Author: Game Infliction

The Best PS5 2TB SSD Deals (August 2024)

With PS5 games getting bigger each year, and SSD prices on the rise in 2024, we want to make sure you can find the best amount of storage for the lowest price possible. Here, we’ll point you in the direction of some of the greatest 2TB SSD deals we can find, like this fantastic TEAMGROUP MP44Q 2TB SSD for just $109.99. It’s worth noting, though, that you can’t use any old SSD and expect it to perform well on the PS5 console. You’ll want to pick up a PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 solid-state drive with at least a 5,500MB/s read speed to match the PS5’s internal drive, which we’ve gathered up in the list below to make your search easier.

Note that Sony recommends a heatsink attached to your SSD and not all SSDs listed here have pre-installed heatsinks. For the ones that do, we’ll be sure to mention it. For the ones that don’t, all you have to do is purchase your own heatsink (like this one for $9) and install it yourself. For our top recommended picks for 2024, check out our full breakdown for the Best PS5 SSDs.

TEAMGROUP MP44Q 2TB SSD for $110

This is one of the best deals on a 2TB SSD at the moment: Amazon is offering the TEAMGROUP MP44Q 2TB SSD for just $109.99. It, unfortunately, does not have a heatsink so you’ll have to invest in one, but you can easily do that here for under $10. It also offers transfer speeds of up to 7,400MB/s read and 6,500MB/s write.

Silicon Power 2TB XS70 SSD for $136.79

Featuring read speeds up to 7,300MB/s and write speeds up to 6,800MB/s, this 2TB Silicon Power XS70 SSD is currently enjoying a limited time deal of 24% off. This has dropped its price down to $136.79, which is absolutely worth taking advantage of. It also has a heatsink built in, so it’s ready to go in your PS5 right away.

acer Predator GM7000 2TB M.2 SSD for $136.99

With sequential read/write speeds up to 7400 MB/s and 6700 MB/s, this is an excellent SSD for your PS5. It currently has a nice little discount at Amazon, down to $136.99 from its MSRP of $169.99, but it does not come with a heatsink so you’ll have to invest in one.

WD_Black 2TB SN850X SSD for $149.99

Right now, Amazon has the WD_Black 2TB SN850X SSD available for just $149.99. Normally priced at $189.99, this 2TB SSD features speeds up to 7,300MB/s to ensure your games load as fast as possible. This model will work with PS5, but you will need to purchase a heatsink to go with it (which you can do here for just $9).

Crucial T500 2TB SSD with Heatsink for $152.99

Amazon is offering a nice deal at the moment on the Crucial T500 2TB SSD, which is discounted down to $152.99. This SSD has a heatsink all ready to go, so you can install it right away in your PS5, and even offers excellent read/write speeds of 7,400/7,000MB/s.

SAMSUNG 980 PRO 2TB SSD with Heatsink for $159.99

You can never go wrong with a Samsung SSD. The 2TB 980 PRO is currently marked down 30% to $159.99, which is an excellent deal! Featuring read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s, it’s a great fit for your PS5 and even comes with an integrated heatsink, so you don’t need to worry about shelling out extra cash for a separate one.

2024 Crucial T705 2TB SSD for $294.99

This is the newest model from Crucial and it already has an excellent discount on Amazon. For a limited time, you can get 26% off this SSD, bringing it down to $294.99 from $399.99. It’s well worth the investment as well, as it offers crazy good sequential read/write speeds up to 14,500/12,700MB/s. If you feel the need for speed, this SSD will certainly get you there.

What if the SSD Doesn’t Include a Heatsink?

Sony recommends you install an SSD that has an attached heatsink. If the SSD you purchase doesn’t include one, it’s simple enough to buy one for $9 on Amazon and add it yourself. Most of these heatsinks are just attached using an adhesive like thermal tape.

Budget to Best: PS5 SSDs

There may be other SSD deals out there, but these are the PS5 SSDs we’ve tried ourselves and highly recommend. They also double up as outstanding boot drives for your gaming PC, in case you don’t need additional storage for your PS5 console.

