Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is estimated to have generated more than $200 million in revenue in its first month, already overtaking Pokémon Sleep and Pokémon Unite.
PocketGamer.biz cited figures from AppMagic that estimated the digital card game hit $208 million November 29th, just a month after it launched on October 30. Pokémon TCG Pocket is free to play but allows players to buy extra booster packs, cosmetics, and a monthly pass that awards one extra pack a day.
Pokémon TCG Pocket follows the standard mobile and free to play game model, flooding players with rewards in the opening few days before soon drying up, with spending real world money the only real way to re-experience that early thrill.
It tasks players with opening booster packs to complete a collection of cards and build decks to battle, though the latter of these is fairly barebones at the moment with only the collecting aspect fully realised. Pokémon TCG Pocket offers players just two packs a day without spending money, however.
Getting every card in the game is already impossible without spending money, however, as an additional set of promo cards is also available and so far includes two which can only be obtained through the $9.99 a month Premium Pass.
We don’t know yet if the AI revolution of our reality will go full Skynet or simply end with the robots unceremoniously dumping us like a sad Joaquin Phoenix. But at least video games can help us speculate. Heart Of The Machine is a cyberpunk 4X strategy game that will let players choose how a newly awakened AI sentience might behave once set loose upon a big future city. Developers Arcen Games call it a “turn-based sci-fi 4X RPG”, which is a lot of genres fighting for supremacy in one small phrase. It was announced last year, but today it gets a release date and an updated demo.
Elden Ring director and FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the developer is not currently considering making Elden Ring 2 but won’t shut down the possibility in the future.
Miyazaki said at the PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Japan Asia, attended by IGN Japan and translated by Automaton, that FromSoftware has several projects in the works but none are continuations of Elden Ring, its most successful game to date.
“We’re not really considering developments such as an Elden Ring 2,” Miyazaki said, though made clear FromSoftware is open to returning to the Elden Ring franchise “in some form in the future.” The projects in development are works in progress at the moment but diverse in genre, with some directed by Miyazaki himself, he said.
FromSoftware has a varied history in game development but has become known for defining the Souls genre over the last 15 years. These games have varied in theme somewhat though are all role-playing games with a similar format of, at their most simple, progressing through an area before taking on a challenging boss.
None of the incoming projects have been revealed by FromSoftware as of yet, though one of them is almost certainly the next signature Souls game akin to Elden Ring. Many fans are hoping for a return to the Dark Souls franchise, which has been dormant for close to a decade, while others are desperate for a Bloodborne sequel (and think an announcement is imminent).
Elden Ring would have been the most obvious choice for a continuation, not just because its FromSoftware’s best received game so far but, perhaps more significantly, it sold a staggering 25 million units.
In our 10/10 review, IGN said: “Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
Developer Infold Games has revealed the preload and global release times for Infinity Nikki, the open-world dress up role-playing game from former The Legend of Zelda director Kentaro Tominaga coming to PlayStation 5, PC via the Epic Games Store, iOS, and Android.
The highly anticipated sequel, which logged more than 35 million pre-registrations in its lead up to launch, is now available to preload, meaning players can download it ahead of time to begin playing the moment becomes available on December 5, or even December 4 in some locations.
Infold Games released a story trailer to celebrate this preload availability, which can be watched below, and also announced some bonuses players who pick up Infinity Nikki at launch can enjoy in the game.
Infinity Nikki: Official Release Trailer – About Wishes💫
This journey, designated “INFINITY”, marks both a new beginning and a long-awaited reunion. We look forward to seeing all of you stylists in Miraland!… pic.twitter.com/Y2imNAm4oQ
“With over 35 million pre-registrations, and even more players signing up today, Infinity Nikki and the development team are incredibly excited to welcome players with open arms to the breathtaking world of Miraland,” Infold Games said of the imminent release.
Bonus items include a special stylist background, a camera pose, two 4-star outfits, and enough crystals to fuel up to 126 total pulls across the limited and permanent banners. These come alongside a handful of rewards made available for hitting so many pre-registrations, including 50,000 Blings, 300 Threads of Purity, 20 Resonite Crystals, and a 4-star outfit.
Are there any sights more quintessentially Christmassy than a street lit up by warm and glowing decorations, as seen through a snow-graced windowpane? Why, I could gaze through this wonderful window all day. Let’s just hope no-one decides to smash through it, eh? Why, I’d get bits of glass in my lovely warm milk, which would massively downgrade my biscuit-dunking experience. Wait. What’s that? Oh no!
