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Best Xbox Deals Today (October 2024)

Even though there are some major seasonal sale events right around the corner, Xbox has plenty of excellent deals for fans to take advantage of right now. That includes a superb deal on Xbox controllers at Lenovo using code FALLXBOX, with colors like Astral Purple down to just $39.99 for a limited time. There’s also Resident Evil 4 (2023 remake), down to just $21.99, which is its best price ever. That’s not all, as there are also offers on more games, storage, and so much more.

Best Xbox Controller Deals

Lenovo has a killer deal on the Astral Purple, Electric Volt, or Carbon Black Xbox Controllers, now down to just $39.99 when using promo code FALLXBOX at checkout. This is one of the best Xbox deals going right now, and well worth considering even with the Black Friday sales right around the corner. The new Xbox Ghost Cipher Controller is also discounted now long after release, down from $69.99 to $59.49 at Amazon today.

Lenovo $40 Controller Deal (FALLXBOX)

Available Colors:

Xbox Ghost Cipher Controller for $59.49

Resident Evil 4 for Just $21.99 and More

This time of year is great for finding games on sale. At the moment, you can score some incredible deals on a wide variety of physical games, including Resident Evil 4 for just $21.99, alongside 58% off Unicorn Overlord, 64% off Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and more.

Here’s what Tristan Ogilvie had to say in his 10/10 Resident Evil review for IGN: “Whether you’re a fan of the original or a newcomer with a hankering for some action-heavy horror of the highest quality, Resident Evil 4 is like a parasite-riddled Spaniard: a total no-brainer.”

More Xbox Video Game Deals:

Best Xbox Series X Deals

Two new variants of Xbox Series X are now available alongside a new 1TB Series S. If you’re interested in picking one of these up, the fancy 2TB Galaxy Black Series X will set you back $599.99, the 1TB All-Digital Robot White Xbox Series X can be bought for $449.99, and the 1TB Robot White Xbox Series S goes for $349.99.

Best Xbox Game Pass Deals

CURRENTLY SOLD OUT – STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES

One of our favorite Xbox Game Pass Ultimate deals has returned at Woot, providing another opportunity for users to stack their membership at a discounted rate. You can get three months of the service for just $36.49. This price won’t stick around for long, so act fast to secure your membership.

Considering the new price of Game Pass Ultimate is $19.99/month, you’re saving $23.48 with this 3-month deal. This is the best way to avoid the Xbox Game Pass price hike. By stacking these codes you can set yourself up for success to play all of their upcoming releases at a lower price.

What’s Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass

The headline here is of course the October 25 release of Black Ops 6, the first Call of Duty game to launch day-one on Game Pass. It comes a year after Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which has also seen the likes of Diablo 4 and Modern Warfare 3 arrive on Game Pass, and will, in November, see StarCraft: Remastered and StarCraft 2: Campaign Collection hit the subscription service.

Black Ops 6’s launch straight into Game Pass is a big gamble for Microsoft. It hopes the power of Call of Duty will boost subscriber numbers and revenue (itself bolstered by the recent Game Pass price rise and restructure), but it comes with the risk of losing sales of the full-price game. While Xbox executives have insisted sales can be boosted by a game’s presence on Game Pass, some publishers remain unconvinced.

Best Xbox Accessory Deals

Does your family complain when you stay up playing loud shooters late into the night? They’ll stop complaining if you pick up an Xbox headset that lets no one but you hear the delightful explosions you cause on the screen.

Right now, you can get 13% off the Turtle Beach Stealth 700 Gen 2 MAX wireless headset and 36% off the Razer Kaira Pro wireless headset at Amazon. To see even more gaming headsets on sale, visit our roundup of the best gaming headset deals.

What is Xbox’s Recent Controversy?

The recent discomfored surrounding Xbox can be isolated to a recent round of brutal layoffs. Microsoft is closing a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda. Alpha Dog Games, maker of mobile game Mighty Doom, will also close. Roundhouse Studios will be absorbed by The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios. Microsoft, currently valued at over $3 trillion, did not say how many staff will lose their jobs, but significant layoffs are inevitable.

Microsoft’s announcement of the cuts at Bethesda come over three months after the company announced plans to cut 1,900 staff from its video game workforce, and amid a boom time for Bethesda’s Fallout series following the breakout hit Prime Video TV show.

Is Call of Duty Black Ops 6 Coming to Xbox Game Pass?

Microsoft has confirmed the arrival of Call of Duty Black Ops 6 day-one on Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft made the announcement alongside the release of a live-action reveal trailer called ‘The Truth Lies’. In it we see world leaders including Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush, Colin Powell, and Saddam Hussein, delivering cryptic speeches. Black Ops 6 will be set during the events of the Gulf War during the early ’90s.

When Should I Buy an Xbox?

In general, it is advisable to keep an eye out for sales and restocks throughout the year, as availability has improved since the initial launch of the console. Unlike the Nintendo Switch, there is no specific recommendation to wait for a sale regardless of the time of year. Instead, it’s a good idea to monitor various retailers and online platforms for restock announcements and promotional offers.