How To Install a New PS5 SSD

It’s extremely easy! Removing the case cover is completely toolless. In fact, the only screw you have to remove is the one that keeps the cover for the SSD bay in place. You don’t even put it back when you’re done. Sony has a quick and easy YouTube video guide.

Hannah Hoolihan is a freelance writer who works with the Guides and Commerce teams here at IGN.

Original article by Eric Song.

Arrowhead emerge with a bullet-pointed peace offering to pacify mutinous Helldivers 2 players

It’s been looking grim for Super Earth recently. I mean, not really. Multiplayer shooty Helldivers 2 is still sitting around 35,000 concurrent players, which is perfectly respectable, if only around 10% of its peak back in April. Still, a clutch of disgruntled ‘divers have recently found a novel way to protest an increasingly unpopular series of nerfs: laying down their guns and letting the bots take the damn planet.

“If Super Earth wanted to remain safe, they would stop nerfing our guns,” reads one comment on the subreddit, in response to a post titled “Let the bots advance. Let the Super Earth burn.” It seems to have picked up some steam inside the actual game, too. As of earlier this week, there’s only around a thousand players actively trying to stop the bots advancing perilously close to the home planet, via Gamesradar.

Whether this is all massively overblown for the sake of a dramatic yarn or not, Arrowhead themselves have taken note of player concerns over nerfs. Yesterday, game director Mikael Eriksson unveiled a plan for the next 60 days, directly addressing player feedback over the controversial ‘Escalation of Freedom’ update.

Read more

Steam now has a Trending Free tab for demos, full free games and free-to-play

Finding and sharing Free Stuff is one of the time-honoured duties of the video game journalist or SEO-monger. Back when I was OXM’s online editor, “free Xbox games” was one of our golden Google pillars, the other two being “Minecraft Xbox 360 update” and “Skyrim something something”. Well, uncle Valve has just rudely torpedoed that ancient investigative initiative by adding a Trending Free tab to the Steam frontpage, encompassing prologues, demos, free-to-play games and that most treasured of jewels, a full free game with no monetisation elements, such as Grimhook.

Do not cry for us pitiful electronic scribblers, crowded on our melting internet icebergs. Play free games instead! Thanks to that new tab, I’ve just discovered a demo for neato wide-format tower defender Frontline Crisis. Hah, that’ll keep the awareness of steady livelihood erosion at bay.

Read more

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Booster Course Physical Release Reportedly Updated

It seems “all” of the DLC is on the card.

Last year, ahead of the release of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe ‘Wave 6’ DLC, Nintendo published a physical bundle in select parts of the world featuring the Booster Course Pass (including Waves 1-5 and a free Wave 6 download).

Now, in an update, it’s apparently released a physical edition with “all” of the DLC on the game cartridge. As highlighted by NintendoSoup, a new physical edition in Southeast Asia features updated Switch packaging, noting how “this special bundle comes with Wave 1-6 DLC”.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Gearbox Teases ‘Borderlands 4’ (Again), Following Movie’s Box Office Flop

“We’re working extra hard four you”.

Following the Borderlands movie box office disaster, Gearbox Software studio head Randy Pitchford has attempted to lighten the mood on social media with another teaser of a fourth major entry in the video game series.

He mentioned how the team is working extra hard “four” fans on “what’s next”. Here it is in full:

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Tetris 99 ‘Splatoon 3 Edition’ Maximus Cup Event Announced

Unlock a special theme later this month.

Update :

Nintendo has now officially announced this new crossover event for Tetris 99. Once again, it will run from 16th August until 19th August. We’ve also got a trailer showing off the new theme you can unlock. As usual, this theme comes with special background art, music and Tetrimino designs which are this time inspired by Splatoon 3 and its expansion pass.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Compact Mode is now in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders

Introducing Compact Mode 

We are excited to announce that Compact Mode is now available in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders. Compact Mode is a new experience that simplifies Game Bar, making it more intuitive and easier to navigate on small screens, Windows handhelds, and when playing with a controller. To use this feature, open Game Bar, go to the Settings widget, under General, and turn on the “Compact Mode” toggle. 

