Due to the success of the TV show four Fallout games were in the top five best-selling games on the New Zealand charts, according to IGEA for the week ending April 21, 2024.

Fallout 4 was the best-selling game, Fallout 76 was up from seventh to second place, Fallout: New Vegas was up from sixth third place, and Fallout 3 was up from 10th to fifth place.

Helldivers 2 is in fourth place, Grand Theft Auto V is in sixth place, and Red Dead Redemption 2 is in seventh place. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is in eighth place, NBA 2K24 is in ninth place, and EA Sports FC 24 is in 10th place.

Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in New Zealand for the week:

1. Fallout 4
2. Fallout 76
3. Fallout: New Vegas
4. Helldivers 2
5. Fallout 3
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Red Dead Redemption 2
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
9. NBA 2K24
10. EA Sports FC 24

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460765/fallout-once-again-dominates-the-new-zealand-charts/

The Fallout continues to dominate the Australian charts with four of the top five best-selling games, according to IGEA for the week ending April 21, 2024.

Fallout 4 was the best-selling game, Fallout 76 was up from fifth to second place, Fallout: New Vegas remained in third place, and Fallout 3 was up from eighth to fifth place.

No Rest for the Wicked was the one new release in the top 10 as it debuted in sixth place.

Helldivers 2 is in fourth place, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege is in seventh place, Red Dead Redemption 2 is in eighth place, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is in ninth place, and Grand Theft Auto V rounds out the top 10.

Here are the top 10 best-selling titles in Australia for the week:

1. Fallout 4
2. Fallout 76
3. Fallout: New Vegas
4. Helldivers 2
5. Fallout 3
6. No Rest for the Wicked - NEW
7. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
8. Red Dead Redemption 2
9. Halo: The Master Chief Collection
10. Grand Theft Auto V

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460764/fallout-continues-to-dominate-the-australian-charts-no-rest-for-the-wicked-debuts-in-6th/

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has retaken first place on the Switzerland charts, according to SwissCharts.com for the 16th week of 2024.

EA Sports FC 24 is up two spots to second place, Super Mario Bros. Wonder remained in third place, while Princess Peach Showtime! fell three spots to fourth place.

Minecraft and Nintendo Switch Sports remained in fifth and sixth places, respectively. Hogwarts Legacy, Mario Party Superstars, and Horizon: Forbidden West re-entered the top 10 in seventh, eighth, and 10th places, respectively.

There are a total of six Nintendo Switch titles in the top 10, three multiplatform titles, and one PlayStation title.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460763/mario-kart-8-deluxe-tops-the-swiss-charts/

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has retaken first place on the UK retail charts, according to GfK data for the week ending April 20, 2024. 

Hogwarts Legacy remained in second place, while Super Mario Bros. Wonder raced up four spots to third place. Princess Peach: Showtime! is up one spot to fourth place and Minecraft is up four spots to fifth place.

Helldivers 2 is two spots to sixth place and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 shot up eight spots to seventh place. Nintendo Switch Sports is up two spots to eighth place. 

Grand Theft Auto V is up from 14th to ninth place and Sonic Superstars raced up the charts from 36th to 10th place.

Here are the top 10 best-selling titles for the week:

1. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
2. Hogwarts Legacy
3. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
4. Princess Peach: Showtime!
5. Minecraft
6. Helldivers 2
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
8. Nintendo Switch Sports
9. Grand Theft Auto V
10. Sonic Superstars

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460762/mario-kart-8-deluxe-tops-the-uk-retail-charts/

Publisher Hooded Horse and developer Slavic Magic have announced the medieval city-builder and real-time tactics game, Manor Lords, has sold over one million units.

The game released in Early Access for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, and GOG, and PC Game Pass on April 26.

"Since yesterday's launch Manor Lords has already sold over 1 million copies & hit a peak Steam concurrent player count of 170k - highest ever for a city builder (or for other different genres like GSG/4x/colony sim). Congrats Manor Lords, we're honored to serve as your publisher!" said publisher Hooded Horse.

Read details on the game below:

your starting village into a bustling city, manage resources and production chains, and expand your lands through conquest.

Inspired by the art and architecture of late 14th century Franconia, Manor Lords prioritizes historical accuracy wherever possible, using it to inform gameplay mechanics and visuals alike. Common medieval tropes are avoided in favor of historical accuracy in order to make the world feel more authentic, colorful, and believable.

Organic City Building

Manor Lords provides a gridless city-building experience with full freedom of placement and rotation. Building mechanics are inspired by the growth of real medieval towns and villages, where major trade routes and the landscape influenced how settlements formed and developed.

• Spreading outward from a central marketplace, build your residential, commercial, and industrial districts following the natural lay of the land. Establish farms based on soil fertility, position hunting grounds according to animal populations, and ensure access to adequate resource deposits and forests to provide the raw materials needed for growth.
• Assign areas for housing and watch your residents build their homes in accordance with the historical burgage plot system. Each area will be subdivided based on your roads and the allotted space, and homes will scale accordingly.
• Build extensions behind larger homes to generate resources that would not otherwise be available. Homeowners don't just pay taxes – they grow vegetables, raise chickens and goats, and otherwise supply themselves and other townsfolk with essential needs beyond what your managed farms, pastures, and industries can provide.
• Guide your settlements through the unique demands and opportunities of each season, enjoying the bounty brought by spring rains and preparing for the harsh snows of winter.

Resource Management

From boots to barley and hides to honey, Manor Lords features a great variety of goods fitting of the era. Materials need to be transported and processed into finished products through production chains, and you must balance the basic needs of your people against the desire to produce luxury items to ensure happiness, manufacture trade goods for export, or forge arms and armor to aid in your conquests.

