Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 – will this year’s game do better? (Activision)
The Thursday letters page explains why the PS5 Pro is worth it for certain gamers, as a reader is dubious about the Life Is Strange TV series.
Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Ignoring the Call A reader made a good point the other day, about how we haven’t had any Call Of Duty rumours in months, even though this is usually the time of year when they happen. I believe he’s right in thinking it’s because Activision warned off leakers. I’m curious as to why they chose now to do that, after all these years, but you’ve got to assume it’s to do with Black Ops 7 being so hated and not a big seller.
I’m not sure what stopping rumours is going to do for the next one’s popularity but maybe they think that knowing everything about it in advance was draining some of the excitement away. I can understand that thought but I think Call Of Duty is going to have a real struggle generating any hype from now on.
Advertisement
The last rumour had the next one being yet another Modern Warfare, but this time set in Korea. I don’t know what you need to do to make Call Of Duty exciting again but that’s not it for me. Especially as I’d bet a fortune that it’s going to be predictable enough to have an extraction mode.
Even though it’s yearly, it seems like ages since Black Ops 7 and it’s only become more irrelevant since then. I just feel the franchise isn’t popular or fashionable anymore and it’s going to take more than another Modern Warfare to turn that around. Morph
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
Advertisement
My good father secreted me out the castle It looks like next month they’re going to be filming Elden Ring in Conway Castle in North Wales, which my bus to work goes past every day.
Hopefully I’ll be able to see some sort of indication of what they’re using the location for, even if I don’t get a glimpse of any actors because they’ll probably be in the castle itself.
It’s a bit weird seeing my local news site mentioning Castle Morne and Stormveil, but it’s probably a good indication the journalist knew what they were talking about.
Advertisement
If I do spot anything I’ll be sure to send in pictures. Euclidian Boxes
GC: Please do.
Free Pass Great news about Game Pass prices being changed. Basically, I haven’t paid for Ultimate for over five years now or ever. I have been getting Microsoft Reward Points religiously all this time. I can’t get the points for playing on a PC, as I don’t have a PC – Chromebook doesn’t work. So I have missed out of a lot of points there on a daily basis.
I was exchanging my reward points. 12,000 would get you one month of Ultimate. In September they removed that from redeem system. I can, however, exchange my points for a Microsoft gift card and 6,200 points for a fiver, and so on. That now sits in my account waiting for this Friday at the lower price of £16.99, as my subscription expires on Friday. Points literally make prizes. Woz G
Interactive TV Just wanted to know what GameCentral and its readers thought of the upcoming Life Is Strange TV series?
I’m not too bothered if the actresses don’t look too much like Max and Chloe, as I’m more concerned about the writing and if they can elicit the feel of Arcadia Bay using scenery and the soundtrack.
I mean, they have got to get Syd Matters’ To All Of You song in there somewhere, right? And at least some stuff from Angus and Julia Stone.
Advertisement
What is going to be interesting, though, is how they incorporate the choice mechanic from the game.
Will viewers have to vote using their TV remotes or phones at the appropriate time when the action on-screen pauses for about 30 seconds?
I feel that if its fails to impress and they mess this up, ‘that action will have consequences’. LeeDappa
GC: They don’t look like themselves in the newer games, so what chance did the show have?
Advertisement
Will it be the next Fallout? (Amazon MGM Studios)
Download options When I wrote in the other day about the free games on Epic Games Store there was a bit of confusion in the Underbox. To clear this up: there is a separate Epic Games Store application for PCs and a separate Epic Games Store app for Android tablets and Android mobiles.
Sometimes they give away the same game on mobile and PC each week and sometimes they give away different games. From your PC or your Android/mobile you need to go to this link to download the Epic Games Store for that device. So if you go to that from a mobile it gives you the option to download the mobile app or if you go to that link on PC it gives you the option to download the PC application.
On mobile you have to allow the Epic Games Store app to install on your Android device because it is classed as a third party app, it is not available on Google Play Store unfortunately. This week was an especially good week, as on PC you had Stone Of Madness and on the mobile app you had Broken Sword The Shadows Of The Templar: Reforged. Those game are free still, until 4pm today.
When it gets to 4pm on the mobile app on a Thursday, it can be quite slow to show the new game sometimes, so you might have to wait 30 minutes possibly or more. On PC sometimes the game lists on time and sometimes it is a few minutes late. I don’t know if it might be glitchy because so many people are accessing the free games at 4pm. I only use PCs and Android phones, so don’t know the process for iOS computers and devices. Hope that helps. Andrew J. PS: When you go to the website above on PC it has a Download button for the Epic Games Store application and on my Android mobile it has a Install button for the Epic Games Store app.
Performance Pro RE: Olli and whether to get a PS5 Pro. I’ve got a Pro and it’s now doing exactly what I was after but going by your letter I think its unique selling point of no comprise 60fps means it’s not the machine for you. The machine was designed and advertised as a performance mode/resolution upgrade, not a graphics upgrade.
Advertisement
The PS5 Pro will not give ‘more’ graphics than the base PlayStation 5’s quality mode. It will give you the base PlayStation 5’s quality mode graphics suite and resolution, which were sacrificed in performance mode on the base PlayStation 5, but at 60fps and not locked at 30fps through a much beefier GPU and the PS5 Pro exclusive upscaler PSSR.
