaming as an art form, putting it on the same cultural stage as film and television. Their commitment to celebrating creativity, storytelling, and innovation in games is incredible, and their charity work, supporting new talent and making the industry more accessible is truly inspiring.
“In Senua’s Saga, we managed to push the performance tech further than ever before, which gave me the freedom to pour everything into my performance, knowing that every emotion and every little nuance would come through on screen. It was an incredible and rewarding experience.”
Melina Juergens
Photo Credit: Gareth Dutton
“It’s hard to put into words how much this nomination means to me and how grateful I am to everyone involved in creating this beautiful game, and for allowing me to be a part of that creation. Every step of the process has been an unforgettable experience. I’ve made dear friends, learned new skills, worked abroad for the first time, and taken part in making something meaningful. As a gamer from the age of 5, I couldn’t have imagined what my future would hold. And to receive this recognition for our work goes beyond what I could ever have dreamed of. Thank you dearly dear Ninjas and Xbox for giving me the honor of working with you.”
Aldís Amah Hamilton
Photo Credit: Thelma Arngrims
“We are delighted to be jointly nominated for our role as the Furies. Working on Senua’s Saga was a joy thanks to the brilliance of David García Díaz and his dream team.
“We are a theatre company who work a lot with vocal improvisation and it was really exciting to collaborate with David in this way. It was fascinating for us to get an insight into how games are made. Everyone works so incredibly hard and it’s wonderful to see the team receiving such recognition for this.”
Helen Goalen and Abbi Greenland
“It’s a great honour to receive a Technical Achievement BAFTA nomination for Hellblade II, alongside a shortlist of excellent and varied nominees. This nomination celebrates not just the technology itself, but the vision and perseverance of the entire team; it’s a testament to the detail, artistry and technical effort we poured into crafting Senua’s world and its inhabitants, as part of our dedication to pushing the boundaries of interactive storytelling. We’re immensely grateful to BAFTA for this acknowledgement, and it fuels our passion to continue creating experiences that aim to resonate on a profound level. Thank you.”
Gavin Costello, Ninja Technical Director
Congratulations to everyone at Ninja Theory for their work on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, and to all the recipients of BAFTA nominations this year.
You can watch the BAFTA Games Awards live on Tuesday, April 8 at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 7pm UK via YouTube and Twitch.
The post Celebrating 11 BAFTA Nominations for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II with Ninja Theory appeared first on Xbox Wire.
It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped the download charts last month.
March was a good month for sports and action-adventure games on PS5. Assassin’s Creed Shadows and Split Fiction both found success on the US and EU charts, while MLB The Show 25 took top billing on the US charts.
Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month?
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| MLB The Show 25 | Assassin’s Creed Shadows |
| Assassin’s Creed Shadows | Split Fiction |
| Split Fiction | EA SPORTS FC 25 |
| Monster Hunter Wilds | Monster Hunter Wilds |
| WWE 2K25 | Minecraft |
| EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 | Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege |
| NBA 2K25 | WWE 2K25 |
| EA SPORTS FC 25 | Grand Theft Auto V |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 |
| EA SPORTS College Football 25 | Gran Turismo 7 |
| Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege | The First Berserker: Khazan |
| Minecraft | Phasmophobia |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Deadside |
| PGA TOUR 2K25 | Hogwarts Legacy |
| Phasmophobia | Kingdom Come: Deliverance II |
| BLEACH Rebirth of Souls | Mortal Kombat 11 |
| The First Berserker: Khazan | NBA 2K25 |
| Mortal Kombat 1 | Mortal Kombat 1 |
| Deadside | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt |
| Gran Turismo 7 | The Crew Motorfest |
*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
| A Way Out | A Way Out |
| The Forest | EA SPORTS FC 25 |
| Minecraft | The Forest |
| Battlefield 4 | Battlefield 4 |
| Stardew Valley | Unravel Two |
| Need for Speed Heat | Need for Speed Heat |
| EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25 | Minecraft |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Grand Theft Auto V |
| Middle-earth: Shadow of War | Battlefield 1 |
| Overcooked! 2 | Assassin’s Creed Odyssey |
| Grand Theft Auto V | God of War |
| Mortal Kombat X | Kingdom Come: Deliverance |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Assassin’s Creed Origins |
| Unravel Two | Middle-earth: Shadow of War |
| Injustice 2 | Overcooked! 2 |
| God of War | Stardew Valley |
| Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege | Batman: Arkham Knight |
| EA SPORTS FC 25 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Campaign Remastered |
| Batman: Return to Arkham | Mortal Kombat X |
*Naming of products may differ between regions
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| Beat Saber | Flight Simulator Delivery 2025 VR |
| Among Us VR | Beat Saber |
| Alien: Rogue Incursion | Alien: Rogue Incursion |
| Flight Simulator Delivery 2025 VR | Metro Awakening |
| Pavlov | Among Us VR |
| Swordsman VR | Horizon Call of the Mountain |
| Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition | Swordsman VR |
| Into the Radius | Pavlov |
| Metro Awakening | EXOcars |
| Drunkn Bar Fight | Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition |
*PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| Fortnite | Fortnite |
| Marvel Rivals | Roblox |
| Roblox | Rocket League |
| Rocket League | Marvel Rivals |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | Call of Duty: Warzone |
| War Robots: Frontiers | eFootball |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | War Robots: Frontiers |
| Apex Legends | Asphalt Legends Unite |
| Fall Guys | Stumble Guys |
| The Sims 4 | The Sims 4 |
If you’re anything like me, you’re constantly telling yourself you won’t buy more Pokémon cards while also keeping a mental checklist of which sets still have a shot at pulling something ridiculous. That’s exactly why I grabbed the Azure Legends Tin the second I saw it back in stock on Amazon for $29.99. Five packs for under $30 is solid, but two of those are Surging Sparks, and that alone makes this thing worth cracking open.
