Category: Video Games

Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.42 arrives today with new cars and Café Menus

Gran Turismo players! Update 1.42* for Gran Turismo 7 arrives Wednesday, January 24th at 11:00pm PST / January 25th at 6:00am GMT / 3:00pm JST. Let’s take a look at what’s included. 


Gran Turismo 7 Update 1.42 arrives today with new cars and Café Menus

Three new cars

BVLGARI Aluminum Vision Gran Turismo

A digital concept car infused with the DNA of BVLGARI.

*Can be purchased in Brand Central from end of February

The BVLGARI Aluminum Vision Gran Turismo is a digital concept car inspired by the iconic BVLGARI Aluminum watch from 1998 and shares the same spirit: sporty, smart and essential, yet precise and quality crafted. The shapes, materials, colours, and overall design language of the car are directly inspired by the form language and spirit of the aluminum watch. 

The barchetta body style is an archetype of sportiness which expresses dynamic movement, lightness, and performance. The body design is an essential combination of pure and geometrical shapes, which are symbolic of Italian car design traditions of creativity and character, integrating some original references to the glorious era of ’60s and ’70s concept cars from Italian Carrozzeria. The result is a timeless design that is undeniably Italian in its innovative conceptual spirit and its expression of style and coolness, transcending all the temporary fashions and short-term trends, to affirm itself as a pure expression of BVLGARI design DNA.

Complimentary offer for owners of the BVLGARI Aluminum Gran Turismo Limited Models.

Those who purchase the BVLGARI Aluminum Gran Turismo Limited Model chronograph watch and register via the QR code will receive this car at no additional cost along with early access ahead of the official February release (to be distributed as a Car Ticket each month beginning late January). Take this opportunity to experience BVLGARI’s revolutionary digital concept car alongside this Vision Gran Turismo 10th anniversary commemorative chronograph watch.

Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo Concept

A sports coupe that embodies the athletic elegance sought out by Genesis.

*Can be purchased in Brand Central

The Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo Concept emotionally applies Genesis’ Athletic Elegance design philosophy. The design orchestrates the cab’s backward proportions with Genesis’ typical anti-wedge attitude that is structured around a virtual parabolical tensioned theory common to the entire Genesis model line-up. 

The X Gran Berlinetta Concept design language is pure and muscular with the volumes centered around the wheels. It sports Genesis’ new front fascia that abstracts the crest grille and links it with the quad lights, structuring and connecting the volumes from front to rear with the two-line brand identifier. The fuselage extrudes itself towards the rear in an elliptical concave volume that can be found on other Genesis vehicles. It is framed by a rear spoiler and lateral trailing edges for aerodynamic high-speed stability. 

The interior derives Genesis’ Beauty of White Space attitude by creating a purist environment for the pilot. The essential functions are prioritized to maximize track performance focus. The digital panoramic interface serves as information center linked to the surround digital monitoring system, while the steer-by-wire grip commands allow precise maneuvering. The quilted, padded bolsters protect the pilot while racing and during the speedy entrance and egress on pit stops. The X Gran Berlinetta Concept features an impressive aerodynamic fluidity. 

The designers have achieved a drag coefficient of 0.34 by integrating aerodynamic aids and orchestrating internal and laminar flows. The X Gran Berlinetta Concept is powered by a front mid-mounted Lambda II V6 engine, electrically assisted by Genesis E-SC technology. The hybrid race-spec drivetrain delivers a total of 1,071 HP (1,071 BHP) 986 ft-lb (136.3 kgfm) of torque, ensuring that this car is as powerful as it is beautiful. The V6 screams at 10,000 rpm while delivering a maximum output of 870 HP (870 BHP) and 790 ft-lb (109.2 kgfm) while the Yasa E motor generates an additional 201 HP (201 BHP) 196 ft-lb (27 kgfm).

Suzuki Jimny XC ’18

Amazing all-terrain ability beyond its size. Japan’s mighty micro off-roader.

