Love them or, more likely, hate them, Minecraft’s Creepers are now an iconic part of Mojang’s beloved sandbox game. But the explosive creatures probably wouldn’t be included today, the developer has said, if it were to design them from scratch now.
Speaking in a new developer video discussing game balance and fairness, chief creative officer Jens Bergensten said that Mojang now followed a strong principle when adding any new item, biome or enemy to Minecraft that could cause players grief. In a nutshell, if anything causes the player to suffer, it should be because players brought it on themselves.
“We want to avoid treating players in a way that feels unfair,” Bergensten said. “So we have this guiding principle that bad things [can] happen, but they’re technically the players’ fault. What we mean by that is either the player caused it, or the player had a chance to prevent it.”
That means enemies have to feel fair — so players can choose to take them on if they want or have a decent chance of mitigating the danger if not. Situations that negatively impact a player should also never feel too random.
Bergensten listed various examples of things that have been added in the past that haven’t felt as fair as intended — such as Iron Golems protecting villages by attacking Creepers (and getting said villages blown up), or Endermen randomly stealing blocks that could have some pivotal signifiance (such as a painstakingly-built Redstone circuits).
This doesn’t mean that Mojang won’t add in tougher challenges, though the developer said it was now careful to make difficult content feel like something players were opting into — such as when actively making the choice to enter The End and take on the game’s climactic Ender Dragon.
But how about the Creeper? It can be encountered from the very beginning of the game, it can instantly kill players and destroy builds, and it sometimes feels like it appears at random. So why does it still exist like it does?
“Even to this day, it’s one of the monsters in gaming that I’m still a little bit afraid of,” Bergensten admitted. “If you would follow the rules that we have today, we would probably not add the Creeper because it would actually be so controversial to have a monster just show up and destroy what you’ve built.”
And yet?
“The Creeper is very iconic though,” Bergensten concluded — which is true enough.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
That psychic shockwave you just felt was my brain registering the words “Yes, G-Police was definitely an inspiration” in the Steam forums for G-Rebels, an upcoming cyberpunk flight combat simulator. You’ve never heard of G-Police? Oh my god. Get in here, you prancing summer child, you daughter of chaos, you strawman son of a gun. Sit the fuck down. Everything is going to be OK now. I am about to tell you of G-Police, the only good videogame ever made.
Ahead of its release on 16th October 2025 (yes, tomorrow), the ROG Xbox Ally X has received a whole bunch of reviews, and it sounds like this thing might be the new king of PC handhelds.
Heck, at £799 / $999, you’d hope so, wouldn’t you?
Style Meets Strategy in Songs of Silence on Sale at 50% off This Week
Martin Azurdia Castillo, Community Manager for LATAM and France at Chimera Entertainment
Immerse yourself in the fractured and magical world of Songs of Silence this October during the DGP Xbox Sale, where you will be able to get the game at a 50% discount!
Songs of Silence is a story-rich 4x strategy game with fast-paced campaigns, dynamic battles and stunning Art Nouveau visuals where the players manage kingdoms and command armies as they explore a world torn by conflict and sundered into realms of light and darkness. Follow the main story of the campaign through the eyes of Lorelei as she fights to save her people and from the dangers that lurk around the world. You can manage armies and cities and conquer your rival kingdoms in both single and multiplayer skirmishes. The game uses beautifully crafted Cards of Fate as the actions a player can take in a battle where powerful abilities and magical powers can turn the tide of battle at any moment. The game’s aesthetic is a beautiful, hand drawn, Art Nouveau style that emphasizes the beauty and awe of a fantasy universe full of magic and otherworldly creatures, inspired by great artists like Alphonse Mucha, Belle Époque and Gustav Klimt.
The game’s simple yet engaging battle system makes transition between narrative and gameplay effortless. The musical prowess of Hitoshi Sakimoto accompanies every step of the way, through cinematics, campaigns and battles with an incredible soundtrack. The music merges with the sound effects in a harmonious mixing of both intense battle sounds and dialogue.