• Resources are littered across the map, encouraging you to expand and establish multiple specialized settlements. Extract valuable ores from your mining colonies, while villages devoted to agriculture, herding, or hunting supply the grains and meats needed to feed your growing populations. Will you spend your hard-earned influence to first acquire a rich source of iron for your smiths, or will you prioritize regions with fertile soil to serve as your breadbasket?
• Unchecked expansion will have a direct effect on the environment. Herds of deer will migrate away from encroaching civilization, lack of crop rotation will worsen soil fertility, and cutting down too many trees will result in deforestation.
• Establish trade routes and sell surplus goods to traveling merchants to enrich your population. Manufacturing and exporting a variety of goods will provide wealth with which to upgrade your peoples’ homes, import goods you can’t produce yourself, and through taxes on said wealth, fill your own coffers.

Medieval Warfare

Yours is but a small parcel of land in a vast territory, and the competing ambitions between you and rival lords will inevitably lead to conflict. Lead your people into battle, not as expendable units to be easily replenished, but as your beloved loyal subjects where every death is a cost worth considering.

• Train a retinue of skilled warriors to fight battles alongside the levies you raise from the town militia. At times these soldiers will be needed to suppress banditry, and at other times you will lead your men into battle to conquer or defend territory. When needed, mercenaries are a costly option to bolster your ranks. Will you raise the militia at the first sign of trouble, bringing your economy to a stand-still as your peasants pick up arms and rush to form ranks, or will you spend your personal wealth to hire bands of sellswords instead?
• Command real-time tactical battles, taking into consideration fatigue, weather conditions, and equipment. Position your troops wisely – a smaller force can defeat a larger enemy, if commanded well.
• Feel the cost of battle, even in victory, as each fallen soldier represents a lost person from your city.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460761/manor-lords-sales-top-1-million-units-in-early-access/

Of all the indie developers that've soared since the dawn of this new console generation, Tomas Sala ranks among the most intriguing.  Even if not the most popular, his affinity for classic PC genres makes it fascinating to see how close an ostensibly solo developer with a modern game engine can reach.  With his first title – The Falconeer – capturing aerial dog-fighting on top of massive birds, seeing his sophomore effort put away the saddle and stirrups in favor of city-building and resource allocation may come as a surprise.  But besides sharing the same universe, Bulwark also captures Sala's design ethos for city-building across The Great Ursee.

Decades after The Falconeer's conclusion, Bulwark's three separate campaigns follow three disparate factions navigating a post-war life.  Although there is a story framework, it's more in service to capturing the hardened life across this oceanfront.  Hardly anyone here seems to carry a house's banner; hell, over half the listed "factions" are essentially independent nomads still looking for a permanent home.  And that makes sense within this backdrop.  As you glide to and fro across the water, see the ruins of a once-proud statue half-swallowed by a watery ravine known as "The Maw," and stumble upon aquatic hamlets that’ve been set up in shallow waters, the melancholic mood subtly encourages the need to explore and restore civilization.


Turning such high hopes into reality is quite easy – even relaxing.  As an unseen surveyor aboard an airship, you'll begin with a few disconnected structures; in all likelihood, you'll have a cluster of available workers, workable wood extractor, and stone quarry.  With just a few control stick movements and button presses (which feel relatively smooth with a controller), pathways between each location can be connected, as well as new outposts and harbors for useful trade routes.  And since everything is automated after lining up your clean UI grid, you witness new avenues and buildings erupt from the ground.  There's an entrancing beauty to its simplicity: creating a spider's web of interlocking workers and materials woven together while any surplus heads to other islands.  It's also one of the few games where seeing more of the game's systems, like the color-coordinated scanlines for each separate item, feels more immersive. 

Whereas Freebuild Mode enables anyone to quickly go buck wild, Campaign Mode is – unsurprisingly – about building up from limited means to establish a grander territory.  Resources require some toil and coordination in order to be put to good use; moreover, everything isn't in your immediate vicinity.  As chief surveyor, you must venture out with your cadre of falconeers and shipmen to discover fresh mineral deposits and/or establish trade relations with other groups.  From there, everything comes back to your logistical acumen: how should I establish new harbors to get my excess workers to this leader in exchange for iron?  Past that, there's also the continual search for captains who can transport the necessary material, as well as gunships that can guard the riskier trade routes.

There's also the quagmire of socio-political relations to consider.  Since each campaign/chapter sets you within a different faction, there are always novel tensions to consider – though most splits run between the more deracinated groups and the older orders.  The best way of managing your social score is simply being a good steward even while growing in power and prominence: accepting refugees within your city walls, maintaining mutually-beneficial trade relations, and so on.  As your cities and commanders continue increasing, so too does the variety and vibrancy of these cliffside fortresses.  It may be subtle as first, but the small gradations to your locations, units, and so on just can't help but be admired with this rich art design.  But there can be potential drawbacks in aggrandizing your station among so-called allies, potentially leading to open hostilities.


I’ll admit: all of these elements, through a streamlined foundation, initially capture a great tempo.  Seeing a few button pushes transmogrify outposts into seaside castles running like well-oiled machines can capture a zen state, especially thanks to the visuals and Benedict Nichols' soundtrack.  But the great presentation of these interactions can’t distract from diminished interest as time goes on.  The thirst for exploration dries up (pun intended) as its pacing drags out potential new rewards.  You can feel yourself subtly reined in by various elements in order to increase repetition.  The supply of captains necessary to expand trade never keeps up with demand after exploring past your inner circle; moreover, the poor rate is exacerbated by what cargo each captain can manage.  Excellent ones can haul everything, while some assholes can only handle wood or stone.