A screenshot of the Game Bar Compact Mode menu.

Better navigation on small screens and more

With Compact Mode enabled, access to widgets and navigation is simplified to ensure you can get access to the content you want as easily as possible. When using a controller, you can switch between widgets quickly with left and right bumpers (LB/RB). 

On the Home widget, you can view any running games and recently played games. You can also access common game launchers installed on your system such as Xbox, Steam, Battle.net, EA Play, Riot Games, and Ubisoft Connect. 

You can now quit a game that is running by going to the Home widget and selecting the game and pressing close, a faster way than quitting from the game or navigating out to Desktop. In addition, you can leverage the Resource widget to quickly see what other applications are using your device’s resources and close them. 

A screenshot of the quit game confirmation message while using Compact Mode in Game Bar.

When the focus is on a widget icon in the navigation, you can open the widget’s settings or close the widget.  

A screenshot of the Options menu for one of the widgets while using Compact Mode in Game Bar.

Finally, you can access the Widget Store and open any installed widget by going to the widgets menu. 

A screenshot of the Widget Store and widget menu while using Compact Mode for Game Bar.

How to access Compact Mode on Windows gaming handheld PCs 

For devices that support custom physical button mapping, you can map a button to the WIN+G keyboard shortcut. Please refer to your device’s onboarding instructions on how to remap a physical button. To access Game Bar on your desktop, search for “Game Bar” in the taskbar and right click to pin to taskbar.

Share your feedback 

A new survey is available here or in the Xbox Insider Hub (open or install here for players enrolled in the PC Gaming preview) to give us your feedback on Compact Mode for Game Bar on Windows PCs while it is on preview. As a reminder, you can always give us suggestions for the app or leave feedback by going to the Settings widget, under Feedback, use the Game Bar feedback link. We look forward to hearing from you as we work to bring more enhancements to Compact Mode for you to enjoy seamless Xbox gaming experiences across all your Windows devices.  

How to get Xbox Insider support and share your feedback 

If you’re an Xbox Insider looking for support, please join our community on the Xbox Insider subreddit. Official Xbox staff, moderators, and fellow Xbox Insiders are there to help. We recommend adding to threads with the same topic before posting a brand new one. This helps us support you the best we can! Also, you can provide direct feedback to Team Xbox by following the steps here under the “Report a problem online” section.  

If you aren’t part of the Xbox Insider Program yet and want to help create the future of Xbox and get early access to new features, join the Program today by downloading the Xbox Insider Hub for Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One or Windows PC.  

For more information on the Xbox Insider Program, follow us on Twitter at @XboxInsider. Keep an eye on future Xbox Insider Release Notes for more information regarding the PC Gaming Preview. 

Note: This feature is being made available to Xbox Insiders enrolled in the PC Gaming Preview.  

The post Compact Mode is now in Game Bar for Xbox Insiders appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Everdell Board Game Buying Guide and Expansions

Live out your 100-Acre Wood fantasy with Everdell, a whimsical and immersive resource management, tableau-building, and worker placement board game where you and up to four players gather and spend countless resources, build cities, deploy Meeples, and meet other forest critters. The Everdell board game takes place over a whole year (winter to winter), and whoever has the most points at the end of the season wins. The beautiful pastel art style by Andrew Bosley will draw you in immediately, but Everdell’s accessibility for board game beginners and easy-to-learn ruleset will keep you coming back for numerous sessions. Just make sure you have plenty of room on your board game table.

The base game is available in a few different editions, and a hefty number of expansions are available that feature new cards, mechanics, critters, and rules, as well as accessory packs to better store your game pieces and immerse yourself further into the Everdell experience. This buying guide is the perfect place to start as you embark on your Everdell journey.

