Author: Game Infliction

Concord is now available to pre-order; Early Access and beta detailed

Hey everyone! After revealing Concord last week, we’re excited to continue unpacking more about the game and answering your questions in the days and weeks ahead, beginning today with more information about how you and your friends can check out our upcoming beta, details on the physical and digital editions of the game for PS5 and PC¹, and how you can get early access to Concord when it launches in August.

From the very beginning, we wanted Concord to be a complete multiplayer-focused experience that combines engaging gameplay, rewarding progression, and a robust roster of characters, maps, and game modes right out of the gate, while also creating a platform for us to evolve and expand the game and universe over time.

When it launches in August, Concord will debut in a standard edition (available in both physical and digital versions for $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99 / ¥4,480 MSRP) that provides the full Concord experience, including all 16 playable Freegunners, 12 unique maps set on various worlds, and six distinct team-based game modes, which will expand shortly after launch with regular, post-launch updates for all players at no additional cost. 

Alongside the Standard Edition, we will also have a Digital Deluxe Edition ($59.99 / £49.99 / €59.99 / ¥6,480 MSRP) that includes additional cosmetics to personalize your Freegunner crew and, for those eager to jump in and play, early access to Concord when it launches this August. The Digital Deluxe Edition will grant up to 72 hours of early access before Concord’s global launch on August 23. It also includes the Northstar Freegunner’s cosmetics pack, which grants you 16 Northstar themed Freegunner outfits; one for each of the 16 playable Freegunners available at launch.

Get Vale’s Monarch Pack and early access to the Concord beta

We’re excited for you to meet and learn more about the characters of Concord, including Vale—an adept sniper who you saw in our gameplay reveal trailer using her biomechanical legs to leap above the battlefield and land precision shots on enemies. To receive the Monarch Pack cosmetic pack, which includes the Monarch Frontliner outfit for Vale and Dead Reckoner weapon skins for her sniper rifle and side-arm. You can,  pre-order the standard edition of Concord or purchase the Digital Deluxe at any time.

Seeing Vale and the other Freegunners in action in gameplay footage is one thing, but there’s no substitute for experiencing the game for yourself. That’s why we’re hosting a pre-launch beta, simultaneously on PS5 and PC with cross-play support. Those that pre-order will have an opportunity to be among the first to play Concord—and you’ll be able to bring your friends.

Pre-ordering any edition of Concord will grant you five codes for our Beta Early Access weekend in July, allowing you to team up with your friends on PS5 and PC and take on rival crews across the galaxy. Stay tuned for more details about the Beta beta in the coming weeks, including the dates of Early Access and Open Beta, and more. 

Pre-orders for PS5 are now live at participating retailers, PlayStation Store, and direct.playstation.com. Pre-Purchase for PC on Steam and the Epic Store. 

Stay up-to-date on all things Concord by following Concord on X/Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as by joining the community on the Concord Discord.

¹ Account for PlayStation™Network and internet connection required. Paid for PlayStation®Plus membership (sold separately) required on PS5. PlayStation Plus membership subject to recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/psplus-usageterms.

©2024 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. Developed by Firewalk Studios. 
Concord is a trademark of Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC.

Counter-Strike Skin Sells for Over $1 Million

A Counter-Strike 2 weapon skin, meaning a variant color and pattern for an in-game gun, has sold for more than $1 million of real world money.

CS:GO, now Counter-Strike 2, lets players earn Weapon Cases (loot boxes) through gameplay or by purchasing them in the store, but each also requires a corresponding key to open it. These can, again, be earned through gameplay or purchased in the store.

The competitive first-person shooter is free to play but has an extensive economy surrounding the contents of these loot boxes: weapon skins. Players can buy, trade, and sell them to each other, and the rarer pieces have sold in the past for hundreds, thousands, and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As reported by Kotaku, the StatTrak Factory New AK-47 Blue Gem pattern 661 has blown away all previous records, however, after it was sold by X/Twitter user @roflm0nster for more than $1 million. A look at the gun can be seen in the post above.