The rest of the lineup isn’t filler either. You get one pack each from Stellar Crown, Temporal Forces, and Obsidian Flames — a trio that’s collectively responsible for some of the best chase cards released in the last year. Toss in a foil promo of either Kyogre ex, Xerneas ex, or Dialga ex, and this starts to feel less like a random tin and more like a targeted strike on everything cool from the Scarlet & Violet era.
I want more excuses to open Surging Sparks packs because pulling something like Pikachu ex (SIR) feels like finding a winning lottery ticket, except way cuter and slightly more legal. I think the art alone justifies framing it, and its ability to hang in top-tier decks makes it that much sweeter. I also love Latias ex (SIR) for finally giving me a reason to hunt down the matching Latios and live out my “twin dragons soaring through art” fantasy. And if you’re sleeping on Milotic ex, that’s your loss. It’s stunning, shuts down Tera Pokémon like a pro, and honestly deserves more hype.
I’m chasing Terapagos ex (SIR) like it’s a gem-studded unicorn. It’s visually ridiculous and feels like the set’s “trophy card.” I think Bulbasaur (Illustration Rare) is perfect if you like your pulls with a side of nostalgia and Pidgey cameos, which I do. And Dachsbun ex (SIR)? It’s a bread dog. A literal loaf with glitter. I shouldn’t love it, but here we are. Don’t tell my competitive brain.
I open Temporal Forces hoping for Raging Bolt ex (SIR) and fully expecting disappointment, which somehow makes pulling it even better. It’s one of those cards that looks like it came straight out of a boss fight and hits just as hard. Iron Crown ex is another top-tier choice. It boosts Iron Hands ex damage, which basically means you’re stealing Prize cards like it’s a Black Friday brawl. And then there’s Walking Wake ex (SIR). In my opinion, it looks like a dream sequence in a prehistoric fever dream, and I mean that in the best way.
I think it’s illegal to talk about Obsidian Flames without mentioning Charizard ex (SIR). It’s the card everyone wants, including me, and somehow still feels special no matter how many versions of this dragon exist. I’m also a big fan of Pidgeot ex (SIR), which is basically the MVP of utility cards dressed like it walked out of an indie graphic novel. And then there’s Cleffa (Illustration Rare) — a tiny cosmic marshmallow that looks like it wandered into a Studio Ghibli scene. I want five copies just to look at them.
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.
It looks like Nintendo Korea’s website briefly gave away what sidekick may be joining Kong in the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza.
Though the image was quickly switched out with a less revealing one, it wasn’t quite quick enough for ResetEra, which managed to grab a screenshot before the website was changed.
Warning! Potential Donkey Kong: Bananza spoilers follow:
In most key art associated with the game, we see Kong smashing a fist into the ground, throwing up a shower of rocks and rubble, with the purple, rock-like Odd Rock behind him. The image on the Korean website essentially showed the same, but with one key difference: Odd Rock is missing, and a young Pauline is holding on for dear life to Kong’s necktie.
This is the first time Pauline’s been acknowledged in any of the images, teaser trailers, or hands-on previews shown thus far, suggesting Nintendo was perhaps hoping to keep her appearance a surprise. Whoops!
More intriguingly still, Pauline’s young age suggests Donkey Kong Bananza could be a prequel of some sort — although again, Nintendo’s tight-lipped on that for now.
“I think Bananza is on track to be one of the most gorgeous Nintendo games I’ve seen,” we wrote in our Donkey Kong Bananza first hands-on preview. “It really does take advantage of Switch 2’s hardware — the environments are beautiful and DK’s animations are wonderfully expressive, and I left feeling like the next generation of first-party Nintendo games had truly arrived.”
Now that we finally have a release date and tech specs on the highly anticipated Switch successor, Nintendo Switch 2 — as well as an idea of how much first-party Nintendo games may cost on the new system — check out our deep dive into all the facts as we talk to industry experts.
For more on Nintendo Switch 2, you can catch up on everything shown at last week’s Nintendo Direct. Donkey Kong Bananza comes out July 17 for $69.99, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.
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.
As behemoth live service shooters struggle to retain audiences with seasonal events and “classic” modes that sometimes just channel nostalgia, one small PvP shooter is simply plugging away adding map after map after map after map. Straftat, the 1v1 online FPS that sees you duke it out with a friendfoe in cramped concrete arenas, has just added another 35 deathpits to its rotating menu of shooty locales. It now has 226 maps on which to kill and be killed. That is beautiful. That is sublime. That is Straftat.
There’s enough for everyone, right?
It seems as though the official Japanese Nintendo eShop and online store have been struggling with high traffic numbers since the Switch 2 was fully unveiled during last week’s rather epic Direct.
As noticed over on r/NintendoSwitch, the official Japanese Nintendo website now has an apology message at the top, which has been handily translated in the comments (shoutout to Reddit user Joseki100) so we can all see what it means!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