Getting Started

Everdell

  • Price: $60 (-20%, MSRP $75)
  • Players: 1-4 players
  • Age Range: 10+
  • Play Time: 40-80 minutes

Just as the title says, this is the base, entry level version of the Everdell board game. This includes everything you’ll need to get started: the (admittedly large) game board and 3D buildable tree, over 100 playable cards, about as many resources, 30 points tokens, and an expansive rulebook. The game can be enjoyed as a solo board game, or with up to four players, so be sure to consult the rulebook – some tiles and mechanics can only be used with a certain number of players.

Everdell Collectors Edition

  • Price: $95

As well as containing the base game, the Collector’s Edition of Everdell comes with the 10-card Legends expansion, fifteen Extra! Extra! cards, metal coins, wooden occupy tokens, and an upgraded deluxe die for solo play. Shelling out the extra dough is worth it, as the expansion cards add a ton of variety to the game.

My Lil’ Everdell

  • Price: $45
  • Players: 1-4 players
  • Age Range: 6+
  • Play Time: 30 minutes

This kid-friendly version of Everdell simplifies the mechanics of the original, while still maintaining that whimsical spirit. Great for first-time board gamers and younger children to help hone their decision making skills and focus!

Everdell Expansions

It’s important to note that most of these expansions require a base copy of Everdell to play.

Everdell Pearlbrook Expansion

  • Price: $60

The first of many expansions, Pearlbrook lets players take a dive into a new underwater society to collect a new resource – pearls! This watery expansion integrates with the base game and comes with over 50 new cards, new constructions, and four new 3D Wonders.

Everdell Spirecrest Expansion

  • Price: $57.99

The Spirecrest expansion sees players climbing an impressive new Mountain board and adds some challenge to the mix. The added mechanical complexity shows in this expansion’s change to the Prepare for Season step, as players will now reveal Discovery and Weather cards that affect their game.

Everdell Bellfaire Expansion

  • Price: $45

Everdell’s third expansion is interesting, as its modular Market board can increase the player cap to six players. However, this means you don’t get an extra worker in Spring and your hand count is reduced to seven. Player Powers for every type of critter also change how you approach the game, and endgame rewards really make it anyone’s game once you finish out the year.

Everdell Newleaf Expansion

  • Price: $60

The train station board is an exciting new addition that includes four new critter types – cats, bats, snails, and bees, as well as over 100 new cards and game pieces. It wouldn’t be an Everdell expansion without a game-altering twist: using the Tickets module, you can redeploy your Meeple instead of taking a regular game action.

Everdell Mistwood Expansion

  • Price: $59.49

Introducing the villainous Nightweave, the Mistwood expansion is a great addition for players who enjoy solo sessions or playing Everdell with only two players. Three and four player modulations are still here to add to the base game. This set also includes new Legends cards, such as the powerful Corrin Evertail.

Everdell Farshore

  • Price: $100

Released in 2023, Farshore is Everdell’s first (and so far only) standalone expansion. This game is played using mostly the same mechanics as the base game, with some new parameters. Everdell Farshore replaces occupy tokens with golden anchors, comes with new critter types, and has you riding around on a ship as you collect nautical-themed resources.

Everdell Complete Collection

  • Price: $275

Looking for a one-stop shop? The Everdell Complete Collection has you covered. This oversized treasure trove of endless Everdell entertainment contains all content from the Collector’s Edition, all of the expansions listed above, and special trays, dividers, and storage options for the hundreds of different cards, boards, and game pieces, as well as a gorgeously illustrated card reference guide and rulebook. A bit overwhelming due to its size, this edition is best for Everdell veterans looking to consolidate instead of newcomers.

Everdell Accessories

Upgrade Packs

Do you only have the Standard Edition of Everdell but want all the content from the Collector’s and Complete Editions? The Glimmergold Upgrade Pack expands your base set to the Collector’s Edition, while the Click Clacks Upgrade Pack gives you all of the exclusive Complete Collection content.

Deluxe Resource Vessels

  • Price: $40

With a game like Everdell, actually finding space for resources on the board can be a major pain in the tail. Enter this super handy set of resource vessels, or “bowls” for each of the game’s available resources, occupy tokens, and card holders each for their own convenient, clutter-free locations on the game board.