However, certain events like Black Friday or other holiday seasons may bring about unique bundles, discounts, or promotional deals specifically for the Xbox Series X. These bundles may include additional games, accessories, or exclusive limited editions. While quantities for such promotions might be limited, they can provide an opportunity to get more value for your purchase. See our guide to Xbox Series X prices for more info.

Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S?

Choosing between the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S ultimately depends on your gaming preferences, budget, and specific requirements. Let’s compare the two consoles to help you make an informed decision:

1. Performance: The Xbox Series X is the more powerful option, offering native 4K gaming, higher graphical fidelity, and faster loading times. It has more advanced hardware, including a larger storage capacity. On the other hand, the Xbox Series S targets a lower price point and offers a less powerful performance, targeting 1440p resolution gaming and upscaling to 4K.

2. Price: The Xbox Series S is more affordable compared to the Xbox Series X. If budget is a significant factor for you, the Xbox Series S provides a cost-effective option while still delivering a next-generation gaming experience. For example, the Series S can play Starfield at 1440p 30fps (vs 4K 30fps on Series X).

3. Storage: The Xbox Series X comes with a larger internal storage capacity, allowing you to store more games directly on the console. The Xbox Series S, however, has a smaller storage capacity, which means you may need to manage your game library more actively or rely on external storage solutions.

4. Disc Drive: The Xbox Series X includes a disc drive, enabling you to play physical game discs and enjoy a wider range of media options, including Blu-ray and DVD playback. The Xbox Series S, in contrast, is a digital-only console, meaning you can only play games downloaded from the digital store.

5. Graphics and Performance: While both consoles support ray tracing, the Xbox Series X provides a more immersive and visually impressive experience due to its superior hardware capabilities. If you prioritize cutting-edge graphics and want the best performance available, the Xbox Series X is the preferable choice.

Consider your gaming preferences, budget, and whether you prioritize top-of-the-line performance or cost-effectiveness. If you have a 4K TV, want the most powerful console, and are willing to invest more, the Xbox Series X is the recommended option. If you have a lower budget, a 1080p or 1440p TV, and don’t mind sacrificing some performance, the Xbox Series S offers excellent value for money.

With how expensive gaming is getting in 2024, we’re trying to save you as much money as possible on the games and other tech you actually want to buy. We’ve got great deal roundups available for all major platforms such as Switch and Xbox, and keep these updated daily with brand new offers. If you’re trying to keep costs down while maintaining your favorite hobby, stay tuned for more incredible discounts.

Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.

New York Comic Con 2024: Everything Announced So Far

New York Comic Con 2024 has officially begun and promises another weekend of big announcements in the world of movies, TV, video games, comics, and so much more. There’s a lot to look forward to and this roundup will ensure you don’t miss a thing.

While the show has just begun, there have already been some exciting reveals, including a trailer and release date for Dune: Prophecy, a new look at some upcoming MCU projects, a glimpse at the future of current Dragon Ball games, a new comic series where Doctor Doom is emperor of the Marvel Universe, and much more.

You can check out all the news below, and be sure to keep checking back as we will be updating this page with all the biggest moments from NYCC!

HBO Prequel Series Dune: Prophecy Gets a Trailer and Release Date

HBO not only brought a new trailer for Dune: Prophecy to NYCC, but it also shared the prequel series will premiere on November 17, 2024.

“From the expansive universe of ‘Dune,’ created by acclaimed author Frank Herbert, and 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides, ‘Dune: Prophecy’ follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit,” the official logline reads. “‘Dune: Prophecy’ is inspired by the novel ‘Sisterhood of Dune,’ written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ Little Robot H.E.R.B.I.E. Revealed at NYCC Along With Fresh Looks at Red Hulk and Daredevil

Marvel has given fans a sneak peek at such upcoming MCU projects like The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Daredevil: Born Again, and Captain America: Brave New World at NYCC.

At the show, a piece of artwork in the form of a Marvel Logo included a tease of the future, including the first live-action look at The Fantastic Four’s Humanoid Experimental Robot B-Type Integrated Electronics a.k.a. H.E.R.B.I.E. and Harrison Ford’s Hulk.

Elsewhere, we were treated to a new looks at some Daredevil: Born Again costumes.

Doctor Doom Becomes Emperor of the Marvel Universe in 2025

While we still have some time until we see Robert Downey, Jr. as Doctor Doom in the MCU, Marvel Comics is helping with the wait as it is making Doom the star of a new crossover event called The Rise of Emperor Doom.

This five-issue limited series will begin in February 2025 and is set six months after Doom becomes the Marvel Universe’s new Sorcerer Supreme. He emerges from hiding and declares himself emperor of the world. The other world powers don’t seem to opposed to this idea, and even the Avengers – who are the only ones who can stand in his way – start to question whether the world is better off under Doom’s rule.