Sea of Stars launched on Nintendo Switch last year and, after a beefy free update and with an even beefier free DLC on the horizon, it’s safe to say that it’s a banger. But what inspired the developer, Sabotage, to make such a gem? What studios sit on its mood board? Who is the go-to touchstone for all things game-making? According to Sea of Stars director Thierry Boulanger, it’s Nintendo.
Now, we challenge any dev to look us in the eye and say that they haven’t, in some way, been inspired by the House of Mario over the years. But, as Boulanger told GamesRadar, the Big N is “just the motherlode of everything you can learn”, with the studio’s work in the 1980s and ’90s being particular points of inspiration for the Sabotage team.
Today, December 3, marks PlayStation’s 30th anniversary. To celebrate, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) hosted the 2024 PlayStation Partner Awards in Japan Asia (hereafter PlayStation Partner Awards), honoring all the incredible games and talented developers who released their games on PlayStation within the Japan/Asia region.
In addition to celebrating the success of the 2024 PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 titles (October 2023 through September 2024), this year’s awards also recognized exceptional games created by Japanese and other Asian developers released on legacy PlayStation platforms over the past 30 years – the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 4. Read on for a rundown of all the games that received awards at this event.
Games are listed in alphabetical order.
Excellence Award
Awarded to the title developed in the Japan/Asia region that have had a consistent and significant impact along with commercial success over the past three years*.
Genshin Impact (HoYoverse)
Grand Award
Awarded to the top three titles developed in the Japan and Asia regions with the highest worldwide sales between October 2023 and September 2024*.
Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science Interactive Technology) Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree (FromSoftware, Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix Co. Ltd)
Partner Award
Awarded to titles developed in the Japan/Asia region with top-ranked worldwide sales between October 2023 and September 2024*, with particularly noteworthy accomplishments.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 (Capcom Co., Ltd.) Honkai: Star Rail (HoYoverse) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Sega) Persona 3 Reload (Atlus Co., Ltd) Tekken 8 (Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.) The First Descendant（Nexon） Zenless Zone Zero（HoYoverse）
Special Award
Awarded to PS5 titles developed in collaboration with SIE outside the Japan/Asia region that achieved outstanding success within Japan/Asia between October 2023 and September 2024*.
Rise of the Ronin (SIE, developed by Koei Tecmo) Stellar Blade (SIE, developed by Shift Up)
Users’ Choice Award
Awarded to the top five titles released in the Japan/Asia region between October 2023 and September 2024, selected by user votes in the Japan/Asia region, out of the top 30 titles with the longest total gameplay time.
Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science Interactive Technology) Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix Co. Ltd) Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (Sega) Rise of the Ronin (SIE, developed by Koei Tecmo) Stellar Blade (SIE, developed by Shift Up)
PlayStation Generations Awards
Awarded to titles chosen by users in the Japan and Asia regions from each PlayStation generation – the original PlayStation, PS2, PSP, PS3, PS Vita, and PS4. All games are previous “PlayStation Partner Award” winners.
PlayStation Generations (1994 and beyond) Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix Co. Ltd.)
PlayStation 2 Generations (2000 and beyond) Final Fantasy X (Square Enix Co. Ltd.)
PlayStation Portable Generations (2004 and beyond) Monster Hunter Portable 3rd (Capcom Co., Ltd.)
PlayStation 3 Generations (2006 and beyond) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.)
PlayStation Vita Generations (2011 and beyond) Persona 4 Golden (Atlus Co., Ltd)
PlayStation 4 Generations (2013 and beyond) Elden Ring (FromSoftware, Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.)
* SIE’s indicators, such as player numbers, are also factored into the selection of nominees. Listed publishers are those of the Japanese PlayStation Store.
Here are messages from the recipients of the “Excellence Award” and “Grand Award” to all the players.
Genshin Impact
(Hoyoverse)
* Photo of the HoYoverse team’s resident cat.
“I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our players and PlayStation! This new award marks a significant milestone in our journey over the past four years, reflecting the precious memories and moments of companionship shared with our players, as well as the long-lasting, stable, and trusting partnership we’ve built with PlayStation.
