It’s a show to remember.
We’re all waiting for the next mainline Persona game, but there’s a reason SEGA and Atlus have sat pretty with Persona 5 for so long: Because it just won’t stop selling.
Sega Sammy has published its latest business report (via Persona Central, Push Square), and the Persona 5 series has sold over 13 million units since its debut in 2016. That’s up from 10 million back in December 2023.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The Stop Killing Games campaign‘s petition to the UK government urging action against publishers rendering online games unplayable when servers are switched off has been debated in parliament.
The petition, which amassed just under 190,000 signatures prior to its closure in July, received a response from the UK government back in February, when it hit 10,000. “There are no plans to amend UK consumer law on disabling video games,” this reply read. “Those selling games must comply with existing requirements in consumer law and we will continue to monitor this issue.” As is the process, once it hit 100,000 signatures, it was eligible to be debated by parliament’s petitions committee.
Pillars of Eternity is the surprise recipient of a patch to add turn-based mode, developer Obsidian has announced.
Fresh from releasing Avowed, Grounded 2, and The Outer Worlds 2 this year, the Microsoft-owned studio has gone back to its isometric, party-based fantasy RPG over a decade after it came out with a fresh update.
Obsidian announced a new public beta for Pillars of Eternity opens on November 5 for players on Steam and Xbox PC, which adds the turn-based mode. The reveal comes alongside a message from game director Josh Sawyer (last seen directing Pentiment), with his thoughts on what turn-based mode means for Pillars of Eternity.
“Fans who enjoyed experimenting with turn-based mode in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire will find familiar ground here, but with key improvements shaped by your feedback,” Obsidian said in a blog post. More details are below.
As this is a public beta, please expect bugs and ongoing adjustments, Obsidian warned. The beta will run for “some time” as the developer continues to roll out updates and prepares for a full release.
IGN’s Pillars of Eternity review returned a 9/10 back in 2015. We said at the time: “Obsidian (and its Kickstarter backers) have done it: Pillars of Eternity is one of the best RPGs since Baldur’s Gate.”
Obsidian followed PoE up with Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire in 2018, before Microsoft bought the company later that year. Obsidian went on to release the likes of The Outer Worlds and Grounded, and has become one of the most prolific Xbox Games Studios developers Microsoft has on its books.
Will there be a Pillars of Eternity 3? Sawyer has commented on the prospect in the past. In 2023, for example, Sawyer said he would love to develop Pillars of Eternity 3 — under the condition the game receives the same budget as Baldur’s Gate 3.
“I think if it truly was an unlimited budget, I think I would try Pillars 3 because I know what the budget was for Deadfire, which was not a whole lot and I have heard from multiple people what the budget was for Baldur’s Gate 3, and I’m not gonna talk about numbers, but if I got that budget, sure, I’ll make Pillars 3,” he said.
Sawyer added that if he were to make Pillars 3, he would employ a turn-based combat structure. Obsidian has yet to announce its next game.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Last month, Heart Machine announced that they would be ending development on their roguelike follow-up to the seminal indie RPG Hyper Light Drifter, Hyper Light Breaker. As a result, as is far too common in the industry these days, a number of staff were laid off – including a writer on the yet-to-be released Possessor(s). As a result, a post cropped up on the Possessor(s)’s discussions page on Steam with some expressing discomfort at the idea of buying the game post-layoffs, prompting the game’s narrative director to explain why he (understandably) would still like it if you bought it.
I’m not messing around with today’s Daily Deals. We’ve got Pokémon TCG product under market value on Amazon alongside some great related deals on TCGPlayer. On the otherside of the TCG sphere, Magic: The Gathering’s Avatar: The Last Airbender set releases this month, and I’ve found the best prices online to preorder right now.
Xbox controllers are awesome not just for the latest generation of Microsoft consoles, but for PC gaming too. I’ve got some great discounts on Elite V2, Special Editions and Hyperkin blasts from the past that you can’t ignore. Looking for an extra special edition of Resident Evil: Requiem? I’ve got the preorder deets for the deluxe edition that comes with an awesome steelbook too. Let’s get into it:
AliExpress via Amyet’s official seller account is offering the Amyet V9-G60 Electric Bike for just $426.04 after you apply $100 off coupon code “AEUS100” during checkout. The same bike is priced at $485 plus $165 shipping on Amazon. I’ve posted this deal before and it has so far been the best selling ebike here at IGN. Of the three bikes in this roundup, this has the most powerful motor and the biggest battery.
The Amyet V9-G60 boasts a 1,000W (1,500W peak) brushless motor that can push the bike at speeds up to 32mph. The 48V 20AH (960Whr) battery can last up to 70 miles on a single charge (the actual distance is dependent on other factors like your speed, terrain, elevation, etc). Other features include a lightweight aluminum frame, Shimano components for its 7-speed transmission, dual suspension, and 20″ wheels with 4″ fat tires for a more comfortable ride. The bike comes 90% preassembled and includes a 1 year warranty. It’s also pretty mod friendly in case you wanted to do your own upgrades (like swapping to hydraulic brakes).