The Rise of Emperor Doom is written by Ryan North (Fantastic Four) with art by RB Silva (Powers of X) and cover art by Ben Harvey.

Funko Reveals Exclusive Deadpool, Wolverine, & Secret Wars Collectibles for NYCC

NYCC is an incredible place to find merch of your favorite properties, and this year is no different. For Marvel fans, this show has some pretty big exclusive Funko and Mondo goodies of Deadpool, Wolverine, and Secret Wars.

DSTLRY Teases 11 Star-Studded New Comics for 2025

DSTLRY has teased 11 star-studded new comics for 2025 at NYCC from some big name creators like John Constantine: Hellblazer’s Is Spurrier and Youth’s Curt Pires.

The full lineup of creators in these teasers includes:

  • Chris Burnham & Dennis Culver
  • HamletMachine
  • Si Spurrier & Matías Bergara
  • Ethan S. Parker, Griffin Sheridan & Bob Quinn
  • Miles Gunter & Patrick Mulholand
  • Curt Pires, Rockwell White, Mike Vendrell & Ryan Quackenbush
  • Curt Pires & Amilcar Pinna
  • Cavan Scott & Nick Brokenshire
  • Chuck Austen & Patrick Olliffe
  • B. Clay Moore & Mack Chater
  • Chip Mosher & Peter Krause

DSTLRY plans on revealing more about its future in two panels this weekend – DSTLRY Presents: Surviving the Most Sinister Sci-Fi Dystopias and The Future of Horror Comics with DSTLRY.

Special Naruto and BLEACH-Themed Pop-Up Hits New York This Weekend

Shonen Jump and Shopify are treating fans to a special pop-up event this weekend at NYCC that will feature exclusive merch, interactive photo ops, life-sized character stands, and more from the worlds of Naruto and BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War.

The event kicks off today at Shopify New York (131 Greene St, Soho) and also runs Friday and Sunday:

  • 10/17-10/18 – 12 – 8pm
  • 10/20 – 10am – 6pm

The special event will include something for everyone including:

  • BLEACH Thousand-Year Blood War and Naruto photo installations, where visitors can snap a picture with life-size character stands of their favorite heroes.
  • Limited-edition collections for Naruto, BLEACH, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Kaiju No. 8, Sakamoto Days, and other merch straight from from the iconic “Jump Shop” in Japan.
  • An interactive Naruto photo op.
  • Interactive QR codes highlighting the history of both BLEACH and Naruto
  • A special manga gallery celebrating Naruto’s legacy.

NYCC Offers a Glimpse of the Future of Current Dragon Ball Video Games

NYCC has given Dragon Ball fans a glimpse of the future of some of their favorite, more recent titles, including Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, and Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero.

Developing…

Control Multiplayer Game Officially Revealed in First Gameplay Trailer With the Title FBC: Firebreak

Remedy’s new multiplayer game set in the Control universe has been fully revealed for the first time under the name FBC: Firebreak.

Billed as a three-player co-op experience, it features a more colorful take on Remedy’s popular universe. The first gameplay trailer shows three characters in environmental suits battling a variety of enemies in fast-paced first-person gameplay. There’s also a garden gnome. Check out the trailer below.

In a follow-up post on Xbox Wire, director Mike Kayatta said that FBC: Firebreak is “not Control DLC and it’s definitely not a Control sequel.” Instead, Remedy calls it a game you can “enjoy with your friends and tackle multiple hectic co-op missions.”

It casts players as first responders from the Federal Bureau of Control battling enemies in The Oldest House using “paranatural augments,” which are “Altered Items” engineered into tool attachments. That apparently includes

“We have always done single player games at Remedy, and rest assured, we have more single player games in development, and they will be awesome, but for a long time we have wanted to make a PvE multiplayer game.,” Kayatta says. “There are loads of us here who love multiplayer besides single player. We don’t want to be doing the same types of games all the time; it’s good to take on new challenges.”

We wanted to make sure that FBC: Firebreak was a legitimate and impactful part of that history and lore

Notably, Remedy says that FBC won’t be a typical live service game. While there will be plenty to unlock and will feature a steady supply of fresh content, it won’t be geared around “logging in every day for some loot or fear of missing out on materials.” It will also feature plenty of new stories set in the world of Control, albeit with a somewhat different approach.

“For the people who are keeping up with the single-player journey, we wanted to make sure that FBC: Firebreak was a legitimate and impactful part of that history and lore. The narrative style you’ve seen in our previous games just wasn’t ever going to work here, for this kind of game,” Kayatta explains. “When you think about these differences in FBC: Firebreak’s gameplay – world over story, multiplayer over single-player, voice-chatting with your teammates, action over exploration and so on – you can probably see why it was important that we made FBC: Firebreak a stand-alone experience. That said, you will see more of Control’s world. More of the Federal Bureau of Control. Meet more of the people who work there. Explore more of the Oldest House. Run into more weird stuff. And importantly, experience this world, old and new, from a completely different perspective.”