Establishing routes is quite simple: put down a harbor origin, an endpoint, and then assign trade and/or defense captains as you see fit (max of 3 per route).  As the routes and captains balloon, remembering who was delegated to which task gets unwieldy.  There should've been a separate menu featuring real-time info of each captain's designated path and ability to instantly reassign, rather than having to manually go to the correct harbor to dismiss/rehire for a different course.  It feels like the monotonous paperwork an import/export coordinator would handle, rather than a surveyor.  There's also the missed opportunity of not layering trade routes; instead of just a starting point and terminus, what about enabling the best shippers to take on multiple shipments at once and maximize productivity?  

Trade also highlights how some of Bulwark's systems aren’t properly communicated to players.  I respect a design philosophy encouraging players to heuristically discover mechanics past the tutorial, but it's clear Sala leaned too far in that direction since he's been compelled to release a couple of YouTube videos elucidating the finer details.  Even after that research, I haven't discovered any concrete answers about combat beyond amassing more and more troops.  Declaring war against any apprehensive outpost (regardless of faction) feels like a cake walk after getting modest numbers and kiting with your airship.  Eventually no one stands a chance and I have no idea why.  Again, I admire Sala's overall ambition, but nonchalantly discussing upcoming fixes to unclear mechanics doesn’t look good for early purchasers.


Within his breakdown videos, you can see Sala's joy of kitbashing – smashing disparate models together to create something new.  And, yes, there is something incredibly appealing to beginners and genre fans alike in Bulwark's systems materializing new contiguous city life in seconds.  But that starts to lose its luster when thinking about its limited building routines and trade routes.  It's less about maintaining your own 'bulwark' after a great war and more about rearranging someone else's model set in slightly different ways, incapable of capturing the variegated personality found within other building sims.  To be clear, this is with tempering expectations for a modest $20 price point (which is a fair value) as well.

In the end, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles represents two sides of a coin.  In one respect, seeing Tomas Sala leave the skies in favor of city-planning speaks to a kind of experimentation and flexibility not seen in many developers today; in the other, his tweaks within said formula unfortunately result in unnecessary repetition and design mismanagement within combat, trade, and exploration.  Seeing cities sprout to life remains a neat visual staple that reinforces your productivity, but it simply doesn't feel like your iterations grow much beyond that.  Put another way: all of the building blocks are here for any genre fan to appreciate, but the finished construction is still left wanting.

Contractor by trade and writer by hobby, Lee's obnoxious criticisms have found a way to be featured across several gaming sites: N4G, VGChartz, Gaming Nexus, DarkStation, and TechRaptor! He started gaming in the mid-90s and has had the privilege in playing many games across a plethora of platforms. Reader warning: each click given to his articles only helps to inflate his Texas-sized ego. Proceed with caution.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460760/bulwark-falconeer-chronicles-xs/

Welcome to Zelda Replay, a celebration of what I consider the best video game franchise. Each article in this ongoing series will explore a specific The Legend of Zelda game — which I will replay and re-evaluate — starting with the first installment on NES and moving forward according to release date.

Note: I will cover only mainline, official titles for this project, so don't expect non-canonical entries like The Wand of Gamelon or side projects like Link's Crossbow Training. Every game will get a review and will enter into a series ranking that I’ll update with each new article. Please enjoy.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V

Part VI: Majora's Mask
"Getting that old ocarina back isn't gonna help us!"

It's hard to believe that Nintendo launched two AAA home console Legend of Zelda games between 1998 and 2000. Looking at recent release schedules — in which Tears of the Kingdom launched six years after Breath of the Wild, which launched six years after Skyward Sword — the idea of two big-budget Zelda games arriving on store shelves in as many years seems downright altruistic. Of course, Nintendo was able to produce content so quickly in those days because game development in general was faster, and also because the second game, Majora's Mask, reused many of the assets of its predecessor, Ocarina of Time. 

Despite relying so much on the programming foundation of Ocarina — including its engine, models, sound files, and UI — Majora's Mask is very much its own thing. The engineers and artists at Nintendo didn't need to worry about reinventing the wheel, so perhaps they found the freedom to, as Frank Reynolds from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia would say, "get real weird with it." Indeed, Majora's Mask remains, to this day, one of the oddest, eeriest entries in the Zelda canon, with an unlikely central gameplay conceit that makes it stand out among its contemporaries and all other games in the series.

That central conceit is all about time, or, more specifically, running out of time. If Majora's Mask had a theme song, it would be an inversion of the Rolling Stones classic "Time Is on My Side". Deposited in the faraway land of Termina sometime after the events of Ocarina of Time, a young Link finds himself working for a shady salesman who insists that he retrieve Majora's Mask, an evil artifact stolen by a Skull Kid. And, since things can never be easy for the Hyrulian hero, he must do so in the shadow of a giant, grimacing moon, which will crash into the land in three days. Link can play the Song of Time on his ocarina at any moment and return to the dawn of the first day to start his adventure anew, but he will never have more than 72 consecutive hours to save the world.

Because of the 72-hour countdown and the scowling moon, the specter of which literally hangs over Termina, there's a dreadful feeling of inevitability to Majora's Mask. Indeed, there's an undercurrent of powerful negative emotions coursing throughout the entire game. In Woodfall, the swamp is poisoned; in the Goron Village, an endless storm blankets the land in snow and ice; in the Great Bay, the waters are contaminated and swarming with foul monsters; and in the dusty canyon of Ikana, the dead roam the earth and the air is thick with despair.

