Category: Video Games

8-Bit Parody ‘The Transylvania Adventure Of Simon Quest’ Comes To Switch In 2025

Is that you, Castlevania II?

If you’re looking for an alternative to a certain Konami series, how about this new 8-bit sidescrolling platformer? The Transylvania Adventure of Simon Quest is described as a “parody/homage”, and will be coming to the Nintendo Switch and multiple other platforms at some point in 2025.

You’ll even play as a guy named Simon who must resurrect and then slay Dracula by jumping between the overworld and various mansions. There are also minigames, a range of weapons and items, and a built-in randomiser to keep you coming back for more. Here’s a bit of extra information (via Steam):

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Overwatch 2 is going to let non-support players heal themselves, to reduce the frustration of bad teamwork

Overwatch 2 is going to receive some changes designed to make teamwork easier, and to make bad teamwork less frustrating. The latter is more interesting, because one of Blizzard’s proposed solution is giving Tank and Damage heroes “a modified, tuned-down version of the Support self-healing passive”, which would make them less reliant on Support players to heal everyone.

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Daily Deals: Anker Power Bank, Elgato HD60 X, JLab Talk Pro

2024 is off to an exciting start, and there are some exciting deals that have gone live now that the holiday season has long passed. From video games to PC accessories, there is no shortage of deals you don’t want to miss out on. The best deals for Saturday, January 13, include a 1TB Gen 4 NVME SSD, Anker 60,000mAh Power Bank, Street Fighter 6 Collector’s Edition, Elgato HD60 X, Persona 5 Tactica, and more!

Anker 60,000mAh 192Wh Power Bank for $114.99

This massive Anker power bank is a solid option if you need some extra juice on your next road trip or getaway. With a 60,000mAh capacity, you can charge an iPhone 14 Pro Max up to 7.4 times or a MacBook Air 2.9 times. This power bank is made for activities like camping, as it has a built-in light at the top that you can retract up and down. Additionally, you can recharge the device with onboard solar panels, so you can continue to power your devices regardless of how long your trip is.

Elgato HD60 X for $158

A capture card is an essential piece of technology for anyone looking to produce video content of some sort. Whether it be for YouTube, Twitch, or even TikTok, this Elgato HD60 X will allow you to take your content to the next level. The HD60 X has support for the latest consoles, so you’ll be good to go with recording your PS5 or Xbox Series X. Additionally, you can record in either 1080p60 or 4K30, both of which at incredibly low latency.

Save 75% Off the JLab Talk Pro USB Microphone

A great USB microphone can make a huge difference in your audio quality in voice calls, voice recordings, and so much more. The JLab Talk Pro features 192kHz/24BIT audio, which is assisted by three condensers and four directional pattern modes to pick up your voice regardless of where you’re located. The four included modes are Cardioid, Omni, Stereo, and Bidirectional. You can change the mode with the press of a button, making the JLab Talk Pro a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a new microphone.

1TB Gen 4 NVME SSD for $79.99

Best Buy has the WD – Black SN850X 1TB SSD for just $79.99 right now. That’s $50 worth of savings off a very solid SSD. The SN850X is a Gen 4 SSD, meaning it can run the latest games at extremely high speeds. This SSD is capable of running on a PlayStation 5, but you will need to purchase a heatsink separately. While this isn’t near the deals we saw for Black Friday and the Holiday Season, it’s the cheapest quality SSD at the moment if you’re in need of one.

Street Fighter 6 Collector’s Edition for $99.99

If you either haven’t picked up Street Fighter 6 yet or loved the game, Woot has the Collector’s Edition available for a significant discount. For $99.99, you’ll get two Pop Up Parade figures of Luke and Kimberly, the Mad Gear Box, an Artbook, a Sticker Set, Figure Diorama Boards, a copy of Street Fighter 6, and a code for the Year 1 Ultimate Pass. Both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 4 variants of the Collector’s Edition are available. This deal won’t last forever, so pick it up while you can!

Lowest Price Yet for Persona 5 Tactica

Amazon has Persona 5 Tactica listed for $34.99, which is an even better deal than Black Friday. This action-packed adventure takes the Phantom Thieves into a new adventure with tactical combat. If you enjoyed Persona 5 Royal or Persona 5 Strikers, P5 Tactica should be a game on your radar. Erina, a character new to the series, is a great addition to an already amazing cast of characters.

Apple AirPods Pro with USB Type-C for $189.99

Amazon has dropped the price of the 2nd gen Apple AirPods Pro truly wireless noise cancelling earbuds with the universal USB Type-C connector by $60, now only $189. With this current gen AirPods Pro, Apple has replaced the proprietary Lightning port with the more universal USB Type-C. For people who want to bring along a single charging cable for all of their mobile devices, this is a godsend.

19% Off the Returnal Original Soundtrack Vinyl

If you were a fan of Housemarque’s Returnal, check out this deal on the Returnal OST vinyl! A total of nine tracks are available on this single LP, with a gorgeous front cover that displays Selene Vassos. The vinyl itself is pressed on gold semi-translucent material, making this a record you should add to your collection.

Guide: Best Nintendo Switch Demos – Try Before You Buy On Switch eShop

Play before you pay.

Updated with Dave The Diver and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Enjoy!