In the meantime, work continues on Control 2, which is currently in the design stage of development. Remedy is also preparing new Alan Wake 2 DLC. As for FBC: Firebreaker, it’ll arrive in 2025 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will be available on day one on Xbox Game Pass. For more, check out everything announced at the Xbox Partner Showcase.

Kat Bailey is IGN’s News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Project Ethos: First Hands-On Impressions of 2K’s New Roguelike Hero Shooter

Project Ethos is a new free-to-play third-person hero extraction shooter that mixes in roguelike elements. The main game of Project Ethos is an extraction mode. And while I was excited to finally see 31st Union’s first project since its formation in 2019, I couldn’t help but feel that a lot of the mechanics felt like they belonged in games from that year.

Here’s the thing: Project Ethos is fine as a game. It hits all the right notes as an extraction hero third-person shooter, but my first impression after a few hours of hands-on time is that it seems to fall short of delivering anything that’s truly genre-defying in either the roguelike or extraction shooter departments. In the preview, I was able to play six different heroes, each, as you’d expect, with their own abilities and weapons.

This forces players to really get comfortable with that character’s abilities as a secondary, since abilities in a hero shooter are meant to enhance your playstyle. Your gunplay comes first. And Project Ethos has some fun sets of weapons that I thoroughly enjoyed playing with. The learning curve with characters and abilities was fairly low, so new players won’t feel too out of the water entering Project Ethos.

Project Ethos has some fun sets of weapons that I thoroughly enjoyed playing with.

Trials mode is PvPvE, meaning you’ll be playing against real players as well as NPC enemies that exist in the map. The matches you queue into are persistent, meaning each time you enter a game, other players have been playing in that match for quite some time. You can see how much time is left in the match every time you queue in.

With persistent matches, this means that when you drop into a game, you may end up landing closer to some enemies who are running throughout the map. This also means you’ll encounter players who are higher level than you. Each Trials match has its own leveling system. You earn XP from collecting XP shards from different loot bins you come across, from killing enemies, and from completing events that randomly trigger throughout the map.

The events that could spawn into the map were a bit confusing at first blush. It was hard to see where some of the events were happening just by looking at the overall map. You’d have to really be looking at your immediate vicinity to find the local event, and then go activate it. After a few rounds of play, I got used to this method, but it was frustrating not to see the minor events on the map.

When you level up in a match, you’ll be able to pick one of three different power-ups for your character. There’s a pool of 27 different power-ups to build your playstyle. And this is where the roguelike element comes into play. You can earn up to nine different power-ups in one extraction run if you choose to stay in the game that long and level.

You can earn up to nine different power-ups in one extraction run if you choose to stay in the game that long and level.

The random events that spawn across the map involve different activities that will unlock a big loot chest with bigger XP boosts, weapon enhancements, and cores. Cores are the big-ticket items you’ll be wanting to collect in each run, since extracting with cores will let you buy augments in the main hub. These boost the ability to get power-ups faster, give you health drops from the NPC bots that you fight in game, and other bonuses.

None of these augments boost your damage towards other players, though, so it’s fairly balanced in that regard. Trials overall felt fairly balanced in gameplay, since you could decide to disengage from fights if things felt too dicey. It felt like a proper survival experience with your typical extraction shooters. While you could feel the imbalance of characters’ weapons, with one having a higher dps than the other, you still had the method of escaping to offset that issue.

In the second game mode I was able to play, called Gauntlet, there was no escaping. You’re put into a 3v3v3v3 matchup where you’re playing against another team in a small arena. The first team to score 3 victories, wins. You’re in a server full of other teams since who you face will change each time in a dutch round robin format.

This format pits the bottom half of the teams against the top half of the teams: Team 1 faces Team 5, Team 2 faces Team 6. By the definition of dutch round robin, you shouldn’t be facing a team more than twice. Regardless, this format was the one thing that worked for this game mode.

Project Ethos ultimately plays well, is enjoyable, and utilizes the extraction and roguelike aspects to its advantage, but at first impression, it fails at being a new experience that players will crave to experience over and over again.

Gauntlet really showed the imbalance of the character abilities and weapons, since you’re forced to face your opponents head-on with very little play space. The sniper character, Prism, is incredibly strong, and her primary beam weapon melts opponents quickly in close range, and her sniper rifle allows her to deal devastating damage from a distance. Pairing that with her E ability, where she throws up a prism field that increases the damage output, makes her an incredibly tough character to beat in Gauntlet.

In Gauntlet, you still have the roguelike element of having to choose from selections of your power-ups. This further displayed the imbalance of character damage and powers. However, I did like the competitive aspect of Gauntlet over Trials. It showed a lot of promise of what competitive play could feel like in Project Ethos.

The gameplay loop of Trials and Gauntlet are very cookie-cutter and unexciting. They aren’t experiences that you can’t get somewhere else that you’ve already invested your time in. Fortnite came to mind as I played Project Ethos, and I found myself comparing some of the mechanics that exist in Fortnite that Project Ethos could vastly benefit from.