Not only that, but the peoples of these regions — and those in Clock Town, the land's central hub — are living with some crisis or another, either caused or exacerbated by the Skull Kid's misdeeds. It all makes for an atmospheric game with a lot to say about love, loyalty, regret, the duality of humankind, and, most urgently of all, the debilitating effects of loneliness and the redemptive power of friendship. While other Zelda games eclipse Majora's Mask in certain mechanical areas, nothing comes close to it in terms of mood, theme, and metaphor.

Nothing can touch it when it comes to side-quests, either. Most of these involve 20 colorful NPCs in need of some sort of assistance over the three-day period. In order to aid these citizens, Link must participate in many diverse activities, including defending a dairy farm from invaders, quashing a quarrel among townspeople, teaching dancers a new routine, saving a civil servant from himself, and reuniting an engaged couple.

These quests are gratifying in two distinct ways. For one, they're incredibly cathartic, as you bring either peace, joy, or closure to the inhabitants of Termina. For another, they're quite challenging mentally. In order to trigger a quest — let alone solve it — you must be in the right place at the right time (on the right day, no less) equipped with the right items. Thanks to the Bombers' Notebook, you'll know the windows of time during which you can advance the quest, but the rest is up to you. As detective Link, you'll have to listen closely to characters, solve riddles, and hunt down items of interest. There are moments of frustration as you hit dead ends, sure, but many moments of epiphany as well. Moreover, there's a satisfying cascading effect throughout, as masks and keepsakes earned in one quest help you make progress in another, which opens an opportunity in yet another.

While the 72-hour structure of Majora's Mask is a perfect vehicle for timed side-quests, it's not exactly ideal for dungeon diving, which is perhaps why the game has only four main dungeons — the fewest in the Zelda series and less than half as many as Ocarina of Time. For better or worse, the game is simply more interested in smaller-scale quests than monster-infested castles, keeps, and the like. Still, the dungeons are quite good, especially Stone Tower Temple, an inspired set-piece that acts as the game's "final exam".

Ultimately, the cyclic nature of the game offers both upsides and downsides. It provides for an unusually atmospheric adventure and the best collection of side-quests in the series, but also diminishes the importance of dungeons and, perhaps most negatively, injects a fair amount of repetition to the proceedings. It's simply impossible to avoid. While masks, heart pieces, important items, and certain progression benchmarks endure after you reverse the flow of time, other accomplishments are wiped out entirely. As a result, you must defeat bosses more than once, carry on the same conversations with townsfolk multiple times, and retrace your steps again and again. It makes sense in the time loop narrative, and sets up several intensely rewarding pay-offs, but also introduces a handful of tedious situations.

Tedium notwithstanding, Majora's Mask is an extraordinary adventure — one that uses its predecessor Ocarina of Time as a springboard and then departs dramatically from it, often with uniquely exciting results. The Zelda series, and Nintendo in general, has a wonderful history of reinvention, whereby sequels, if given a new name and protagonist, might be mistaken for an entirely new IP. Majora's Mask wouldn't exist without Ocarina, and yet — due to its unorthodox ideas, metaphorical musings, and sad, sorrowful storyline — it feels, at times, like it comes from a completely different lineage. It's less fixated on castles, dungeons, and dragons, and more interested in human stories, consequential decisions, and the tiny moments that make up a day. It's a beautiful oddity that stands in contrast to the Zelda franchise, but also reinforces its greatness.

Updated Ranking:

1. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
3. The Legend of Zelda
4. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
5. The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
6. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/453275/zelda-replay-part-vi-majoras-mask/

Like a wild roller coaster ride at Cartmanland, South Park has seen its ups and downs over the decades when it comes to the gaming realm. On the positive end, you’ve got the Stick of Truth and Fractured But Whole RPGs. On the negative side, there’s, well… most other titles bearing the SP brand. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Question LLC’s action Roguelite spin on Parker and Stone’s edgy cartoon marks yet another dud on this front. Not only does it largely fall flat compared to the more amusing, (relatively) well-crafted RPGs that preceded it, but the vibe actually feels more akin to the spotty SP games of the ‘90s and early 2000s (with a few basic elements of Hades sprinkled in), rather than a AA title from 2024 representing a storied cartoon.

When it comes to the aptly-named Snow Day, it’s not all bad. Rather, this snowy South Park romp proves a mixed bag with positive aspects that just barely outweigh its detriments. Even then, one must delve into the multiplayer content to really draw some value and substance from the experience. It kicks off with a premise not unlike the SP RPGs of yesteryear, with a wizard-themed Cartman leading the charge to fight (or pretending to fight) the forces of evil — this time in the form of annoying Elven kids. After Cartman revels in the glorious prospect of a potent blizzard which brings school cancelations, these childlike games of pretend commence once again. But rather than taking the form of a humorous, rewarding RPG, this game of pretend yields a brief campaign of hack-and-slash action and co-op skirmishes against the same kiddie foes. 

The idea of playing a make-believe “game within a game” may have been a fun and clever concept a decade ago, and indeed, was executed far better with the RPGs. In Snow Day, however, such a premise feels old hat and lazily done at this stage. When it comes to South Park, satire, social commentary, and juvenile toilet humor are key trademarks — and with regards to the video games, gaming trope spoofs as well. Is Question LLC's execution at least solid on this front? Well, outside of some cheeky references to the toilet paper hoarding hysteria of the Covid era (TP is the main currency), a few funny Randy moments, a dig at NFTs, and a wacky fart power that blasts you skyward, these funny, witty SP staples are mostly lacking or tame. 