*Can be purchased in Brand Central

The Jimny is a cross-country style 4WD model that has been produced by Suzuki since 1970. While there have been variants in each generation that crossed over into the compact car class, the mainstay of the series is the ‘kei’ model. The series has continued to develop over the years with a 2nd generation model introduced in 1981, the 3rd generation introduced in 1998 and the 4th generation in 2018. 

What has remained constant across the entire series though is its construction, which uses a ‘kei’ size body shell fitted to a ladder frame chassis with rigid axle suspension and oversized tires. The drivetrain used has always been a part-time four-wheel drive layout, though rear-wheel drive only models have appeared as well. The all-terrain ability that this thoroughbred offroad setup affords has earned it praise not only within its native Japan but across the globe as well. It has found a home as a commercial vehicle in areas with extreme snow and mountainous conditions, become a popular choice for outdoor leisure enthusiasts and even become a base car for off-road motorsports. 

The main features of the 4th generation Jimny introduced in 2018, are its overtly square body and its round headlamps which take the design back to its roots. Additionally, its stability and ride comfort at high speeds, a common weakness of primarily off-road vehicles, have been greatly improved. Also, the 660 cc turbo engine has been specially tuned for the Jimny, and the classic part-time four-wheel drive system has been returned to a mechanical transfer case. To reduce wheel spin, the car comes with electronically controlled brake LSD traction control as standard. The most popular model in the line-up is the luxury XC grade which comes with a wide variety of extra features such as cruise control and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.

Café / Extra Menus

The following two Extra Menus have been added:

  • Extra Menu No. 34: ‘Nissan Motorsports‘ (Collector Level 46 and above）
  • Extra Menu No. 35: ‘Dodge’（Collector Level 32 and above)

World Circuits (Event)

A brand-new race event, the Jimny Cup has been added to World Circuits along with new Vision Gran Turismo Trophy races for 2 tracks.

  • Jimny Cup Sardegna – Windmills / Willow Springs International Raceway / Lake Louise
  • Vision Gran Turismo Trophy Tokyo Expressway / Autodromo Nazionale Monza

Scapes

Service Area and Turn the Camera Vertically have been added to featured Scapes.

*Internet connection and Gran Turismo 7 game required for update.

Microsoft’s New Xbox Indie Selects Promo Rekindles Memories of Xbox Live Arcade

Microsoft has announced the launch of Xbox Indie Selects, a program designed to promote indie games.

Rekindling memories of the Xbox 360’s famous Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Indie Selects features a monthly, curated collection of six indie games in the Xbox Store, dashboard, and on Xbox social channels.

Here’s how it works: every last week of the month, six games will be chosen by the ID@Xbox team and designated that month’s ID@Xbox Indie Selects. The collection will be located in the Xbox Indies section of the Xbox Store and dash, alongside Microsoft’s additional indie collections, which will be updated weekly on Wednesdays.

The selected games don’t strictly have to be games from the ID@Xbox program, Microsoft said. It’ll also feature games “that look and feel ‘indie’.” Microsoft added that it will not include indie games already in Game Pass, “even if they’re fantastic”, because Game Pass games are already featured in the Game Pass hub.

Microsoft said it launched the program because it wants more people to discover, buy, and play indie games. “We know there are a lot of games out there right now, and it can be difficult for unique titles to find an audience in crowded marketplaces,” Glenn Gregory, ID@Xbox Marketing Manager, said in a post on Xbox Wire. “With a dedicated, permanent, curated collection in the Xbox Store, we’ll be able to bring more attention to games that we feel are particularly special – everything from current favorites, to older gems, to games from new creators from around the world.”

Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) was a prominent part of the Xbox 360’s download offering, and focused on smaller and cheaper games. XBLA featured some of the best games of the generation, including Might & Magic Clash of Heroes, Trials HD, Fez, Bastion, and Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2.

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.