Overall, I truly did enjoy my time with Project Ethos, but in the end I was left feeling disappointed with the game so far as a whole. Project Ethos ultimately plays well, is enjoyable, and utilizes the extraction and roguelike aspects to its advantage, but at first impression, it fails at being a new experience that players will crave to experience over and over again.

It Takes Two Crosses 20 Million Copies Sold as Creator Teases Next Project

Hazelight Studios has announced that its excellent co-operative adventure game and IGN 2021 game of the year nominee, It Takes Two, has sold over 20 million copies.

This milestone comes three and a half years after the couch co-op game’s launch on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, with a Switch release following in November 2022. It Takes Two sold over one million units in the month following its launch, and its numbers have climbed steadily since. At last count in March of this year, it had reached 16 million units, a testimony to positive word-of-mouth and effusive critical praise helping the game continue to do well even years after release. And it helps that the game’s been on sale numerous times since launch – it’s just $9.99 (down from $39.99) on the PlayStation Store at the time of publication.

It Takes Two was showered with accolades on launch, earning a 9/10 review score from us where we called it “a spectacular co-op adventure that lays down a path of great gameplay ideas and uses it to play a giddy game of hopscotch.” It’s since settled at an 88 metascore on Metacritic and an 8.9 user score, and it won Game of the Year, Best Family Game, and Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2021. It also took home a Golden Joystick for Best Multiplayer Game, a GDC Award for Best Design, Game of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Game Design at the DICE Awards, and a BAFTA for Multiplayer Game and Original Property. A film adaptation is currently in the works at Amazon Studios, with Dawyne “The Rock” Johnson producing.

Meanwhile, developer Hazelight Studios, headed up by Josef Fares, has been relatively quiet since It Takes Two’s release. The studio’s first game, A Way Out, came out roughly three years before It Takes Two, leading to hopes that we may be due for another announcement from the devoted cooperative game studio any day now.

Update 8:22am PT: Literally 20 minutes after I wrote the above paragraph, Fares took to Twitter to tease his next game.

“Getting a lot of questions about the next game,” Fares wrote. “Here is a tease. It is a BRAND NEW IP called S*** ******N. Can’t wait to show it soon🔥”

The official Hazelight account then followed this up with an image of some documents labeled “NEW IP” with a release year scribbled out. The documents specify that the game, like A Way Out and It Takes Two, will be published under EA’s EA Originals label. Sounds like an announcement is, indeed, imminent.

Update 8:29pm PT: Two minutes after I posted the above update I checked my email and there was a note from PR specifying that Fares’ next game is, more specifically, “all-new co-op adventure”. Maybe if I publish this update and check my social feeds again, they’ll have just revealed the whole thing.

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

It Takes Two Crosses 20 Million Copies Sold

Hazelight Studios has announced that its excellent co-operative adventure game and IGN 2021 game of the year nominee, It Takes Two, has sold over 20 million copies.

This milestone comes three and a half years after the couch co-op game’s launch on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, with a Switch release following in November 2022. It Takes Two sold over one million units in the month following its launch, and its numbers have climbed steadily since. At last count in March of this year, it had reached 16 million units, a testimony to positive word-of-mouth and effusive critical praise helping the game continue to do well even years after release. And it helps that the game’s been on sale numerous times since launch – it’s just $9.99 (down from $39.99) on the PlayStation Store at the time of publication.

It Takes Two was showered with accolades on launch, earning a 9/10 review score from us where we called it “a spectacular co-op adventure that lays down a path of great gameplay ideas and uses it to play a giddy game of hopscotch.” It’s since settled at an 88 metascore on Metacritic and an 8.9 user score, and it won Game of the Year, Best Family Game, and Best Multiplayer Game at The Game Awards 2021. It also took home a Golden Joystick for Best Multiplayer Game, a GDC Award for Best Design, Game of the Year and Outstanding Achievement in Game Design at the DICE Awards, and a BAFTA for Multiplayer Game and Original Property. A film adaptation is currently in the works at Amazon Studios, with Dawyne “The Rock” Johnson producing.

Meanwhile, developer Hazelight Studios, headed up by Josef Fares, has been relatively quiet since It Takes Two’s release. The studio’s first game, A Way Out, came out roughly three years before It Takes Two, leading to hopes that we may be due for another announcement from the devoted cooperative game studio any day now.

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

Silent Hill 2 Remake Sells 1 Million Copies in Less Than a Week

It looks like Konami and developer Bloober Team have successfully revived the Silent Hill franchise after the Silent Hill 2 remake hit an impressive sales milestone.

In a tweet, Konami said the Silent Hill 2 remake sold one million copies as of October 11, just four days after the game’s global release date.

This is thought to make the Silent Hill 2 remake the fastest-selling Silent Hill game ever, but Konami has yet to rubber stamp that potential record.