There are a few amusing show callbacks — appearances by Jimbo and Ned, Mr. Hankey, and the Goths, for instance — but one must be a major fan of the show to truly appreciate these. Given the plentiful comedy fodder within modern society, and endless show material to draw from, I can’t help but feel like Snow Day missed some great opportunities regarding the humor. Instead, we're mostly treated to the usual jerky remarks from a bratty Cartman, as well as repetitive, unfunny quips from player avatars and enemies.

Presentation-wise, Snow Day offers typical cutscenes in the classic cel-shaded SP style here and there. And while these showlike-moments bring some good comedy and entertainment, they clash stylistically with the bland, unremarkable 3D visuals of the in-game graphics. Any hints of decent aesthetics mostly take the form of lighting and particle effects. Overall, I felt like I was playing a SP title that never was from the early 2000s; a stark contrast from the more detailed, vibrant, and creative RPGs from years prior. Even the sound design was spotty in my experience, with popping and erratic changes in volume compounding the aforementioned annoying dialogue and sound bites. 

But what of the gameplay itself? Snow Day doesn’t pick up the slack much here either. This is especially true when it comes to solo play, as you'll deal with a trio of spotty, largely unreliable AI “new kid” companions fighting with you. The experience is essentially a third-person hack-and-slash that resides in five snowy South Park-based maps. Each stage can be tackled in 40-50 minutes, assuming you don't perish and have to start from the beginning of the chapter. Each yields a few segmented, linear regions crawling with Elven cosplaying kids wielding melee weapons and irritating bows. These levels offer a few minor “missions” which are mostly basic fetch quests or getting some "MacGuffin"; load up a cannon to break Randy from an icy cavern, or help Jimbo and Ned gather random goods for their shop, etc.

Players set forth in battle with only a few choices in melee weapons. These include dual-wielding daggers, a basic sword and shield, and two-handed axe (unlocked later). At least in my playthrough, the daggers brought the most flow and fun to the combat (relatively speaking), though the axe provides some extra power. Not that it’s often needed, as the game’s difficulty scarcely got out of control on the “normal” setting. This is disregarding a few tense boss fights against Kyle and Princess Kenny, and a timed-bout where I frustratingly got run over by a snowblower for failing to clear the area of large, stubborn foes sporting hockey gear in the given time.

You also pick from a few ranged weapons, which comprise a typical bow, a wand, and a staff. The latter fantasy-themed weapons tend to be more enjoyable, though prove sluggish and imprecise, so I mainly opted to pick off targets with the bow. It can be mildly fun hacking away at annoying baddies, picking some off from a distance, and experimenting with certain powers. When it comes to basic melee combat in particular though, the mechanics feel rather sloppy, floaty, and lack any real weight or tactility. Outside of a few elements like bleeding (which shifts the dynamics a bit and make foes more vulnerable), and limited-use powers, the battle system is fairly shallow and tedious. 

Before each chapter, you’re given a slew of these aforementioned powers, which you can bust out at any point in a heated fight. The more useful, satisfying examples here are a healing totem, a damage-peppering Snow Turret, and a fart blast. The latter SP classic launches you in mid-air and gets you get out of a sticky situation while doing damage in your gaseous wake. Unfortunately, you can only hold two of these moves at any given time, though they can be swapped out in-between chapters. 

Aside from basic melee combat and a few abilities, Snow Day offers bits of Roguelike elements. While these features can feel a bit out of place, they happen to be the strongest aspect of the game aside from the co-op. This is where any semblance of progression or tactical gameplay stems from, and also grants some rare replayability, as you can tinker with different options to prepare for a given scene.

Before a chapter initiates, you’ll be asked to select a few perks in card form, tagged by rarity. These range from melee power boosts, to greater loot drops, to multiple arrows at once. There aren't a ton to choose from, but I’m fine with this, since it keeps things focused without getting too convoluted or overwhelming. At a few points in each run, Jimmy provides upgrades to existing perks, bringing a touch of varied, strategic gameplay to the mix. You can utilize a few “wild card” perks courtesy of the Goth kids, which grant a useful resource or buff often at a certain cost. An example would be a card that gives extra Dark Matter — a currency for permanent perks — but requires you to remove a card in use. 

These Dark Matter perks, which comprise a vast skill tree, are a welcome feature, as they’re really the only source of over-arching progression. Since almost everything resets every chapter, there’s really no other sense of reward or growth across all five chapters. Still, you’ll likely need to play through the fairly short campaign multiple times to afford most of the perks offered. 

Added to these elements is a game-changing “Bullshit” power that can be used in a pinch a few times per match — a sort of “Ultimate” move. These include the HP-melting Laser shot and a barrage of meteors. In a rather annoying feature, enemies are given these powers as well, which means your action-filled skirmish will abruptly be interrupted with the announcement that they’ve used a Bullshit card. Thankfully these annoying setbacks aren’t too frequent, but they can disrupt the game's flow and throw you for a loop.

Snow Day’s enjoyment can mainly be found in its four-player co-op. Yet, things aren't all roses in this area either, as there's no splitscreen, and finding a good online match can be a challenge. I spent several minutes trying to get something going only to be launched into the same dead-end game multiple times. In said game, the team’s leader was either AFK or refused to budge, leaving the rest of us stranded in lobby purgatory. When I finally did match up with others, I enjoyed the frantic, combat-heavy gameplay far more than flying solo. However, there were bouts of lag stutter that took me out of the experience somewhat. To its credit, Snow Day offers an arcade-style option of seamlessly jumping in and out of a match, streamlining the process quite a bit. 