Valheim’s Ashlands update walks a “fine line between fun and frustration”, according to new dev video

Rival survival sims Palworld and the just-launched Enshrouded are now openly battling for hearts and minds on Steam, and here comes genre supremo Valheim out of the blind corner like, errrr, one of the celebrity WWE wrestlers who hasn’t turned out to be Problematic – I don’t know, maybe Zack Sabre Jr? Educate me, wrestling fans.

Valheim isn’t waving a folding chair or a small flight of stairs, mind you. It’s holding a development diary for the forthcoming Ashlands update, due sometime in the first half of 2024. The update introduces the titular Ashlands biome, a blend of graveyard and volcano level notable for the presence of burning skellingtons, some of whom emerge from glowering stone totems.

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Cyberpunk 2077 Player Discovers a Very on Brand Secret Message Hidden Within the Game

A Cyberpunk 2077 player has discovered an Easter egg more than three years after the game launched, denoting a very on-brand theme of the game hidden within a secret message written in Latin.

Reddit user CommercialLeg2439 spotted the secret message in Pacifica, specifically on the Grand Imperial Mall. As the sun sets in Night City, the lights of the mall flicker, and only a select few in its name actually light up.

Instead of Grand Imperial Mall, the sign instead reads “gra d imperi l mali”. Fans have debated a little how this translates exactly, but “gra imperi mali” means “thanks to the evil government”. Another possible solution keeps the first “d” in, translating to “degree of evil government”. One user even suggested the random “l” towards the end could be the roman numeral of 50, meaning something like the “degree of 50 evil governments” or “thanks to the 50 evil governments”, a reference to the 50 states of America.

Regardless, the hidden message feeds very well into Cyberpunk 2077’s core themes, that of a corrupt world in which regular people systematically fall victim to the laws and corporations which tower over them.

“This is one insane catch,” AHappyRaider commented on the post. “I swear, all the clever and hidden s**t in this game that I don’t initially catch is making me feel stupid,” Adjunct_Junk added. “Let alone all that borderline David Lynchian FF:06:B5 stuff.”

This references Cyberpunk 2077’s biggest ongoing mystery, which will no doubt have fans obsessing over again thanks to this Latin message being spotted. The mystery, known simply as FF:06:B5, began when players discovered the code on a statue worshipped by monks in Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City. A series of other numbers hidden throughout the city attracted even more attention, and a Reddit page dedicated to FF:06:B5 now has more than 24,000 members.

It even seeped beyond Cyberpunk 2077 and into CD Projekt Red’s other franchise with The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The release of Cyberpunk 2077’s game-changing Update 2.0 included even more clues, but fans have yet to solve the bizarre riddle.

To see all the other wild and wacky Easter eggs present in Cyberpunk 2077, check out IGN’s guide dedicated to the topic.

Image Credit: CommercialLeg2439 on Reddit

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

This Doom mod is made from Id Software’s abandoned and rejected ideas

Before Doom became the lean, mean murdermachine we know and love, Id Software had far bigger plans for their seminal satanic FPS. Ideas dropped during development include a big focus on story, four playable characters, elemental shields, demonic weapons, and more. The mod Doom Delta brings to life many such ideas from sources including an old design document and leaked alpha builds, which I think makes it fanfic? A new version of Doom Delta launched last week, offering a curious vision of the many Dooms Id didn’t make.

Read more

Fortnite Now Has Metal Gear Solid 2 Raiden as Well as Snake

Like Solid Snake stealthily escaping Shadow Moses, Epic snuck out Metal Gear’s famous sidekick Raiden as part of the V28.10 update.

The Raiden currently available to buy in Fortnite is the version of the character from Metal Gear Solid 2, not, as some had wondered (hoped?), from the more recent and eternally memed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance.

You can catch Fortnite’s Raiden working with Snake in the video below:

And while you can choose to play as Raiden with his helmet on or off, Fortnite does not include a naked Raiden skin, unfortunately. Still, that hasn’t dampened some of the… enthusiastic reaction to Raiden’s Fortnite incarnation, with fans pointing out he looks ever so slightly different in the waist and, ahem, bulge department. Perhaps Raiden shouldn’t complain, given Epic stripped Solid Snake of his epic ass.