The world of Genshin Impact is filled with endless possibilities, and our adventure is far from over. This year, we’ve arrived at Teyvat’s sixth nation — Natlan. Here, Travelers can join forces with Natlan’s warriors and Saurian companions, soaring through the skies and delving into the earth, exploring the vast world to their hearts’ content. And moving forward, we will continue to create exciting and fresh content to show our appreciation for your continued attention and support.”
– Dai Wei Game Designer HoYoverse
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
(FromSoftware, Inc / Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.)
“Thank you to all the gamers who have spent their time playing Elden Ring.
We will continue to strive to deliver exciting and meaningful games to our fans.”
– FromSoftware, Inc Elden Ring development team
“Thank you so much for this very prestigious award. Although there was a longer wait for the Shadow of the Erdtree compared to our previous DLCs, we’re delighted that so many players picked up the expansion to explore the all-new story in the Realm of Shadow. We’re only able to continue receiving such awards nearly three years after the main game’s release, thanks to our loyal players continuing their journey in the Lands Between and keeping the game and community thriving. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has played the main game and DLC. Thank you very much.”
– Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. Elden Ring development team
Black Myth: Wukong
(Game Science Interactive Technology）
“It is an incredible honor to receive the Grand Award. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of everyone at Game Science Interactive Technology and the support of our valued partners, as well as the enthusiastic response from all Black Myth: Wukong players.
The inspiration for Black Myth: Wukong comes from Journey to the West, one of China’s ‘Four Great Classical Novels.’ Thanks to this masterpiece written over 400 years ago, and the fusion of China’s rich cultural heritage with the latest advancements in game development technology, we were able to create an action RPG that brings the grandeur and beauty of Chinese mythology to life. Moving forward, we will continue listening to player feedback, exploring cutting-edge technology, and creating more exciting gameplay and thought-provoking stories.
Thanks to our distribution platforms and to every Destined One who has joined us on this westward journey!”
– Feng Ji Founder & CEO, Game Director Game Science
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
(Square Enix Co. Ltd)
“I am thrilled that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was chosen for the Grand Award – which is only awarded to the top three Japanese/Asian titles with the highest worldwide sales – especially since Final Fantasy VII Remake received the same honor. I am truly grateful to the many fans who have supported this game and made it possible for us to receive this esteemed award.
The Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy will finally conclude with the next installment. The team is working incredibly hard to make it a rewarding finale, so we hope that you will continue to support us.”
As Graham pointed out earlier this year, A Difficult Game About Climbing is a difficult game about climbing. A Bennett Foddy’s Getting Over It-inspired limb-flailer, where hoisting yourself up a mountain as a bald man is painfully moreish. Well, let me introduce you to A Difficult Game About Driving, a difficult game about driving. Again, you play as a bald man (called Jeff) who sits in a 4×4 bathtub and must ascend a series of difficult roads. There’s a demo out now and let me tell you, it’s awfully good.
Ahead of The Game Awards next week, the ‘players’ voice’ nominees have now been revealed. This is a “100% fan voted award” that takes place across three rounds.
Round one requires players to vote for their 10 favourite games from a list of 30, and ends on 4th December 2024 (aka tomorrow). On the Nintendo front, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom has made this top 30 list. Apart from this, some other featured games available on Switch include Sonic X Shadow Generations, No Man’s Sky, Fortnite and the indie hit Balatro.
The return of college football to the gaming space is a cause for celebration for many. From the ability to represent their alma mater or just engage with the incredible energy present in collegiate sports, there is a lot to like. College Football 25 arrived July 16 earlier this year as the highly anticipated return of the beloved sports series. It became a smash hit, pulling in as many as 700,000 players in its first day of early access and a staggering 2.2 million by the end.
If you haven’t played EA Sports College Football 25 yet, you are in luck. Right now you can grab the game for just $29.99. Will this deal last past Dec 2 (Cyber Monday)? We’re honestly not sure. Amazon may surprise us all, while Best Buy has a countdown clock to bring on the urgency.
Get EA College Football 25 for $29.99
College Football 25 had big updates in August 2024, including several improvements to overall gameplay and the Dynasty and Ultimate Team modes. There are new formations to teams’ playbooks, switch stick delay settings, and fixes for bugs such as defenders slipping through double teams without the right animation.
Brian Barnett writes reviews, guides, features, & more for IGN, GameSpot, & Kotaku. You can get more than your fair share of him onBluesky &Backloggd, & enjoy his absurd video game talk show, The Platformers, onSpotify & Apple Podcasts.