Our dev team is constantly working on the game, resulting in regular updates and new content. We are always open to new ideas and love hearing from our community. We believe that focusing on our core players will yield the best results in fixing any issues that may arise and making our fans proud. The team truly prides itself on the amazing visuals the game has to offer as well as the strategic yet uncomplicated battle system and the strong narrative the game has to offer. We want to take this opportunity to push the potential of the game’s outreach. We believe that through constant work on the development of new content and the regular engagement with our community we will be able to cater to a bigger audience and expand the magical universe of Songs of Silence even more. Meta: Details on the soundtrack and visual inspirations for the player-inspired game on sale today.
Songs of Silence is a fantasy strategy title which marries deep, tactical gameplay with fast-paced autobattles and an engaging, compelling narrative. Presented in a unique graphical style derived from the Art Nouveau movement, Songs of Silence is a beautiful example of the evolution of a classic genre. The game features an extensive singleplayer, narrative-driven campaign, plus multiple competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes for endless replay value.
This month, October’s Game Catalog lineup brings plenty of thrills for spooky season. Step into a fog-shrouded nightmare in the chilling remake of Silent Hill 2, survive a night of terror in the definitive PS5 edition of the slasher horror Until Dawn, embrace your inner vampire and stalk the night in V Rising, or, in an entirely different register, join Ichiban Kasuga and his unlikely crew of outcasts in a quest for the truth in Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Meanwhile, Tekken 3 brings arcade fighting action to PlayStation Plus Premium. All these titles and more will be available Tuesday, October 21 in this month’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog
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Silent Hill 2 | PS5
Take on the role of James Sunderland and venture into the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill in this highly anticipated remake of the 2001 classic. What awaits him is a rust-stained nightmare, cloaked in fog, and populated by monsters. Experience a master class in psychological horror on the latest hardware with chilling visuals and visceral sounds. Enter a dream-like world and encounter twisted monsters, the menacing Pyramid Head, and a seemingly ordinary cast of characters wrestling with their past. As James comes to terms with his own turmoil, he’ll be left with one question – why did he really come to Silent Hill?
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Until Dawn | PS5
Rebuilt from the ground up for PS5, Until Dawn invites you to immerse yourself in a gripping slasher horror where every decision can make the difference between life and death. When eight friends return to the isolated mountain lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, things quickly take a sinister turn. As fear tightens its icy grip on the group, their remote retreat becomes an inescapable nightmare. Your actions and choices will determine who survives in this definitive version of the seminal horror classic.
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V Rising | PS5
V Rising is a vampire survival action-RPG adventure like no other. Awaken as a weakened vampire after centuries of slumber and hunt for blood to regain your strength while hiding from the scorching sun to survive. Rebuild your castle and convert humans into your loyal servants in a quest to raise your vampire empire. Explore a vast world teeming with mythical horrors and danger. Travel through lush forests, open countryside, and dark caverns to discover valuable resources, meeting friends and foes alike along the way. Roam the night alone or gather a clan – V Rising can be played solo, co-op or in persistent online multiplayer. Travel alone or explore the world with friends. Raid other players’ castles or play the diplomat in the game of blood, power and betrayal. Compete or cooperate – the choice is yours.
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Yakuza: Like a Dragon | PS5, PS4
Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waiting for him on the outside, and his clan has been destroyed by the man he respected most. Ichiban sets out to discover the truth behind his family’s betrayal and take his life back, drawing a ragtag group of society’s outcasts to his side: Adachi, a rogue cop, Nanba, a homeless ex-nurse, and Saeko, a hostess on a mission. Together, they are drawn into a conflict brewing beneath the surface in Yokohama and must rise to become the heroes they never expected to be. Experience dynamic RPG combat like none other. Switch between 19 unique Jobs ranging from Bodyguard to Musician, and use the battlefield as your weapon. Take up bats, umbrellas, bikes, street signs, and everything else at your disposal to crack some skulls!
