“Winners do drugs after all” – you can rewrite your favourite game screens with this fun tool

Fancy taking the piss out of video games? Here you go, a fun little tool you can run in your browser easily lets you rewrite famous game quotes. The Death Generator offers a gallery full of (mostly) retro games and a simple text box that will replicate the exact font used by those games, all so you can make the little shopkeeper in Zelda say rude words, or entirely rewrite the pre-mission dossiers of Goldeneye 007. There’s a lot more than that though. I’ve done a bunch, come see what I mean and have a go yourself.

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Path of Exile 2 Dev Already Hitting Skills With Big Nerfs: ‘It Is Better to Do This Early Before It Feels Obligatory to Use the Skill’

Path of Exile 2 developer Grinding Gear Games has already identified a number of skills it plans to nerf following the action RPG’s explosive Early Access launch.

Just a day after Path of Exile 2 launched to huge concurrent player numbers on Steam, GGG tweeted to say it had “finally hit that point where a skill with unacceptable balance has been discovered.” The skill in question is Supercharged Slam, which GGG said is dealing “far too much damage than was intended given the short channel window required to hit maximum stages.”

The developer reduced its damage via a hotfix soon after issuing the tweet. “As much as we are trying to avoid nerfing skills and builds, it is better to do this early before it feels obligatory to use the skill,” GGG explained. “It is important that a wide variety of skills feel viable and fun to play and it simply diminishes all other abilities when one is clearly outshining the others like this.” Another nerf is set for Supercharged Slam to adjust how long it takes to build up charges, “as it is far too quick at the moment.”

Then, on December 8, GGG said it had found another skill in an “unacceptable” balance state: Magnetic Salvo. Path of Exile 2’s next hotfix reduces its damage. “Note that this isn’t the only skill on our radar right now but we’re really just trying to address egregious cases at the moment,” GGG said.

“We’re currently playing alongside you all and are also collating a lot of your feedback that we’ll be addressing as much as possible in the upcoming week once the team is back in the office before the holidays.”

And then, on December 9, GGG said it’s “a bit too easy” to detonate Gas Cloud explosions when combined with persistent Ignite skills like Flame Wall. Yet another upcoming hotfix will nerf explosion damage of both Gas Grenade and Gas Arrow.

“In the future, we want to update it such that the potency of the Ignite or Detonator contributes to determining the damage of the Gas Cloud explosions, that way we would be able to avoid balancing around the simplest and most efficient way to apply Ignites,” GGG explained.

Path of Exile 2 is GGG’s action role-playing sequel set years after the original game. Players return to the world of Wraeclast and seek to end a spreading corruption, with six character classes, each with two Ascendancy Classes, available to play at the launch of Early Access. There’s co-op for up to six players, but you can play solo.

It launched across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S on December 6 and immediately ran into server issues that prevented players from logging in. GGG had warned players that Path of Exile 2 might struggle with the influx of players at launch, and so it proved. But over the course of Friday and into the weekend, the New Zealand developer began to get on top of the problems, and its concurrent player count on Steam shot up.

Here’s which class to pick in PoE 2 Early Access, plus an early Mercenary build guide and Sorceress build guide to help you get started. Beyond that, if you’re wondering how to get more Spirit, how to trade, and how to ascend, we’ve got you covered.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Shmup Fans Rejoice! ‘DoDonPachi True Death’ Is Coming To Switch In Japan This Month

It’s true!

Off the back of last year’s exquisite Dodonpachi DaiOuJou Blissful Death Re:Incarnation, publisher Live Wire has announced that it’s bringing DoDonPachi True Death to Switch in Japan on 19th December.

True Death (or ‘DoDonPachi SaiDaiOuJou’, in Japan) is the sixth entry in Cave’s vertical-scrolling shoot ’em up series, initially launching in arcades in 2012 before coming to Xbox a year later.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

PlayStation Store: November 2024’s top downloads

It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, PS VR, and free-to-play games topped the download charts last month. November’s PS5 list saw spooky newcomer Phasmophobia rise from the dead, landing in the top five of the US and EU charts. Metro Awakening claimed the top spot on November’s PS VR2 list in the US and EU.

Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month?