Perhaps Raiden skins from Metal Gear Solid 4 and Rising: Revengeance will come at a later date. Until then, Fortnite players can rekindle memories of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, now Raiden is in the mix.

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.

Enshrouded review: the best building system in the survival genre

I realised several hours into my Enshrouded playthrough that I have an unspoken internal checklist for what makes a great open-world survival crafting game. Great building, a sense of scale, a beautiful atmosphere, and the ability to die in extremely stupid ways. In Minecraft, it’s digging straight down into lava. In Valheim, it’s getting crushed by the very tree you’d just chopped down. And after dying for the third time by trying to climb a slightly-too-steep hill, slipping down and building enough momentum to send me careening off the cliff to my death, I realised that Enshrouded, too, ticks all the boxes for maybe one day being listed among the titans of the genre.

One paragraph in, and I’ve already compared Enshrouded to Valheim. You’ll see that quite a bit throughout this review, and for good reason. Enshrouded has come the closest for me to recapturing that feeling of when the world collectively discovered Valheim for the first time. But that’s both an accolade and a reservation. Because it’s not quite there… yet.

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Splatoon 3 ‘Side Order’ DLC Inks Its Way Onto Switch Next Month

Single-player splatting.

Well, this is a surprise! Out of the blue, Nintendo has announced that the long-awaited Splatoon 3 ‘Side Order‘ DLC will be coming our way on 22nd February.

This one has been a long time coming. The single-player expansion was first announced back in last year’s February Direct, and was given a ‘Spring 2024’ release window in the September one. Today’s surprise announcement looks like things jumped forward a little, though.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Design an Original Starfield Spacesuit and it Could Be Yours for Real

Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from the award-winning creators behind Skyrim and Fallout 4, Bethesda Game Studios. Gamers from around the world were excited to jump into this interstellar universe rich with adventure, peril, and excitement.  

But before anyone hops into space, they need something critical: a spacesuit.   

So, Xbox has partnered up with the European Space Agency (ESA) to give Starfield fans  around the world a chance to win the spacesuit of their dreams, in real life, in addition to other incredible Xbox prizes. This is a physical, wearable, one-of-a-kind garment, fabricated for the most intrepid explorers.     

Whether using a provided template as a base, or pushing their imagination to the limit with any creative format of their choice, fans will be asked to provide both a visual illustration of the suit from all sides—hand-drawn, 3D-rendered, or however their vision sees fit—as well as a description of the inspiration of the suit. More specifically, Xbox, Bethesda and the ESA want to know what you would wear in outer space – how would your spacesuit reflect your personal style, individuality and vision for space travel?

After submitting suits through the campaign webpage, the most creative option—the one that truly gives weight to the phrase “out-of-this-world individual style”—will win a full replica of their design, complete with an authentic ESA patch. The contest opens today and runs until 8pm Pacific Time on February 24, 2024, so make sure to hit that spacesuit workbench soon. After that, the winning suit will enter a two-month intensive fabrication process on the path to becoming reality. To see the full rules, visit here.

Fantastic role-playing games are all about player expression, and this contest allows fans to experience that in a completely different way. Our stories are unique to us, so what we wear while we travel through those stories should be too. So, submit your own design, then while you wait, we suggest downloading and exploring the worlds of Starfield with Xbox Game Pass.   

About Starfield   

Starfield is the first new universe in over 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, create any character you want and explore with unparalleled freedom as you embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.  Experience it for yourself on Xbox Game Pass.   

The post Design an Original Starfield Spacesuit and it Could Be Yours for Real appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Tower of Fantasy × Evangelion collaboration details revealed

Hi, all the Wanderers, welcome back! I’m Sky, the lead designer at Hotta Studio of Perfect World Games.