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Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 | PS5, PS4
Playtime Co. was once the king of the toy manufacturing industry… until everybody inside of the factory one day disappeared into thin air. Now, years later, you must explore the factory and uncover the truth. Try to survive the vengeful toys waiting for you in this horror/puzzle adventure. Use your GrabPack to hack electrical circuits or nab items from afar. Explore the mysterious facility… and don’t get caught.
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As Dusk Falls | PS5, PS4
As Dusk Falls is a gripping crime drama that explores the entangled lives of two families across decades, starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona. Created by the lead designer of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, this thrilling, branching multiplayer interactive drama follows these two families in their struggle to survive, protect, and endure challenges rooted in the previous generations’ mistakes. Every decision will shape the characters’ fates. Multiple paths through each chapter will reveal insights about who you and your friends are and make every playthrough unique. Replay the story again and again to uncover vastly different outcomes for multiple characters and hidden nuances behind every decision and relationship. Will your characters survive unscathed? What kind of people will they ultimately become?
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Wizard with a Gun | PS5
Wizard with a Gun is an online sandbox survival game for 1 to 4 players set in a magical wilderness wrought with dangerous creatures and arcane mysteries. Embark on a journey alone or with friends to collect, craft, and outfit your wizard however you see fit as you explore the unknown. Collect resources from the world and craft unique enchanted ammunition for your arsenal of guns. Combine elements for intended or surprising effects that alter the shot, blast radius, bullet trail, and even the status of the creature in your crosshairs. Carefully design weapons, bullets, and furnishings for your tower home but try not to burn it all down as the magic you wield escalates beyond your control… Survive alone or with a few wizard friends in online cooperative play to combine resources, magic, and creativity in your tower building. Or just watch it all burn down together – the choice is yours.
PlayStation Plus Premium
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Tekken 3 | PS5, PS4
Experience Tekken 3, originally released on the original PlayStation, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Nineteen years following the previous King of Iron Fist tournament, fighters from all over the world have mysteriously begun to disappear at the hands of the enigmatic being known only as Toshin. Heihachi, hoping the promise of strong opponents will lure out this so-called “God of Fighting,” begins his preparations for The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. Experience Tekken 3’s world at its very best, with an all-new CGI opening and unique endings for each character, exclusive to the home console release. Every mode from previous entries is here, including Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Team Battle Mode for competitive play, and Practice Mode for all your training needs.
*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.
The new Disney Lorcana expansion, Whispers in The Well, is now available to preorder. Amazon has preorders up at the moment for a booster box, the Illumineer’s Trove box, a single booster pack, and two single-player decks: Amber & Emerald and Sapphire & Steel. All of these are set to be released on November 14 this year as well, so thankfully you only have about a month to wait before you can get your hands on them. Get your preorders in at the links below before they sell out.
Preorder Disney Lorcana Whispers in The Well Expansion
On top of the expansion, there’s also two new Disney Lorcana playmats that are releasing on the same day. One of these is a delightful playmat featuring a design of Mickey Mouse while the other features Jasmine from Aladdin. At the moment, they are both available to preorder for $19.99 a piece.
If the big booster box has caught your eye, it comes with 24 booster packs that each contain 12 randomized cards. Illumineer’s Trove, on the other hand, comes with 8 booster packs alongside six damage-counter dice, six card dividers, one lore counter, and a card storage box. If you’re not looking to splash out on these big sets, though, the single booster pack will just set you up with 12 cards. As for the single-player decks, these come with 60 cards (including two foil cards of the characters featured on the front of the package), 11 damage tokens, a bonus booster pack, and a rulebook.
I can’t remember the first time I felt “immersed” in a videogame, but I can remember the first time I got stuck under a swimming pool float as a kid, scratching at a scabby foam ceiling roamed by mocking silver jellyfish of air. I can remember the first few times I drowned in videogames, fighting the waterlogged handling in Sonic’s Labyrinth Zone, or operating the agile sarcophagus that is Lara Croft in Aztec print grottos of antiseptic blue.