The exact amount it sold for is unknown, as the seller is “not at liberty to disclose the buyer or exact amount”, according to a post on the platform. But @roflm0nster confirmed to IGN it was a seven-figure number. “What I can say is that $1 million offers were rejected multiple times,” they said. “Make your own conclusions.”

Such high offers came in as a result of the skin being truly unique, meaning only one exists within Counter-Strike. Its existence was discovered earlier in 2024, when fans marveled at its Blue Gem coloring, which adds a metallic blue look to the gun.

“What I can say is that $1 million offers were rejected multiple times.

It’s also of Factory New condition, which is the rarest form of such a skin. A near identical version of this gun, just with the lesser Minimal Wear condition, sold for $400,000 in 2022, as reported by PC Gamer. Experts therefore valued the Factory New version to sell for up to $1 million, but it’s now gone above even that.

CS:GO is a PC classic which remains as popular as ever despite the forced transition to Counter-Strike 2 in September 2023, more than two decades after the original first released.

Image Credit: Jake Lucky on X/Twitter

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

Helldivers 2 Reveals Jungle-Themed Premium Warbond, Viper Commandos — Here’s What to Expect

Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has revealed the game’s next Premium Warbond, dubbed Viper Commandos and due out June 13.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Katherine Baskin, social media and community manager at Arrowhead, said the studio had responded to feedback on Helldivers 2’s Warbonds and had changed its approach as a result. For a start, Arrowhead has slowed down the pace at which it releases Warbonds “to give us a little bit more time to polish these designs before they’re released.” Baskin continued: “We don’t want to rush anything out of the oven before it’s fully baked.”

“It’s time to focus on quality over quantity.

Arrowhead has also changed the arrangement of items in each Warbond to make room for new item types as well as higher quality armor and weapons. “This will prevent us from simply adding more of everything, which can lead to weapons that feel redundant and uninteresting armor,” Baskin explained. “It’s time to focus on quality over quantity.”

“When we started researching items for Viper Commandos, we wanted to be sure we answered our player calls for stronger theming that coordinates across all the items, more emotes, unique armor passives, and more thoughtful designs rather than simply giving more of the same.”

The game’s community had called on the developer to slow down when it came to significant balance changes as well as Warbond releases, feeling Arrowhead had sometimes gone too far with nerfs and failed to include meta-affecting weapons and gear in the Warbonds.

To that end, Viper Commandos revolves around an up close and personal playstyle, which for any existing Helldivers 2 player may sound a little frightening. The new primary is a new version of the Liberator called the AR-23A Liberator Carbine. It has a modified, shortened form-factor that handles differently from the original, with a bit higher recoil, but faster handling designed for spraying and praying up close.

There’s also the new SG-22 Bushwhacker triple-barrel, sawed-off shotgun with two different firing modes, including one that fires all three barrels at once. This shotgun is the first in Helldivers 2 to be classed as a secondary weapon, which should open up the loadout meta a bit.

There are two new armor items, both of which feature the Peak Physique passive, which improves melee damage and weapon handling. They both also feature bare arms, so you can really show off your guns.

Another first for the game is new skins for your hellpods, Exosuits, and Pelican-1, “inspired by the classic woodland and tiger stripe camouflage patterns.”

The new utility item is the throwing knife. “Imagine mowing down a crowd of Terminids and running out of ammo with only one bug remaining, no time to reload, so you dive backward and throw a hunting knife into its carapace right before it descends on you,” Baskin said, hyping it up.

There’s also a new booster called Experimental Infusion, which gives your stims the added bonus of boosting your movement speed and reducing the damage you take for a short time. And, as you’d expect, there are new capes, player cards, and emotes.

As with previous Premium Warbonds, expect Viper Commandos to cost 1,000 Super Credits. While you can earn Super Credits from gameplay and the Warbond itself, you can also buy them for real-world money. Via the in-game shop, 1,000 Super Credits costs $9.99. Premium Warbonds do not expire, so you can work your way through them at your own pace safe in the knowledge their items will remain available.