Big Ol Box of Storage

  • Price: $99

This storage container lives up to its name by allowing you to store the base game, its expansions, and the Deluxe Resource Vessels into one single location, which is helpful if you haven’t purchased the Complete Collection, which has its own storage box.

Everdell Card Sleeve Set

  • Price: $60

Protect your cards in style with the Everdell-themed card sleeves accessory. This pack comes with 600 sleeves, enough for every card in the base game and all the expansions. Featuring more art from the game’s artist Andrew Bosley.

Extra Resources Pack

  • Price: $20

The resources in Everdell were not designed to be finite, but when playing with the maximum number of players, sometimes you run out and need to improvise. This extra resource pack has 30 berries, 30 twigs, 25 resin, and 20 pebbles to add to your collection.

Deluxe Point Tokens

  • Price: $32

This box upgrades your cardboard point tokens into awesome, shiny gold ones instead. Includes 20 1-point coins and 1-3-point coins.

Other Everdell Goodies

Looking for a gift for your Everdell-enthused loved one, or looking to spruce up your game room? Check out these fun supplemental products, separate from the board game.

Everdell Playing Cards

  • Price: $15

A regular 52-card playing card deck featuring new art from the Everdell artist Andrew Bosley. Comes in a sturdy carrying case.

Everdell Puzzles

  • Price: $20 each

1,000 piece puzzles featuring art from the game’s major expansions: the Pearlbrook Depths, the Bellfaire Festival, and Spirecrest Pass.

Tales from the Green Acorn

  • Price: $45

With art from Andrew Bosley and new lore from Everdell designer James A. Wilson, the Tales from the Green Acorn companion book is perfect for those looking to immerse themselves deeper into the world of Everdell, and makes a great coffee table decoration.

How to Play Everdell Online

  • Price: $19.99 on Steam and Nintendo eShop, $9.99 on Google Play and App Store

Finding the time, space, and people to get a board game night going is tough (doubly so with the big boards Everdell uses), but fear not; Dire Wolf Digital has you covered with an online version of Everdell. You play the game as normal, but without the clutter, and wherever you want! Available on Steam, Nintendo eShop, Google Play, and the App Store.

Bottom Line

Everdell is clearly one of the most popular contemporary board games around, with a handful of iterations of the base game and its expansions selling millions of units. If that isn’t enough, it’s also sitting pretty at number 35 on boardgamegeek.com’s best board games. Set up is a breeze, until you start adding expansions that take a ridiculous amount of space. But adding these expansions truly helps with the game’s longevity, and will keep you coming back for more.

Myles Obenza is a freelance commerce writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter @Myles Obenza.

Pixel Cyberpunk Sidescroller Replaced Delayed Again, This Time to 2025

Replaced, an Xbox console-exclusive cyberpunk sidescroller, has been delayed a second time. It’s now expected to come out in 2025, after previously being delayed to this year from 2022.

In a post on Twitter/X, developer Sad Cat Studios kept it short and sweet: “Our initial release date was optimistic, and we apologize for that. Developing Replaced is quite a unique challenge, and we’re proud to be creating something that special.

“We need more time to ensure we meet the high standards we’ve set for ourselves and to meet the expectations of our fans.”

In the meantime, Sad Cat has announced the game will be playable at Gamescom, and that “something special” will be coming later this week.

Replaced was first announced way back at E3 2021 as a 2.5D cyberpunk pixelated side-scroller published by Coatsink. Players control an AI trapped in a human body exploring a dark cyberpunk world, with fast-paced action combat and gorgeous pixel art.

Originally, Replaced was set to come out in 2022 on Xbox Game Pass and PC. It was later pushed out of 2022 and then into 2024 due to the “incredible high bar of community’s expectations” and the team feeling that “we can’t afofrd to release a sub-par game.” We did get a look at Replaced at IGN Live earlier this year, and felt optimistic about its direction.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.