Snow Day is pretty thin when it comes to both style and substance, offering not quite enough of either to hold up long-term, even with decent multiplayer support and interesting Roguelike bits. While I’ve played worse South Park titles, this one stands out by following two far better games: The Stick of Truth and, to a lesser extent, The Fractured But Whole. The departure in both content and quality is apparent given that it alludes to their lore and positions itself as a spin-off or quasi-sequel to them. Yet, the experience often felt more like an obscure 2000s action romp with a South Park overlay. Glimpses of fun were had — like when wiping out several foes with my fully-charged dagger swipes, pelting Elf-kid hordes with my turret, or coordinating with other players to beat a tough boss. As a whole, though, this is a rare snow day I could have done without.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460759/south-park-snow-day-xs/

Survios has announced single-player action horror VR game, Alien: Rogue Incursion, for PlayStation VR2, SteamVR, and Quest 3. It will launch this Holiday.

View the announcement trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

This brand-new single-player, action horror virtual reality game features an original story that fully surrounds players within the terrors of the Alien universe. Designed by Alien fans for Alien fans, Survios brings their expertise to crafting this technically advanced, and frightfully immersive Alien virtual reality game.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460758/alien-rogue-incursion-announced-for-ps-vr2-steamvr-and-quest-3/

A new report from Spanish website Vandal has potentially revealed new details on the Nintendo Switch 2. The site spoke with accessory manufacturers who have been able to touch the new console.

The successor to the Switch will reportedly have Joy-Cons similar to the Switch, however, the website claims the Joy-Cons will connect to the screen using magnetic strips. This does mean the current Joy-Cons are unlikely to work on the new console.

The report does state the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller will be able to work on the Switch 2.

Vandal reports the accessory manufacturers said the Switch 2 is ready for launch, however, Nintendo is waiting to have a stronger lineup of games for launch and it won't launch until 2025.

Previous reports stated the Switch 2 won't launch until March 2025.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460752/switch-2-to-reportedly-have-magnetic-joy-cons/

Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami in a recent interview with Japanese YouTube channel Byking and reported by Automaton revealed why he left Tango Gameworks and formed new studio Kamuy.

Mikami had originally planned to leave Tango Gameworks eight years before doing so, but he felt responsible to continue working on ongoing games prolonged his stay.

"I had only been CEO for 6 months," said Mikami. "I think a lot of people were under the impression that I was the representative, but I was very close to a rank-and-file employee. I had 'blank producer' attached to my name, but I wasn’t an executive or anything of the sort.

He stated the goal with his new studio, Kamuy, is to create an environment that allows young game creators to have more opportunities to gain experience with shorter development cycles. He has also been wanting to work on more unique and smaller-scale games, which led him to forming Kamuy.

The second reason he left was to break free from the survival horror game genre that he is best known for.

Mikami founded Tango Gameworks in 2010, which is the studio behind The Evil Within, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Hi-Fi Rush, and ended up leaving the studio in 2023. Before Tango he worked at Capcom as the director on the first Resident Evil title, the GameCube remake, Resident Evil 4, and more. 

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460753/resident-evil-creator-originally-planned-to-leave-tango-gameworks-8-years-before-doing-so/

Publisher Aniplex and developer TYPE-MOON announced Witch on the Holy Night has shipped over 200,000 units worldwide. The figure includes digital sales.

This figure is up from 150,000 units shipped in July 2023.

Witch on the Holy Night released for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 in December 2022, and for PC via Steam in December 2023.

Read details on the game below:

TYPE-MOON, known for the popular game app Fate/Grand Order and the epic visual novel Tsukihime, is releasing the visual novel Witch on the Holy Night, first released for PC in 2012, on PlayStation 4 and Switch.

Experience a young adult tale, set in the vibrant and bustling 1980s, that follows an innocent young man and two young “witches.”

Updates added since the PC version include the fully voiced characters that fans have long awaited, as well as visuals remastered in full HD, bringing the experience to life with unparalleled image quality.

Various new visual elements not only imbue battle scenes with tension, but also breathe life into the characters’ everyday activities, with motions that bring a sense of animation and make the text even more deeply immersive.

Story

Two witches dwell within a mansion atop a hill.

It is the late 1980s, the twilight years of a vibrant and bustling era. A boy arrives in the city only to encounter two witches living in the present day.

The boy leads a normal life. One of the girls is proud and dignified. The other lives hidden away, as if in slumber.

Three stars in parallel orbit, fated never to meet. The story of how these three completely different characters come to live under one roof will soon be revealed…

First released in 2012 for PC, Witch on the Holy Night returns after 10 years, further refined with fully voiced characters and a full high-definition visual remaster.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460757/witch-on-the-holy-night-ships-over-200000-units/

Developer Magicfish Games has announced open-world action RPG, GALIX: New Horizons, for the PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam.

View the first trailer for the game below:

Read details on the game below:

In a distant future where human civilization has crumbled, Earth has become a pristine new world teeming with life. In this open-world ARPG, play as the the courageous Hailey and set out on a journey filled with mystery and adventure. Begin your own fantastical journey as you chase the unknown.

Setting Out on a Fantastical Journey With a Mission

Billions of years later, humanity’s advanced civilization lies in ruins, and Earth has transformed into a pristine world with new ecosystems. In this mysterious and ever-changing world, a courageous girl sets out on an exciting adventure to find a lost friend from the old world.

Explore the Vast World

In the game, you’ll explore a vast world filled with diverse landscapes. From rejuvenated lands pulsing with ancient cosmic energy, to the stunning Rainbow Mountains, and onward to the mystical Crimson Realms sustained by elemental energies, you’ll encounter a wide variety of ecosystems to marvel at.

A Rich Gaming Experience

Players will delve into several unique biomes, reveal the legends hidden in NPCs around the world, and work side-by-side with the inhabitants to build a thriving new world and bring the planet back to life.