I find the continuing use of “immersive” to describe believable videogame worlds weird and a bit alarming. Partial immersion would be one thing – the videogame as nice hot bath at the end of the day, the videogame as splashing around in a stream of thought, the videogame as a kind of apple-bobbing. The “immersion” of the “immersive sim” is a different matter entirely: it’s a box of clockwork you’re invited to tease apart, not some hyperreal enclosure. But the “full” or “total” sensory immersion repeatedly offered by big-budget, photoreal 3D games seems a lot like suffocation.
The Battlefield 6 team at EA and Battlefield Studios is shrinking ticket sizes for their large-scale Conquest multiplayer game mode, but players aren’t sold that these changes will improve the pace of matches.
An update to the structure of Conquest matches arrived in an official post from the Battlefield Comms X/Twitter account. It details blanket changes across every Conquest map in Battlefield 6, as the developers aim to ensure matches “finish at a more natural pace.”
To achieve this, BF Studios says it has reduced ticket sizes from 1000 tickets to a unique ticket goal for each map. These range from 900 tickets on maps like Siege of Cairo and Empire State to 700 tickets on maps like Mirak Valley and Operation Firestorm. You can see the full breakdown below.
Siege of Cairo from 1000 to 900
Empire State from 1000 to 900
Iberian Offensive from 1000 to 900
Liberation Peak From 1000 to 800
Manhattan Bridge From 1000 to 800
Operation Firestorm From 1000 to 700
New Sobek City from 1000 to 900
Mirak Valley from 1000 to 700
BF Studios says its goal is to keep matches moving at a more natural pace, but players aren’t convinced that reduced ticket requirements are what Battlefield 6 needs.
Meanwhile, BF Studios added in a separate tweet that the Out of Bounds timer for vehicles on Battlefield 6’s Manhattan Bridge map in Conquest and Escalation have been increased from five to 10 seconds.
Developing…
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
Nintendo has announced its next game trial for Nintendo Switch Online users, and this one is a doozy.
Yes, if it wasn’t obvious from the above image, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance will be available to download for free for NSO members from 16th to 22nd October 2025.
Congratulations on picking up your new ROG Xbox Ally or ROG Xbox Ally X! Whether you’re a handheld gaming veteran or just getting started, you’ve joined a growing and vibrant community of players who appreciate the flexibility of Windows and the power and ease of use of Xbox in the palm of your hands. While you probably picked up your Xbox Ally to dive right into your favorite games (we share some of our handheld favorites here), you’ll quickly discover that these handhelds offer tremendous flexibility to personalize your gaming experience. To help you hit the ground running, we’ve pulled together some must-know tips to make the most out of your new Xbox Ally.
If you’re just setting your device up, check out the informative guide at Xbox Support for step-by-step instructions. Of note: Don’t skip the option to set up the fingerprint reader; unlocking your Xbox Ally with just a touch is fast and feels a little bit magical. Once setup is complete, you’ll boot up directly into the immersive Xbox full screen experience, a purpose-built gaming experience.
Ready to go? Here’s a few helpful pointers.
Navigating your Xbox Ally
Master the Menus: The Xbox Ally gives you multiple ways to find what you’re looking for— you can use the d-pad, joysticks, shoulder and face buttons to make selections, or simply tap the responsive touchscreen directly. For instance, to reach the all-important Game Bar settings menu, you can press the Xbox button and hit the right bumper, or simply swipe from the left edge of the screen toward the center. Swapping between apps? Long press the Xbox button or swipe up from the bottom to access the Task Switcher, making switching between apps and games seamless.
Get Familiar with Command Center: ASUS Command Center is now integrated into Game Bar, giving you instant access to many advanced features to personalize your experience, both inside and outside of games.
For a more expansive set of advanced settings and customization options, you can also launch the full-featured Armoury Crate SE right from this overlay.