The main highlights of these Pokémon TCG deals has to be the Black Bolt and White Flare Elite Trainer Boxes. White Flare is at market value for $82.94, whilst Black Bolt is dipping under market value at $84.95. It’s a great time to get into the dual set that capped off the Scarlet and Violet era. Don’t forget the latest set, Mega Evolution, either. TCGPlayer is destroying big box retailer Amazon in pricing right now, and that includes the Enhanced Booster Box featuring a stamped Bulbasaur Illustration Rare.
The biggest saving here is with the single Avatar Collector Booster. It’s half the price of market value on Amazon now at $37.99, which is 100% worth the a look. Bar the Jumpstart Booster Box and Begginer Box, Amazon is under market value for preorders right now. Don’t forget that Amazon don’t charge for preorders until they ship, and their preorder price guarantee ensures you’re getting the best price.
Hyperkin knocked it out of the park with their OG Xbox S controllers. Yes, they’re wired, but that also means they’re perfect for competitive play thanks to zero input lag. There’s also three special edition controllers which never stick around for long, and one of the best controllers ever made, Xbox Elite V2, is on offer for $139.99 currently too. Don’t sleep on these deals.
No discounts, but this is one for steelbook collectors. You’ll get the base game, deluxe edition content and a cool steelbook and sleeve for this special edition of Resident Evil: Requiem. The Deluxe Edition include’s the Apocalypse costume for Grace as they flick between first and third person views whenever they want, a first for the series.
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.
The Sims is in an odd place right now. In September, it was announced that the game’s publisher EA had been sold to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners. This unsurprisingly was met with concern from Simmers, particularly in relation to the series’ generally pro-diversity stance, and whether or not it will retain that in the future. And in a recent interview with art director of the original Sims and a lead designer on The Sims 2, Charles London, the developer shared why he felt it was “incredibly important” the games include same sex partnerships.
For the clicks.
Updated with Simon the Sorcerer Origins. Enjoy!
Nintendo’s Switch and its successor host classics from across the gaming spectrum, including an array of old-school point-and-click adventure games, a genre that flourished on PCs in the old days and one which Nintendo’s hybrid consoles offer a convenient way to play.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The post Pillars of Eternity: New Turn-Based Mode Beta Announced appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Last month, we sought revenge, conquered the shadows, and stormed the battlefield. Some big new releases included Ghost of Yōtei, Battlefield 6, Ninja Gaiden 4, Ball x Pit, and Digimon Story: Time Stranger.
How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog.
What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake.
How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll.
Rockstar, the developer of Grand Theft Auto VI, reportedly fired between 30 and 40 employees in a move that the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is claiming was “blatant” and “ruthless” union busting.
According to Bloomberg, the workers fired this past Thursday were all UK and Canadian employees who were also part of a private trade union chat group on Discord, and were either union members themselves or trying to organize Rockstar. IWGB has issued a press release in response to the firing, claiming that the employees’ dismissal was explicitly due to union activities.
Rockstar has just carried out the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry. This flagrant contempt for the law and for the lives of the workers who bring in their billions is an insult to their fans and the global industry.
Despite this calculated attack on workers organising for a collective voice and to improve their difficult working conditions, the Rockstar Union remains undeterred. They will keep organising for respect and better conditions whilst continuing to pour their blood, sweat and creativity into games that are loved by millions.
The IWGB will pursue every legal claim possible to ensure our members are reinstated and receive interim relief.
In response, Rockstar has issued its own statement via a Take-Two spokesperson, countering that the firings were for “gross misconduct, and for no other reason.”
We strive to make the world’s best entertainment properties by giving our best-in-class creative teams positive work environments and ongoing career opportunities. Our culture is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness. Rockstar Games terminated a small number of individuals for gross misconduct, and for no other reason. As always, we fully support Rockstar’s ambitions and approach.
These dismissals occur as Rockstar is on the cusp of releasing Grand Theft Auto 6 in May of next year, with the game projected by some analysts to make $3 billion in its first year on sale and said by others to be one of the most important game releases of all time.
Amidst massive public anticipation for the game, Rockstar has been sparing with its marketing, releasing very little information about the game ahead of launch. However, after a massive leak of the in-development game in 2022 and the day-early release of the game’s first trailer the following year, Rockstar has been increasingly tight with security. Last year, the studio began asking employees to come to the office five days a week, citing a desire for both increased productivity and security. This decision was criticized by workers affiliated with the IWGB, who said Rockstar broke promises with the forced return to office, and accused the studio of refusing to engage with workers on the issue.
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.