Silent Hill 2 remake launched across PC and PlayStation 5 (there’s no word on an Xbox Series X and S version yet), and met with critical acclaim. IGN’s Silent Hill 2 remake review returned an 8/10. We said: “Silent Hill 2 is a great way to visit – or revisit – one of the most dread-inducing destinations in the history of survival horror.”

The sales success of the Silent Hill 2 remake will perhaps embolden Konami’s plans for the franchise, which have ramped up significantly in recent years. Silent Hill f and Silent Hill: Townfall are both still in the works, but perhaps Konami will also continue to remake past Silent Hill games. There’s a film adaptation of Silent Hill 2 coming, too.

It’s early days, but already modders are doing eye-catching things with the Silent Hill 2 remake on PC, including removing hair sheen, the game’s famous fog, and even turning it into Sunny Hills.

The Silent Hill 2 remake features several new puzzles and redesigned maps, so if you need help navigating through it all, head to our Silent Hill 2 Walkthrough Hub. We’ve also got a comprehensive guide to the Silent Hill 2 Remake endings, all Key Locations in the game, and what changes in New Game+.

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.

After Battleborn, 2K Is Having Another Stab at the Hero Shooter Genre With Project Ethos

2K has teased the full reveal of Project Ethos, a third-person roguelike hero shooter in development at 31st Union.

31st Union and boss Michael Condrey flagged a reveal at 9am PT / 5pm UK today, October 17, on Twitch. The Twitch channel in question mentions a game called Project Ethos, which is described as a “third-person roguelike hero shooter.”

That’s all we have for now. 31st Union is the San Francisco-based, 2K-owned studio established as 2K Silicon Valley back in 2019 before a name change a year later. It was set up by ex-Sledgehammer Games co-founder Michael Condrey, who before working on Call of Duty was one of the chief developers of EA’s Dead Space series at Visceral Games.

Project Ethos launches into the ultra competitive hero shooter market at a time when it has already claimed a number of high-profile casualties. Rocksteady’s troubled Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League flopped to the tune of $200 million, and Sony’s Concord has gone down as one of the most disastrous launches in PlayStation history. 2K and parent company Take-Two will of course be hoping to avoid a similar fate when Project Ethos comes out.

This isn’t 2K’s first stab at a hero shooter, of course. It published Gearbox’s ill-fated Battleborn in May 2016, but it ultimately crumbled under the overwhelming dominance of Blizzard’s Overwatch. Battleborn eventually went dark in January 2021.

For Take-Two, Project Ethos is but one of a number of games it has in the works, including Firaxis’ Civilization 7, Ken Levine’s new game, Judas, Gearbox’s Borderlands 4, Hangar 13’s Mafia: The Old Country, Cloud Chamber’s BioShock sequel, and the big one, Rockstar’s GTA 6.

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.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Launch Multiplayer Maps, Modes, and Operators Confirmed

Activision has finally confirmed the Multiplayer maps, modes, and Operators available at the launch of Call of duty: Black Ops 6.

In a blog post, Activision said Black Ops 6 launches with 16 Multiplayer maps, 10 standard Multiplayer modes, four alternative Multiplayer modes, and 21 Operators.

Let’s start with the launch maps. All Black Ops 6’s launch maps are small to medium-sized, Activision said, with traditional three-lane routes. Developer Treyarch said they’re designed to offer “rapid, energetic combat, along with a variety of scenic set-pieces, cover opportunities, and ranged thoroughfares to ensure your favorite style of play is catered to, from close quarter strikes to long-range sniping, with emphasis always on the action.”

The upshot is “tighter” gameplay, Treyarch said, that’s “perfectly suited” to the new Omnimovement mechanic.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launch Multiplayer maps

At launch Black Ops 6 has 12 brand-new core 6v6 maps and four brand-new, compact-sized Strike maps designed for Face Off 6v6 or 2v2 configurations.

Core Maps (6v6)

  • Babylon (Core 6v6)
  • Derelict (Core 6v6)
  • Lowtown (Core 6v6)
  • Payback (Core 6v6)
  • Protocol (Core 6v6)
  • Red Card (Core 6v6)
  • Rewind (Core 6v6)
  • Scud (Core 6v6)
  • Skyline (Core 6v6)
  • Subsonic (Core 6v6)
  • Vault (Core 6v6)
  • Vorkuta (Core 6v6)

Strike Maps (2v2/6v6)

  • Gala (Strike Map 2v2/6v6)
  • Pit (Strike Map 2v2/6v6)
  • Stakeout (Strike Map 2v2/6v6)
  • Warhead (Strike Map 2v2/6v6)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 standard Multiplayer modes:

  • Team Deathmatch (6v6)
  • Domination (6v6)
  • Search & Destroy (6v6)
  • Kill Confirmed (6v6)
  • Free-For-All (8)
  • Hardpoint (6v6)
  • Gunfight (2v2)
  • Headquarters (6v6)
  • Kill Order (6v6)
  • Control (6v6)

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 alternate Multiplayer modes:

  • Face Off Domination (6v6)
  • Face Off Team Deathmatch (6v6)
  • Face Off Kill Order (6v6)
  • Face Off Kill Confirmed (6v6)

Black Ops 6 also launches with Hardcore mode on certain playlists. It adds a limited HUD, enables friendly fire, and lowers your health.