Personalized Gameplay

In the game, you will have the opportunity to deeply explore the vast world, from the land of rebirth containing the original divine power of the universe, to the magnificent and gorgeous mountains of ten thousand colors, to the Underworld Crimson Realm, which nourishes the divine power of the meta-world to nurture, and enjoy the diversity of ecological environments.

Experience Intense and Thrilling Battles Firsthand

Players have the freedom to switch between different long-range or close-combat weapons, demonstrating their prowess in tough and ever-changing fights. Specially designed combat techniques for each boss offer players diverse challenges and a rewarding feeling of success.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460756/galix-new-horizons-announced-for-ps5-and-pc/

Publisher Natsume Atari and developer Tengo Project announced Shadow of the Ninja Reborn will launch for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam on August 29.

View a new trailer of the game below:

Read details on the game below:

Experience the magic of Tengo Project, the innovative creators renowned for their unforgettable 16-bit revivals like Pocky & Rocky Reshrined! Prepare for the fourth chapter of their newest classical ninja action!

In a distant future, there exists a legendary Ninja… Race through the dark skyscrapers, unleash ninja skills to defeat the threats of tanks and robots! Liberate humanity from the tyranny of the Four Demonic Generals! Experience super realism in classical gaming!

Confront formidable foes using a range of dynamic maneuvers, mastering 7 ninja weapons and unleashing special ninjutsu! Jump into challenging battles with an ally with cooperative mode!

With the original KAGE: Shadow of the Ninja (titled SHADOW OF NINJA in North America and BLUE SHADOW in Europe) launched in 1990, Natsume earned its stripes as the master of action games—now, that same creative team brings you the newest chapter in the series

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460755/shadow-of-the-ninja-reborn-releases-august-29-for-ps5-xbox-series-xs-switch-ps4-and-pc/

Developer GSC Game World has released a new trailer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl called "Not a Paradise."

"This clip contains both cutscenes and location overview, giving a glimpse of in-game story and atmosphere," said the developer. "It’s also the first time you can have a taste of the Ukrainian voice-over—the one to be available alongside the English one for everyone to enjoy."

View the trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a brand-new entry in the legendary series, enjoyed by millions of players worldwide.

The unique combination of first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror is back. With unprecedented scale, advanced graphics, freedom of choices, and the thickest atmosphere of a deadly adventure, it’s going to be the ultimate S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience.

Welcome to The Zone—an area of exclusion around the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Full of radiation, mutants, and anomalies, it keeps drawing adventurers from beyond the perimeter.

Bounty hunters dwell deep into the Zone, driven by its treasures and mysteries. These people are known as stalkers.

Are you ready to become one of them?

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl will launch for the Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG, and Xbox Game Pass on September 5.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460754/stalker-2-heart-of-chornobyl-gets-not-a-paradise-trailer/

Microsoft has released its earnings report for the third quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, which ended up March 31, 2024.

Xbox gaming revenue increased by 51 percent year-on-year to $5.45 billion. This includes "55 points of net impact from the Activision acquisition." This is better than Microsoft's expectations, which forecasted revenue to grow in the low 40s percent, with 45 points of impact from Activision Blizzard.

Xbox content & services revenue increased 62 percent compared to the same quarter a year ago. This includes "61 points of net impact from the Activision acquisition." Once again, this is better than the low to mid 50s percent forecast.

Xbox hardware revenue fell 31 percent compared to a year ago. This is inline with expectations, which was to see a decline year-on-year.

Overall, Microsoft reported for the quarter GAAP revenue was up 17 percent year-over-year to $61.86 billion and net income was up 20 percent to $21.94 billion.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in the company's earnings call revealed gaming set third quarter records for game streaming hours, console usage, and monthly active devices. There were over 10 million hours played of Diablo IV in its first 10 days available on Game Pass.

"We are committed to meeting players where they are by bringing great games to more people on more devices," said Nadella. "We set third quarter records for game streaming hours, console usage, and monthly active devices.

"Last month we added our first Activision Blizzard title Diablo IV to our Game Pass service. Subscribers played over 10 million hours within the first 10 days, making it one of our biggest first-party Game Pass launches ever."

Nadella added Microsoft had seven of of the top 25 games on the PlayStation Store earlier this month, which was more than any other publisher.

"Finally, we're expanding our games to new platforms, bringing four of our fan favorites to Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation for the first time. In fact, earlier this month we had 7 games among the top 25 on the PlayStation Store, more than any other publisher."

Microsoft's forecast for the quarter ending June 30, 2024 expects total Xbox revenue to grow in the low to mid 40s percent year-on-year, with 50 points of impact from Activision Blizzard. Xbox content & services is expected to grow in the high 50s percent, with 60 points of impact from Activision Blizzard. Xbox hardware revenue is expected to decline.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460750/xbox-revenue-jumps-51-year-on-year-hardware-revenue-falls-31/

Developer Monomi Park announced Slime Rancher 2 will launch for the PlayStation 5 in Early Access on June 11.

Pre-orders for the game are now available on the PlayStation Store for $29.99. It includes four days of advance access starting on June 7, as well as the exclusive Slime Toy in-game item.

The game first released for the Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Xbox Game Pass in Early Access in September 2022.

View the PS5 trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

Slime Rancher 2 is a sequel to the award-winning, smash-hit original that has been enjoyed by over 15 million fans worldwide. Continue the adventures of Beatrix LeBeau as she journeys to Rainbow Island, a mysterious land brimming with ancient technology, unknown natural resources, and an avalanche of wiggling, jiggling, new slimes to discover.