Meet Gaming Copilot (Beta) — Your Personal Sidekick: You can access Gaming Copilot on the Xbox Ally, where it offers recommendations, tips, and insights when you need them. To get started, long press the Command Center button to open the Gaming Copilot widget in Game Bar, and complete the onboarding experience. After that, if you want to check your next achievement or get advice for a tough boss fight without leaving your game, long press the Library button and then release to start your conversation with Gaming Copilot.
Play What You Want
Browse Your Games Library: Now it’s time to find some things to play! Head to the Library by pressing the dedicated Library button above the right thumbstick to find games you already own, as well as those available with Game Pass, and titles playable via the Xbox Cloud Gaming. Note: you can select more than one category at a time; highlighting Owned and Installable allows you to go shopping in your own closet for games that play natively on your Xbox Ally. Looking for something new? You’ll find the Store on the left rail as well.
Access Your Games, From Leading PC Storefronts: With the aggregated gaming library, you can easily add your titles from leading PC storefronts to your library, to see all your games in one place. All you have to do is head to the My Apps tab in your Library, and select the PC storefront you want to install.
If you don’t see your desired launcher, open Edge (also located in My apps), navigate to the store’s website, and download it.
Play Anywhere—Including Offline: Handheld freedom means you’re bound to play in places without WiFi. While many titles work best online, most single-player games run great without a connection. Before you travel, test your games offline, pre-download any updates or DLC, and make sure you’re signed in. For detailed offline setup, see our guide: Play games in offline mode on Windows | Xbox Support. And if you’re flying, don’t forget to switch to airplane mode to save battery and avoid interruptions.
Personalizing your Setup
Play Your Way Using Accessibility Features: With the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, the Xbox experience and Game Bar have been optimized for handheld use, bringing along familiar accessibility features from Xbox consoles and Windows 11 PCs. Most visual, cognitive, and sensory accessibility features can be found by selecting the Profile & Settings icon in the upper left of the screen, selecting Settings, then Accessibility. Input accessibility settings, including on-screen keyboard, input customizations, and the ability to re-map your Xbox Ally’s buttons are found in Armoury Crate SE.
Connect External Controllers: Pair Xbox Wireless Controllers to your Xbox Ally just like you would with a PC. Turn on your controller, hold the Pair button, and look for the connect notification. Missed it? Open the Game Bar, navigate to Settings > Bluetooth > Manage devices, select Add device > Bluetooth, and follow the prompts.
And don’t miss the clever detail: inside the underside of your Xbox Ally box lid, you’ll find a lightweight, sturdy paperboard stand—perfect for holding your Xbox Ally while charging or playing with an external controller without blocking the screen. This pairs well with the next feature:
Docking for the Big Screen: The Xbox Ally–is your perfect gaming companion when you’re on the go, and when you’re at home it provides even more options to play. It’s easy to connect an external monitor or TV for a larger, even more immersive experience . Simply connect your Xbox Ally directly to a monitor or TV or to a dock via the USB-C port,. For optimal performance, it’s best to use “Second Screen Only” to match your TV’s resolution and refresh rate.
Customize the Joystick Ring Lights: The Xbox Ally’s colorful lights surrounding the thumbsticks are one of its defining visual flourishes, but sometimes you may want to dim them for a red-eye flight or if you’re playing in dark room. To adjust them, open Armoury Crate SE and select Lighting to change how they pulse, or turn them off entirely.
Stay up to date: The Xbox Ally you take out of the box is only the starting point; Xbox and ASUS will continue to add new features and functionality to enhance your experience. To ensure you’ve always got the latest updates, there are two places you’ll want to check from time to time.
Windows OS Update:
Open Game Bar > Settings Widget > More Settings > Open Windows Settings > Windows Update
Install all updates and restart your device when prompted
Update Armoury Crate SE:
Open the Command Center
Select “Open Armoury Crate SE”
Select Update Center > Check for Updates > Update All
We can’t wait to see where your new Xbox Ally or Xbox Ally X takes you. Whether you’re enjoying handheld gaming on the couch or setting high scores on the go, these tips will help you get the most out of every session.