Hardcore Quick Play game modes include:

  • Team Deathmatch
  • Kill Order
  • Domination
  • Hardpoint
  • Search and Destroy
  • Kill Confirmed
  • FFA
  • Face Off Moshpit

Elsewhere, Black Ops 6 launches with the Training Course, where you can dabble with the game’s mechanics and weapons on the Multiplayer map, Protocol. There are training missions designed to teach you the basics before facing real players in the lobby playlists.

The Firing Range returns, letting you test your equipped loadout weapons. Here’s what to expect:

  • Practice dummies to shoot at, at 10-, 25-, and 50-meter intervals.
  • Dummies can have 0, 1, 2, or 3 Armor Plates added to them.
  • You have limitless ammunition.
  • The upper-left corner features a target elimination tracker, an accuracy tracker, and a damage tracker.
  • A toggle feature allows you to optionally activate a Moving Target dummy, or a Recoil metal plate.
  • Toggle Feature: Moving Target: A dummy drops down from the ceiling on a conveyor belt, and automatically moves back through the range as you connect with it using your weapon. Once you hit it at maximum range, it moves back to its initial position, and the process can be repeated.
  • Toggle Feature: Recoil Target: A metal plate hangs from the ceiling around seven meters from your booth, allowing you to fire your weapon and view the bullet spread.

And Theater Mode is available in Multiplayer for Black Ops 6 at launch and for the first time in the new Call of Duty Engine. Here’s what you can do when playing back a replay file in Theater:

  • Switch between First-Person, Third-Person, and Fly-Cam perspectives for all players in the match.
  • Elimination and Deaths are visualized on the timeline. Easily skip to the viewed player’s next Elimination on the timeline.
  • Fast-Forward, Rewind, and full playback speed control.
  • Press “Record” to Trigger an Xbox or PlayStation recording while in Theater Mode.
  • Note: Theatre Mode is unavailable on previous-generation consoles (PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One), and all Theater files expire after seven days or when a game update is released.

And finally, Private Matches let you adjust every aspect of gameplay.

Now, let’s move on to the Operators. Black Ops 6 launches with over 20 Operators, with 11 allied to the Rogue Black Ops faction, and 10 allied to Crimson One. Narratively, Crimson One represents the CIA operation initiated to hunt down the Rogue squad (Adler, Woods, and their team in the Campaign).

Oh, if you’re wondering how Woods, confined to a wheelchair following the events of the previous Black Ops games, is running about in Multiplayer, Activision offered the following: “This version of Woods is from a time before current debilitation.”

This week, Microsoft pulled its $1 for 14 days of Game Pass trial ahead of next week’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 release date. Mirroring a tactic it employed ahead of last year’s launch of Bethesda’s Starfield, Microsoft has now made the $1 introductory offer unavailable. It was previously available only to those who hadn’t subscribed to Game Pass before.

We’ve also got confirmation of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6’s preload and global launch times, and the PC system requirements.

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.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s First Major Post-Launch Update Out Now, Adds New PvE Map and Lethal Difficulty

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has launched its first major update, adding a new PvP map and Lethal difficulty for free to all players across all platforms.

Update 4.0 adds new PvE map Termination, which is available in the Operations game mode. As revealed this week, Termination sees players battle against a huge Tyranid Hierophant Bio-Titan, added to the game for the first time, on the planet Kadaku.

Elsewhere, the update adds a new, even harder difficulty called Lethal. This is difficulty five of five for Operations mode. And photo mode is now available in Operations (works only in solo), with characters able to follow the camera with their eyes.

It’s worth noting that from a balance perspective, Update 4.0 makes a number of significant changes, with the upshot of making Operations mode harder. Check out the patch notes below, where the developers explain the tweaks.

Coming later is the new weapon, the Neo-Volkite pistol (this is also free for all players). Termination, the Bio-Titan, the Neo-Volkite pistol, and the Lethal difficulty are all part of Space Marine 2 Season 2, which runs until the end of 2024.

The hotly anticipated cosmetics for the Dark Angels chapter of Space Marines, available through the game’s premium season pass, are due out at some point during the Season 2 period.

These cosmetics, when they do hit the game, will add new weapon styles, armor pieces, and color schemes featuring the Unforgiven (the name given to the Dark Angels chapter following the disastrous events of the Horus Heresy in Warhammer 40,000 lore). The Dark Angels Champion Pack, meanwhile, includes a full armor set for the Bulwark class.

Publisher Focus Entertainment has teased what’s to come with Seasons 3 and 4, including a new PvP game mode and PvP arena, as well as a Horde mode. Eagle-eyed fans, meanwhile, have spotted the Space Marine chapter now all-but confirmed to get a cosmetic pack after the Dark Angels, and even an unannounced new Thousand Sons enemy type.