Brace yourselves, as Tower of Fantasy is gearing up for a compelling collaboration with the iconic sci-fi anime, Evangelion. The buzz around this collaboration has been incredible, and today, I’m thrilled to share the latest scoop on the collaboration content. Additionally, we’ll delve into previews of the future versions, version 3.6 and version 4.0, and spill the beans on the upcoming PS5 physical copy!

Evangelion Fantasy

First and foremost, we’re overjoyed to be able to collaborate with Evangelion! Many on our team are fans of this timeless anime, and that passion fueled our entire development process.

We will introduce Shinji Ikari, Asuka Shikinami Langley, and Rei Ayanami to the Vera Sector. As the Angels launch a sudden assault, players will join forces with these iconic characters to thwart the crisis. During the collaboration, you can obtain simulacrums of Asuka Shikinami Langley and Rei Ayanami. The inclusion of these beloved characters is bound to inject a fresh dose of vitality into your gaming adventure!

In our quest for authenticity, we recreated the captivating visuals of the original anime. Whether it’s the colossal Angels or the EVA units—EVA-00, EVA-01, and EVA-02—we’ve replicated them on a 1:1 scale. Our aim is for players to truly feel the impact of these giant EVAs when they make their grand entrances in the story. Furthermore, we’ve faithfully reproduced classic scenes from the original anime within the game’s narrative. While the specific details are currently under wraps, we can’t wait for you to experience them firsthand in the game.

We’ve absorbed the enchanting designs from the original Evangelion anime, extracting design elements from the entry plug and seamlessly integrating them as a vehicle into the Tower of Fantasy world. In our expansive open-world, vehicles are essential for exploring, and our new collaborative vehicle promises a one-of-a-kind exploration experience.

Now, onto a familiar face—Pen Pen! This adorable companion will join the adventure as a smart servant to accompany players on their journey.

This collaboration is set to unfold in the first half of 2024. We’re actively fine-tuning the content, with each team member pouring their heart into blending the essence of the original Evangelion anime with our love for Tower of Fantasy. We hope this collaboration will allow you to experience the perfect fusion of Evangelion and Tower of Fantasy, and enjoy the wonderful feeling of forming bonds with these beloved characters.

Preview of future versions

In the upcoming version  3.6 Beyond Horizons set to launch on January 30, the new map Aquaville will be introduced, marking the final piece of Domain 9. Compared to the other three areas in Domain 9, Aquaville exhibits a distinct sci-fi style, offering a completely different atmosphere.

At the core of Aquaville is the Distant Beacon Cabin 8, with industrial and commercial zones constructed along the inner walls of Cabin 8. As you first enter the space capsule, you’ll witness the breathtaking sight of a folded city. Moreover, Cabin 8 features a unique gravity system, with a special road known as the gravity rail connecting various areas scattered across the inner walls. Progressing along the gravity rail will provide you with a thrilling map-running experience of spinning in the air.

In version 3.6, we’re introducing a brand-new Simulacrum character named Plotti. Hailing from the Hykros headquarters, Algorithm Ark, Plotti serves as the rotating Authorizer, a hacker responsible for maintaining Gesthos and monitoring the operation of Omnium reactors across different time and space dimensions. Her every move adheres to protocols and regulations, yet beneath the surface, a rebellious side is hinted at, suggesting a completely different personality. Her weapon EP-7000 Skyfire is a dual-attribute hand cannon with fire and physical properties, set to launch on January 30.

As a game with long-term operation plans, Tower of Fantasy has much more in store for future versions. New companions, new open world, and stories will unfold in version 4.0—stay tuned for the what’s to come!

Physical copy information

Finally, we have some more news to share with you! Tower of Fantasy is set to release a physical copy, including the following in-game items:

For specific release details, please stay tuned for official announcements.

That concludes our sharing this time. Thank you all for your support. We hope you find joy and surprises throughout your Tower of Fantasy adventure.