Since its launch back in 2017, the amount of quality games that have come to Switch is simply staggering. Nintendo’s system has quite literally thousands of titles to enjoy, many of them absolutely free to download and play, and many of the others with free demos available on the Switch eShop, so you can try before you buy.

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Guide: When Will The First Nintendo Direct Of The Year Be? Let’s Look To The Past

If only there were a way to predict!

We’re now deep into January and if you’re a Nintendo fan on the internet, you’ll likely have seen dozens of rumours regarding the next Nintendo Direct. Scrolling through your preferred gaming feed, you’ll find ‘insiders’ — some legit, most not-a-bit — leaking hot info from ‘sources’ — some real, most imagined — concerning when Nintendo is planning on serving up its customary platter of upcoming treats. De-lish!

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Xbox Developer_Direct January 2024: How to Watch and What to Expect

For the first time since January 2023, Xbox is bringing back its Developer_Direct show that promises to give fans a glimpse at such upcoming titles as MachineGames’ Indiana Jones, Obsidian’s Avowed, Oxide Games’ Ara: History Untold, and Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.

The Developer_Direct will kick off on January 18 and this watch guide will provide you with everything you need to know to watch the show, including start times, a list of places you can watch it with us, and what you can expect from the event.

Xbox Developer_Direct January 2024 Start Time

January 2024’s Xbox Developer_Direct will take place on Thursday, January 18 at 12pm PT/3pm ET/8pm GMT.

As if that wasn’t enough, ZeniMax Online Studios will be hosting The Elder Scrolls Online 2024 Global Reveal at 1pm PT/4pm ET/9pm GMT to “preview 2024’s biggest update” for the MMO.

After the show, be sure to stay tuned to IGN’s channels as a special episode of Podcast Unlocked will take place that will serve as a post-show to the Developer_Direct. We will break down all the big announcements and share our thoughts on what was shown!

Where to Watch the Xbox Developer_Direct January 2024

If you’re interested in watching the Xbox Developer_Direct, we’ll be hosting it here and across our many channels on platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Here’s the full list of places you can watch the show with us:

What to Expect From the Xbox Developer_Direct 2024

As previously mentioned, this upcoming Developer Direct will feature an in-depth look at upcoming Xbox games, including MachineGames’ Indiana Jones, Obsidian’s Avowed, Oxide Games’ Ara: History Untold, and Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The show will be presented by the developers themselves, and it looks to give fans a glimpse into the creation of these exciting titles.

Xbox actually provided a pretty detailed description of what fans can expect from the show, and we’re including it below:

  • Indiana Jones game: MachineGames, the award-winning studio behind the recent Wolfenstein series, will reveal their upcoming Indiana Jones game, an action-adventure that puts players in the leather jacket of the legendary archaeologist. Developer_Direct will showcase more than 10 minutes of game and developer insights, including details about the game’s setting and story, how fans will actually play as Indy, additional details from his next globe-trotting adventure, and the premiere of the first gameplay trailer.
  • Avowed: The team at Obsidian will share the first deep dive into the gameplay experience fans can expect in Avowed, their upcoming fantasy action RPG, set in the fantastical, vibrant Living Lands. Learn more about how Obsidian’s expertise in building worlds with deep themes, dynamic gameplay, and thoughtful reactivity come to life in Avowed where players will have agency to make choices to shape every step of their adventure.
  • Ara: History Untold: Hear from the leads at Oxide Games – a studio founded by veterans of the strategy genre and the creators behind classic strategy titles including Civilization V – as they unveil exclusive new gameplay and share more details about the inspiration, key features, and road ahead for their upcoming historical grand strategy game.
  • Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II: Ninja Theory take us behind the scenes at their studio in Cambridge to give us some insight on how they are crafting Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The team will speak to the ambition and meticulous care involved in creating Senua’s journey of survival.

While these four games are being highlighted prior to the show, there’s always a chance Xbox has a surprise or two in store for us. In January 2023’s Developer_Direct, Tango Gameworks’ Hi-Fi Rush was announced and released that day with no prior warning.

What most surely won’t be there, however, is updates on games from Activision Blizzard as Xbox said “you can look forward to news from those teams later this year.”

As for The Elder Scrolls Online 2024 Global Reveal, this standalone presentation will “unveil the game’s next major Chapter, including the new zone, storyline, and other major features coming in the game’s biggest update this year.”

For more, check out what we expect from Xbox in 2024 and the news that fans think they’ve discovered the full name of MachineGames’ Indiana Jones game.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Nintendo Switch Was The Console With The Most Game Releases In 2023

Valve’s Steam platform had the most new releases overall.

Nintendo’s Switch was recognised for all sorts of achievements and feats last year,and one other interesting fact about the hybrid system in 2023 was that it had the most game releases of any “console” hardware in the US, placing it ahead of PlayStation and Xbox.

As highlighted by Circana analyst Anthony Silva (via Mat Piscatella), the Switch had a whopping 2,360 games released on it. With an install base of more than 132 million Switch users worldwide as of 30th September 2023, it’s no surprise so many developers want a piece of the pie. As impressive as this figure is, Valve’s digital platform Steam (and we guess the Steam Deck by default) technically blows it out of the water, launching more than 14,000 titles in 2023.

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