Saber recently released Space Marine 2’s game-changing patch 3.0, which made a seemingly innocuous change to the ending that got Warhammer 40,000 fans excited. Meanwhile, IGN interviewed Tim Willits, Chief Creative Officer at developer Saber Interactive, about Space Marine 2’s record-breaking success. He revealed the boost he expects the PS5 Pro will give Space Marine 2, discussed how the breakout success of Space Marine 2 had “changed everything” for the studio, and how protective Games Workshop is over the Warhammer 40,000 brand.

This week, Focus announced Space Marine 2 had sold an incredible 4.5 million copies in just over a month. It’s already the most-played Warhammer or Warhammer 40,000 video game of all time on Steam.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Update 4.0 patch notes:

NEW FEATURES

New Operation – Termination

This new Operation takes place on planet Kadaku. New dreadful foes have arrived. Make good use of the artillery to annihilate them.

Added Lethal difficulty for Operations

Major highlights of it:

  • Ammo Crates have limited refills per player.
  • Majoris enemies can become enraged and will be more deadly and harder to kill.
  • Armour restores from finishers only if you stay close to your battle-brothers.”
  • Overcoming such a challenge will grant you new cosmetics…

Added photo mode in Operations (works only in solo). Also, characters can now follow the camera with their eyes.

GAMEPLAY AND BALANCING TWEAKS

Melee Archetypes: Fencing weapons’ perfect parry window will now have the same duration as balanced weapons but it will start from the first frame of parry animation.

Melee Perks: Chainsword, Power Fist, Combat Knife charged attacks perks get significant damage increase.

Basic Auspex Scan: bonus damage on bosses is reduced by 30%.

Melta Charge: damage to bosses is reduced by 70%.

​Enemy Spawn Director PvE:

  • Tweaked idle spawns.
  • Enemy variety within waves is now less random while enemy variety between waves is bigger.
  • Extremis enemies can now spawn have additional enemies.

Difficulty:

  • Ruthless: Ammo crates have limited refills per player.
  • Ruthless: Player’s armour reduced by 20%.
  • Substantial: Player’s armour reduced by 10%

Note from the devs:

“With Patch 3 we have noticed that Operations mode became noticeably easier, especially Chaos operations. We are happier with what we have right now compared to what we had on release, because before Patch 3 Chaos missions were unpopular. Still, we think that currently Operations mode is a bit too easy.

“Overall these changes are going to make Operations mode harder, but it is difficult to measure by how much. We will continue to monitor those changes and will continue to adjust the balance of Operations mode. This is not the last change.”

PVP

  • Increased delay between announcer messages in PvP.
  • The starting animation of the Grapnel Launcher for the Vanguard is shorter in PvP.
  • Fixed Power Fist in PvP dealing too much damage with short charged attacks.

AI

  • Enemy Dodges: Globally replaced full invulnerability on dodge moves of enemies with heavy melee damage resistance.
  • Rubric Marine with Boltgun: Disengage teleport max distance is slightly reduced.

CUSTOMISATION

  • More options for colours customisation for Chaos:
    • Tertiary colours: Sotek Green, Night Lords Blue, Death Guard Green, Khorne Red.
  • Decal colours: Sotek Green, Khorne Red.
  • Colours: Added Liberator Gold colour to default for primary and secondary colours palettes.
  • Fixed a lot of issues with display of colours, now they should be more lore accurate (Mechanicus Standard Grey, Ushabti Bone, Phoenician Purple, The Fang, Iron Hands Steel, Retributor Armour).
  • Decals: Added new Chaos faction decals for the right shoulder.

LEVELS

  • Vox Liberatis – Daemonhost: Disabled respawn until the last altar in the final arena.

GENERAL FIXES

  • Fixed a bug where the Assault perk “Ascension” could kill its owner.
  • Fixed a bug where the Sniper perk “Targeted Shot” wasn’t always working in some cases.
  • Fixed an unintended animation cancel with the Bulwark by using the block, which resulted in faster attacks.
  • Fixed an issue with the Tactical team perk “Close Targeting” not triggering properly.
  • Fixed: Tactical perk “Radiating Impact” not triggering properly.
  • Fixed an issue with the Sniper perk “Guardian Protocol” cooldown not working properly.
  • Fixed an issue where sound was lost after switching the speaker configuration.
  • Fixed several issues in Trials.
  • Fixed several issues that were causing loss of saves.
  • The Thunder Hammer perk “Patience Rewarded” description is now accurate with its actual effect (added “When your Health is below 30%” part).
  • Lots of minor UI fixes and improvements.
  • Lots of minor animation fixes and improvements.
  • Localisation fixes.

TECH

  • Crash fixes and general stability improvements.
  • Fixed several connectivity issues causing disconnects for players.
  • Slightly improved performance.
  • Fixed issues controllers not working with Steam Input enabled.

RENDER IMPROVEMENTS

  • General improvements and fixes.

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.