PS5 Games

US/CanadaEU
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
PhasmophobiaEA SPORTS FC 25
NBA 2K25Farming Simulator 25
EA SPORTS FC 25Phasmophobia
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto VHogwarts Legacy
Dragon Age: The VeilguardMinecraft
EA SPORTS College Football 25NBA 2K25
Farming Simulator 25Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2UFC 5
DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZEROCyberpunk 2077
Hogwarts LegacyDragon Age: The Veilguard
MinecraftPalworld
Mortal Kombat 1God of War Ragnarök
UndisputedASTRO BOT
ASTRO BOTPlanet Coaster 2
PalworldBaldur’s Gate 3
UFC 5DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO
Cyberpunk 2077The Crew Motorfest
God of War RagnarökResident Evil 4

*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included

PS4 Games

US/CanadaEU
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6EA SPORTS FC 25
Red Dead Redemption 2Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Need for Speed HeatNeed for Speed Heat
Batman: Arkham KnightRed Dead Redemption 2
Gang BeastsBattlefield 1
Grand Theft Auto VNeed for Speed Payback
EA SPORTS FC 25The Forest
Need for Speed PaybackBattlefield V
The ForestGrand Theft Auto V
Battlefield 1Gang Beasts
EA SPORTS Madden NFL 25Mortal Kombat X
MinecraftBatman: Arkham Knight
theHunter: Call of the WildMinecraft
Mortal Kombat XHogwarts Legacy
Battlefield VKingdom Come: Deliverance
NBA 2K25A Way Out
Hogwarts LegacyRayman Legends
STAR WARS Battlefront IIUnravel Two
Chained Climb TogetherChained Climb Together
BODYCAMERA SHOOTERMafia: Trilogy

     *Naming of products may differ between regions

PS VR2 Games*

US/CanadaEU
Metro AwakeningMetro Awakening
Beat SaberBeat Saber
Arizona Sunshine RemakeArizona Sunshine Remake
Arizona Sunshine 2Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced Edition
Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced EditionArizona Sunshine 2
PavlovPavlov
Into the RadiusHorizon Call of the Mountain
Red Matter 2Red Matter 2
Among Us VRCrossfire: Sierra Squad
Crossfire: Sierra SquadCreed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition

 *PS Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included

PSVR Games

US/CanadaEU
ASTRO BOT Rescue MissionBatman: Arkham VR
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VRThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR
Batman: Arkham VRASTRO BOT Rescue Mission
Borderlands 2 VRJob Simulator
Paranormal Activity: The Lost SoulDOOM 3: VR Edition
SUPERHOT VRLethal VR
Beat SaberBeat Saber
Job SimulatorDOOM VFR
DOOM 3: VR EditionBorderlands 2 VR
Surgeon Simulator: Experience RealitySUPERHOT VR

Free to Play (PS5 + PS4)

US/CanadaEU
FortniteFortnite
Call of Duty: WarzoneCall of Duty: Warzone
RobloxRoblox
Rocket LeagueRocket League
Asphalt Legends UniteAsphalt Legends Unite
Fall GuyseFootball
Apex LegendsFall Guys
VALORANTVALORANT
eFootballThe Sims 4
The Sims 4Stumble Guys

Red Dead Redemption’s John Marston Actor Rob Wiethoff Starts OnlyFans, But It’s Not What You Think

Red Dead Redemption actor Rob Wiethoff, who plays the iconic John Marston in both the original game and Red Dead Redemption 2, has started an OnlyFans page.

While the website is predominantly associated with adult content, Wiethoff’s OnlyFans page, spotted by ComicBook, will instead chronicle his journey getting in shape.

“This page is not like other OnlyFans pages,” Wiethoff said in an Instagram comment. “If you follow, you’re going to watch an old guy work out. That’s all it is. My plan is to get ripped, though. You can do it with me if you want.”

He warned he’s by no means an expert, however. “I am not certified or even trained in any kind of physical training nor am I an educated or certified dietician,” Wiethoff said on his OnlyFans page. “If you decide to do what I do and eat what I eat, that’s up to you. I’m certainly not asking for you to do either of those things or even suggesting that you do. This is for fun. I hope we all enjoy it.”

His first post on OnlyFans asked fans if they’re ready for it, and if he’s ready for it. Wiethoff’s second and latest post chronicles his water drinking philosophy for the day while explaining his eating habits.

The actor plays one of the most iconic roles in video games as the protagonist of Red Dead Redemption and a main character of its sequel, both of which have gone down among the greatest games of all time.

In our 10/10 review of the second, IGN said: “Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game of rare quality; a meticulously polished open-world ode to the outlaw era.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Infinity Nikki Dev Celebrates 10 Million Downloads With In-Game Rewards

Infinity Nikki, the open-world dress up role-playing game from former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga, has already crossed 10 million downloads, and developer Infold Games is celebrating with in-game rewards.

An X/Twitter post revealed the impressive milestone was reached just four days after Infinity Nikki’s December 5 launch, and players can now access 10 free draws as a thanks for their support.

“Infinity Nikki has reached over 10 million downloads worldwide,” Infold Games said. “On this whimsical journey, take each step with confidence and embrace the brilliance of every moment. Let’s set forth toward a bright and sparkling future.”

Players can access the rewards by opening their mailbox before January 1, where they’ll find a special bonus of 10 Resonite Crystals which can be used to unlock as many draws. Players have access to the mailbox once they have joined the Florawish Stylist’s Guild and received a Pear-Pal.