The announcement of Viper Commandos comes as many within the Helldivers 2 community speculate that Arrowhead is set to add a third enemy faction to the game. The suggestion is the Illuminate are set to enter the galaxy-wide war, adding a new front to the battle against the Terminids and Automatons.

Last month, Arrowhead revealed it is in the process of setting the studio up so it can “make more and better stuff” in the long-term. In an introductory post on reddit, CEO Shams Jorjani, who recently replaced previous Arrowhead CEO and current Chief Creative Officer Johan Pilestedt, said the studio has had to adjust to the enormous success Helldivers 2 has brought to the company.

PlayStation 5 and PC co-op shooter Helldivers 2 is the fastest-selling PlayStation game of all time, having shifted an incredible 12 million copies in just 12 weeks since going on sale earlier this year. Amid the huge revenue Helldivers 2 has generated, Arrowhead itself has suffered a number of crises, including launch server problems and, most recently, a battle with Sony itself over the console maker’s controversial attempt to force Steam players to account link to PlayStation Network.

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.

Selaco early access review: GZDoom wizardry makes for sophisticated FPSing reminiscent of F.E.A.R.

You like F.E.A.R.? You like DOOM? Yeah, I bet you like FPSing where you’re outsmarting soldiers in offices with a nailgun and gibbing demons like you’re ploughing a Hummer through a sequence of pheasants in an alternate universe Evil Somerset. No, it doesn’t boast a title in all-caps, but Selaco‘s early access release more than deserves it’s spot as a must-play for those who desire some sophistication with their ultra-violence.

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Big EA Sports FC 24 Patch Adds Euro 2024 Mode Ahead of Tournament Kick-Off

EA Sports has added the Euro 2024 mode to FC 24, letting fans play through a virtual version of the tournament ahead of the real deal.

Title update 15, out now for FC 24 across PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, is called the Festival of Football update, and adds the aforementioned Euro 2024 mode as well as a new skill move and celebration. There are 27 new Star Heads, including Rodri, Sven Botman, Pedro Porro, and Eberechi Eze.

The Euro 2024 mode lets you play in the final, semi-final, and group stage matches in nine authentic stadiums. You can choose from any of the 24 qualified teams or rewrite history with any other European national team already in the game. The Match of the Day fixture is updated with every real-life tournament matchday up to the Final match. Check out how it looks in the image below:

Meanwhile, online friendlies let you challenge friends using any of the 24 qualified teams or from any other European national squad available in the game. Online Friends cross-play is available for players on the same platform generation. Lead Your Nation mode lets you play the tournament as a real footballer or with a custom player.

As for Ultimate Team, Festival of Football kicks off Season 7. Expect live items “that will bring a dynamic element to your team, reflecting the real-world performances and fervor of these tournaments,” EA Sports said.

The new skill move is the Double Touch Lane Change. Expect it later in the calendar, EA Sports clarified. And the new celebration is a recreation of Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer’s chilly celebration following his stunning season. It’s unlocked in the Football Ultimate Team Season 7 Festival of Football ladder.

EA Sports FC 24 Title Update 15 Patch Notes:

Ultimate Team

Addressed the following issues:

  • Addressed instances of Loan Player matches exceeding 99 when combined with a duplicate Loan Player.

Gameplay

Made the following change:

  • Added the new Double Touch Lane Change Skill Move which can be performed while standing or jogging.
  • Check out our Pitch Notes to learn more about this Skill Move.

Addressed the following issues:

  • In certain situations where the Goalkeeper was rushing out, CPU AI controlled players would attempt to perform a chip shot and miss the net unintentionally.
  • In some stadiums, ball kids could miss their throws to the intended player.

Career Mode

Made the following changes:

  • Added Double-PlayStyles+ Player Items in the Youth Academy.
  • Check out our Pitch Notes to learn more about this Youth Academy update.

Addressed the following issues:

  • In Manager Career, Player Items on International Duty could not be removed from the Starting 11 or Substitutions.

General, Audio, and Visual

Made the following changes:

  • Added a new signature celebration.
  • Updated some ad boards, kits, and UI elements.