As Beatrix attempts to unravel the island’s secrets and uncover its true purpose, she’ll build, ranch, and farm within a beautiful conservatory, whose sparkling glass walls give her full view of the prismatic paradise she now calls home.

Features:

• Explore a vibrant new world.
• Continue the slime ranching adventures of Beatrix LeBeau as she journeys to a mysterious rainbow-hued island.
• Discover Wiggly New Slimes
• Collect slimes never seen before on the Far, Far Range, like the bouncy cotton slime or the aquatic angler slime.
• Build a Conservatory on Rainbow Island
• Earn newbucks from slime plorts and collect resources on Rainbow Island to upgrade your vacpack, build new gadgets, and expand your conservatory.
• All purchases include a PlayStation-exclusive Slime Toy that can be used in game!

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460751/slime-rancher-2-headed-to-ps5-in-early-access-on-june-11/

Bethesda Game Studios announced the free next-generation update for Fallout 4 is now available for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The free update for the game adds Performance mode and Quality mode settings, stability improvements and fixes, up to 60 frames per second and increased resolutions.

PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players will also get a free update with stability improvements, login and quest fixes.

PC players have also gotten a free update that makes fixes to the Creation Kit, updates a variety of quests, adds ultra-widescreen support, and more.

Read details on the update below:

FALLOUT 4 UPGRADES ARE COMING TO NEXT-GEN CONSOLES

Bethesda Game Studios is releasing a free Fallout 4 update for download on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.

This free update includes native applications for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, Performance mode and Quality mode settings, as well as stability improvements and fixes. Experience up to 60 FPS and increased resolutions!

Fallout 4 players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will also receive a free update with stability improvements, login and quest fixes .

To download the update on a next-generation console, you must own Fallout 4 for that device.

UPDATES FOR PC PLAYERS

We are also releasing a free Fallout 4 update for PC players! Experience Fallout 4 on your next-generation PC with widescreen and ultra-widescreen support, as well as fixes to Creation Kit and a variety of quest updates.

Players with PC versions of Fallout 4 on Steam, Microsoft Store and GOG will receive stability, mods and bug fixes. For Japanese and Chinese language players on PC, Bethesda.net login issues have been resolved, fixing access to mods.

Alongside this exciting update, Fallout 4 will be available to purchase on the Epic Games Store.

Fallout 4 will also be Steam Deck verified.

EVEN MORE CONTENT!

There's even more content in the Fallout 4 updates, including the following free Creation Club items!

Enclave Remnants
Enclave Remnants brings the Pre-War cabal, The Enclave, into the Fallout 4 storyline. In this new quest, “Echoes of the Past,” can you stop The Enclave from spreading their dangerous ideology and gaining a foothold in the Commonwealth?

Along with workshop items and the Enclave Colonel uniform, we are including the following previously released Creation Club content:

• Enclave Weapon Skins
• Enclave Armor Skins
• Tesla Cannon
• Hellfire Power Armor
• X-02 Power Armor
• Heavy Incinerator

Makeshift Weapon Pack

Ever thought a piggy bank would make a great weapon in a pinch? This weapon pack includes a variety of unconventional objects that have been transformed into deadly weapons, such as: a baseball launcher, a nail gun and a piggy bank.

Halloween Workshop

Leftover from an ill-fated Halloween party, thrown by the New England Technocrat Society, these 38 new Halloween decorations include witches, cauldrons, ghouls and more! Decorate for Halloween or make your settlements spooky all year round!

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460749/fallout-4-free-next-gen-update-is-now-available/

Blizzard Entertainment announced BlizzCon will be skipping 2024 and will return in "future years."

"After careful consideration over the last year, we at Blizzard have made the decision not to hold BlizzCon in 2024," reads the news post from Blizzard. "This decision was not made lightly as BlizzCon remains a very special event for all of us, and we know many of you look forward to it. While we’re approaching this year differently and as we have explored different event formats in the past, rest assured that we are just as excited as ever to bring BlizzCon back in future years.

"Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more details about our launches coming later this year, including World of Warcraft: The War Within and Diablo IV's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. To celebrate these upcoming releases and to bring our communities together in new and special ways, we will soon share some exciting plans for other industry trade shows and conventions like Gamescom. We can’t wait to tell you more about those plans soon. We’re also looking forward to the Overwatch Champions Series’ stops at both Dreamhack Dallas and Dreamhack Stockholm. And we’re thrilled to be planning multiple, global, in-person events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Warcraft, which will be held in addition to the in-game celebrations across our Warcraft games throughout 2024. While these events are distinct from BlizzCon, we’re harnessing all of our creativity and imagination to ensure that they carry the same spirit of celebration and togetherness. 

"Our hope is that these experiences – alongside several live-streamed industry events where we’ll keep you up to date with what’s happening in our game universes – will capture the essence of what makes the Blizzard community so special.

"No matter how you choose to connect with us at these events this year – whether it be in person or virtually – we can’t wait to see you there!"

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460748/blizzcon-to-skip-2024-to-return-in-future-years/

JD Fenix actor Liam McIntyre responding to a fan on Twitter appears to have teased Gears of War 6 will be announced at the annual Xbox showcase in June.

The last mainline entry in the Gears of War franchise, Gears 5, released for the Xbox One and PC in September 2019, and for the Xbox Series X|S in November 2020.

Spoiler warning for Gears 5 below!

Towards the end of Gears 5 the player had to choose whether to save JD Fenix or Del Walker, which meant the other one was killed and there were two different endings.

McIntyre was asked if the JD Fenyx death was the canon ending and he responded by saying, "I have no idea. I think @GearsofWar tells us all in June. :)"

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/460747/gears-of-war-actor-might-have-teased-gears-6-will-be-announced-in-june/