Infinity Nikki is described as “a grand adventure in the glamourous dress-up adventure game series,” where, “for the first time ever, Miraland is now an explorable open world. Nikki and Momo will set off on another marvelous journey, exploring the world, discovering amazing landscapes, and collecting outfits.”

It has enjoyed a very successful launch so far, as beyond a brief website hack which stopped players downloading the game, no technical difficulties or other issues have arisen. This has obviously converted well for Infold Games with the 10 million downloads.

In our 9/10 review, IGN said: “Infinity Nikki has deep open world exploration, a quirky story, and some of the most beautiful in-game outfits you’ll ever see – you just have to be ready to navigate a maze of menus to get them.”

For curious stylists and outfit collectors, we’ve got a guide to all Outfits in Infinity Nikki, plus all Ability Outfits, to help you avoid a fashion faux pas. As you explore Miraland and search for collectibles, keep an eye out for all the Whimstar locations, and make sure to check in with our Infinity Nikki daily tasks guide. Plus, there are plenty of Infinity Nikki launch rewards to claim, including some very generous promo codes you won’t want to miss.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Tekken 8’s next character will be revealed this week, and clues point to a certain lady in red

The big question a Tekken player always wants to know is: which DLC character is coming next? Well, you’ll know by the end of the week, as the studio is planning to reveal this at Geoff Keighley’s winter festival of expensive advertising, the Game Awards. However, there may already be some clues in a trailer they’ve just released, which suggests some sisterful slapping is overdue. The trailer also promises new moves for all characters in a Season 2 update next spring, along with some minor presents in a winter update due sooner than that. But yes, come see for yourself.

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Call of Duty Fans Give Black Ops 6’s Zombie Santa Loading Screen the Finger Amid ‘AI Slop’ Backlash

Activision is embroiled in a backlash over Call of Duty Black Ops 6 in-game art that some fans have accused of being “AI slop.”

Following the release of the Season 1 Reloaded update, fans noticed a number of telltale signs in Black Ops 6 loading screens, calling cards, and art used to explain how Zombies community events work.

At the centre of the backlash is a loading screen image of Zombie Santa, aka ‘Necroclaus,’ which some have said shows the undead Father Christmas with six fingers. Others, however, believe the bottom left ‘finger’ is simply flesh falling off the little finger above it, although there are irregularities with the present boxes and ribbons in the bottom right, too. Generative AI often struggles with hands, adding extra fingers where they shouldn’t be.

Another image of a gloved hand was used to show off a new Zombies community event. It contains what looks like six fingers with no thumb on-screen, suggesting up to seven digits on this hand.

IGN has asked Activision for comment.

The release of the Zombie Santa image sparked a closer look at other images in Black Ops 6, which some in the Call of Duty community have now called into question. Redditor Shaun_LaDee highlighted three images included in paid bundles that have irregularities that could suggest the use of generative AI.

Fans are now calling on Activision to disclose the use of generative AI for art that is included in bundles that are sold. And as others have pointed out, Steam operator Valve now has AI disclosure rules that call on publishers and developers to describe how they use AI in the development and execution of their games. As part of this, Valve has told developers it will include their disclosures on the Steam store page of their game, “so customers can also understand how the game uses AI.” Currently, Call of Duty’s Steam page has no such disclosure.

In July, Wired reported that Activision sold an “AI-generated cosmetic” for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 last year. The cosmetic in question was not named, but was linked to the Yokai’s Wrath bundle released in December 2023. The store did not disclose any use of generative AI for this bundle.

This bundle cost 1,500 COD Points, the premium virtual currency sold for real-world money that generates hundreds of millions of dollars for Activision each year. 1,500 COD Points is approximately valued at $15.

Wired pointed out that Microsoft, which owns Activision Blizzard after its $69 billion acquisition of the company last year, cut 1,900 staff from its gaming business just months after Activision sold this skin. The report alleged that 2D artists’ jobs were being replaced by AI at the company.

“A lot of 2D artists were laid off,” one anonymous Activision artist told the site. “Remaining concept artists were then forced to use AI to aid in their work.” Activision employees were allegedly “made” to sign up for AI training, with its use promoted throughout the business.

Generative AI is one of the hottest topics within the video game and entertainment industries, which have both suffered massive layoffs in recent years. Generative AI thus far 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.”

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Random: Metroid Prime 3 Dev Left Retro Studios After “Unhealthy Relationship” With Nintendo Micromanagement

“If you’re not directly working on the game, go away”.

We know that Nintendo can be a little protective of its intellectual properties (now there’s an understatement), but it turns out that the company’s micromanagement was enough to make one artist on Metroid Prime 3: Corruption leave his position at Retro Studios.

That’s according to a recent episode of the Kiwi Talkz podcast, where host Reece Reilly sat down with former Retro and Bethesda world artist Nate Purkeypile to talk about his experience of working on Corruption.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com