Addressed the following issues:

  • Addressed instances of players being able to Matchmake with different Matchmaking settings.
  • Addressed instances of instability issues that could have occurred.
  • Addressed instances of placeholder images.
  • Addressed instances of incorrect or placeholder text.

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.

I do not remember Minesweeper featuring this much horrible AI porno-spam, or cranial trauma

Fucksweeper is a difficult game to play in shared accommodation, a very difficult game to play in the crowded airport lounge I’m currently sitting in, and an incredibly difficult game to play on the airplane I will shortly be boarding. What is Fucksweeper? Discerning videogame cognoscente that you are, I feel like you should be able to read the title and form some broad conclusions. But for those who never owned a Windows PC in the 90s, Fucksweeper is a free, titillating, revolting, beautiful, apocalyptic new version of classic avoid-the-bombs grid puzzler Minesweeper that incorporates elements of dating sims and a vast quantity of generative AI filth. Maybe turn down the volume before watching this video.

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Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Reaches Peak Hype In Launch Trailer

Not long now!

Ahead of Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance’s launch on 14th June 2024, Atlus has revealed the epic launch trailer, likely giving fans one last look at the game before release.

It’s arguably a bit spoiler-heavy for some, so you’ll have to judge whether you want to check it out. Regardless, if you weren’t already hyped for the upcoming release, the launch trailer will almost certainly push you over the edge.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail – details on new dungeon, jobs, areas, and more

Hi all – Mark Buckley from the FFXIV PR team here to give you a look at some of the content that we recently showed off at our Dawntrail media tour, which just wrapped up last week!

As we very quickly approach the launch of our fifth expansion, Dawntrail on July 2, we wanted to provide a first look at some of the town and field areas you’ll be exploring, a sneak peek at the level 91 dungeon, and also some footage of Viper and Pictomancer in action!


Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail – details on new dungeon, jobs, areas, and more

The adventure our intrepid Warrior of Light is about to embark upon in Dawntrail takes them to the shores of a new continent: Tural! Adventures in Dawntrail begin with a voyage across the Indigo Deep where a visitor from this land seeks your aid in a rite of succession to determine the land’s next ruler, with rumours that events could even lead to the fabled gates of a city of gold…

Take a look at a 360° view of the new Dawntrail Artifact Gear for all jobs

Now showing slide 1 of 21

Paladin
Warrior
Dark Knight
Gunbreaker
Dragoon
Monk
Ninja
Samurai
Viper
Reaper
Bard
Machinist
Dancer
Black Mage
Summoner
Red Mage
Pictomancer
White Mage
Scholar
Astrologian
Sage

As you can imagine, there is an awesome amount of new things to experience in Dawntrail but I’d like to take you through some key areas which were showcased during the tour!

New Areas

Tuliyollal 

The city of Tuliyollal marches up the side of a mountain, the path from its coastal harbor to the lofty palace at its summit marked by a profusion of slopes and stairs. Embodying the ideals of the nation with which it shares its name, this ever-bustling metropolis is home to a population drawn from all the lands of Tural.   

Urqopacha

This mountainous region of Yok Tural is inhabited by two peoples of vastly different stature: the child-sized Pelupelu, and the gargantuan Yok Huy. Such disparities, however, shrink into insignificance before the brooding majesty of Worqor Zormor, the tallest peak in Tural.

Kozama’uka

To the south of Tuliyollal stretch the verdant forests of Kozama’uka. Rivers great and small flow from mountains to the west and pour into the region, creating breathtaking waterfalls. Although the peoples which inhabit the region resemble goblins and the Vanu Vanu, they have each built unique cultures within this vast wilderness. 

Dungeon: Ihuykatumu

We also showed off the level 91 dungeon as part of the Dawntrail media tour. While we don’t want to spoil why Warriors of Light will travel here, needless to say the entire dungeon looks gorgeous, and even starts with a cruise down a jungle river!

Face challenging new dungeons and unprecedented threats. With perils and pitfalls at every turn, it will take steadfast unity and careful coordination to emerge victorious.

New Jobs

Arriving with Dawntrail are two brand new jobs, Viper and Pictomancer! Read on for a taste of what to expect when you can play these jobs on July 2!

Viper

The viper’s close-range fighting style, passed down by Turali hunters for generations, uses quick and decisive strikes with two one-handed blades alongside powerful flourishes from a combined two-handed weapon. Once a foe is weakened, they empower themselves with the strength of their ancestors to deliver a powerful and decisive finishing blow.

Viper’s Limit Break in action

Pictomancer

With brush in hand, a pictomancer weaves the aether of their imagination into the fabric of reality, allowing them to manifest their myriad motifs into living muses. Yet every work of art takes time to perfect, and thus their palettes are ever prepared with a colorful arsenal of instant-cast abilities and spells.

Pictomancer’s Limit Break in action

New Playable Race – Female Hrothgar

The Hrothgar people hail from Ilsabard. A Turali people with shared ancestry, the Xbr’aal, call Yak T’el home. 

Females number relatively few among the population, but are readily identified by their lithe, muscular forms. Equally distinctive is their predisposition for leadership.

First major graphical update

The game’s first major graphical overhaul adds a host of visual improvements, including enhanced texture and shadow resolution, and improved material qualities for characters and environments. Experience the world of Eorzea and beyond like never before! We’re positive all of these updates will look stunning on the PlayStation 5, and we can’t wait for you to experience it for yourselves!


Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail – details on new dungeon, jobs, areas, and more

As you can see, there’s so much to be excited about in Dawntrail but what we’ve shared with you today is just a small piece of the expansion. We hope you’re just as excited as we are about the adventures that will come with Dawntrail, and we hope to see you for early access on June 28th, 2024 ahead of the official launch on Tuesday, July 2nd! Remember, you’ll need to pre-order to unlock early access, along with some other goodies. 

We can’t wait to see you in Tural!

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is looking summer ready as we explore the new land of Tural

After the climatic end to a decade-long saga in Endwalker, anticipation is high for Final Fantasy XIV’s next expansion, Dawntrail. I got to try out the game and talk to Director Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) about new Jobs and the difficulty of incorporating fan feedback (not to mention the reasons the Warrior of Light has such great skin – you’ll see). But how can the Square Enix possibly hope to follow the highs of Endwalker, including space travel and a fight against the physical embodiment of sorrow? By taking us on holiday, of course.

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Square Enix Shadow Drops Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 Alongside Surprise Update

Square Enix has made the Octopath Traveler series available on all console platforms as well as Xbox Game Pass as part of a multi-pronged shadow-drop.

Octopath Traveler, first released on Nintendo Switch in 2018, is now available to buy on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 for the first time. Octopath Traveler 2, which launched on Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC in 2023, is now available for the first time on Xbox Series X and S and Xbox One, including launching straight into subscription service Xbox Game Pass. Both Octopath Traveler games are now in the Game Pass library across Xbox and PC.

Octopath Traveler is a well-received role-playing series with a unique HD-2D art style, with 2D characters in 3D worlds. Both games are a standalone experience set in different worlds with eight distinct protagonists, each with their own stories to explore and Path Actions to use.

IGN’s Octopath Traveler review returned a 9.3. We said: “Octopath Traveler’s beautiful style and outstanding take on traditional turn-based combat make it a game that pushes JRPGs forward rather than simply paying homage to the greats.” IGN’s Octopath Traveler 2 review scored a 7: “Octopath Traveler 2 is a very enjoyable JRPG sequel that feels a little too safe and familiar,” we said. Square Enix said the Octopath Traveler series has sold over four million copies worldwide.

Team Asano, the Square Enix group led by Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler designer Tomoya Asano, released a surprise free update for Octopath Traveler 2 that includes Extra Battle mode, which becomes available after defeating the final boss in the final chapter. The Extra Battle mode lets players test their skills against newly added tough opponents, including the main characters of Octopath Traveler, Square Enix said. This mode is available on Xbox consoles from launch and has been added to the PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC versions today, June 6, via an update.

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.