At launch, it utterly failed to do this as PSSR was pretty much broken. But it was updated recently and the results are very good, with the upscaled PSSR imagine often now showing better clarity and detail than the base PlayStation 5 quality mode, while running at higher frame rates.
Of course, the PS5 Pro will run games far better than your current PlayStation 4 or the Switch 2 you’re also considering. With the PSSR update there’s clear gains from base PlayStation 5 too.
But if you’re happy with 30fps or a graphically/resolution stripped back performance mode on base PlayStation 5 then I’d get a Switch 2 and in the meantime wait for the base PlayStation 5 to go on sale again. With the PS5 Pro now costing £790 you’d get both the other machines for that price in a sale and not have to miss out on anything.
Advertisement
On the idea of the Pro or any new machine offering an exclusive graphics mode, I think the only thing on the market the current consoles can’t do is full path tracing. My gut feeling for the next consoles is the blurb will feature AI and path tracing as features. Simundo
GC: You’re probably right.
TFI Friday With Saros giving 48 early access, meaning it will be available on 28th April, when can we expect your review?
Returnal is my favourite game of this generation, and I really hope they don’t make Saros too easy or dumb it down to make it more accessible. Lizardpudlian
Advertisement
GC: We’re actually allowed to tell you this one, it’ll be Friday morning.
Don’t miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source
As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.
Click the button below and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
GameCentral has been delivering unique games news and reviews for over a decade
One and only Great article on the ongoing identity crisis at Xbox, and I totally agree that the Xbox 360 was Microsoft’s first and probably only legitimate shot at usurping Sony.
I worked in games retail during that generation and while my experience was very specific to a small town in Northern Ireland, it really felt like many jumped from PlayStation 2 to the Xbox 360 and it was going to be mainly Xbox going forward.
A game like Call Of Duty 4 would sell five to 10 copies on Xbox for every PlayStation 3 copy, and everyone seemed to be on Xbox Live for online multiplayer, despite it being the only one that cost money (remember when Sony’s online was free!?)
Advertisement
The Xbox One reveal was undoubtedly a disaster, but I think it’s the lack of new and exciting exclusive IP over the years that really sank the brand; the first Xbox obviously had Halo, as well as Fable, Forza Motorsport, etc… then Gears Of War was huge on Xbox 360, but I feel like they never really hit those heights again.
A quick look at their line-up for this year, which is pretty strong, and it’s these same franchises, only now you don’t even need an Xbox to play them.
Nintendo got a lot of stick during the Wii U/3DS era, much of which was deserved, but that’s where evergreen titles like Splatoon and Super Mario Maker were first made and they didn’t even entertain the idea of PC ports.
If Microsoft were to properly utilise all those developers they bought to either create new, interesting AAA IP or work on established ones (I’d love a Halo by Id Software or a MachineGames Call Of Duty campaign) they could regain that mindshare among players, but I suppose their jettisoning of exclusivity means it won’t do much to coerce people into buying their consoles.
Advertisement
Also, a Netflix for games was never going to be as popular as they anticipated. I could have told them that. ANON
GC: Thanks for your comments. It’s often underappreciated how badly Microsoft handled its first party studies at the end of the Xbox 360 era, shutting some down and letting others decline unnecessary. Rare was stuck in Kinect jail for years during all that. We feel that was the start of the rot.
Inbox also-rans I reckon that is Kojima’s new Xbox or, at least, part of it – probably the power unit or fan. Shambling Reg
GC: We like to think it’s a Terry’s Chocolate Orange. But green.
Advertisement
If they remake another Assassin’s Creed game and it’s not the second on they’re crazy. I’ve never met anyone that didn’t think that was the best of the original ones. Focus
The small print New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.
You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.
Advertisement
You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.
Aoun said preserving Lebanese sovereignty over all of its territory was his top priority, and that Lebanese negotiators would seek an end to Israeli attacks, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, release of Lebanese prisoners in Israel, deployment of Lebanese troops along the Israeli border, and the beginning of reconstruction process, according to a statement from his office.
*Astro line horoscopes are updated every Thursday. Calls cost 65p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge and will last approximately five minutes. You must be over 18 and have the bill payer’s permission. Service provided by Spoke. Customer service: 0333 202 3390
We analysed dozens of recent local news reports as part of our ongoing investigation into criminal activity on UK High Streets. From Bideford in Devon, to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, to Belfast in Northern Ireland – we found that drugs, including crystal meth and heroin, had been found in more than 70 shops and linked premises.
She was last seen wearing school PE kit in the Moira area
Police are seeking the public’s assistance in trying to locate a missing person last seen in the Moira area.
Advertisement
Police believe Aimee-Rose Temple could be in the general Moira/Lisburn area, or could potentially have travelled further.
She is approximately 5ft 3’’, with long strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes. She is wearing a school PE kit, consisting of blue jogging bottoms and a blue top, along with a green and black Nike bag.
Through the early hours of Thursday, temperatures hover around 3 to 4C across Darlington under patches of low cloud, mist and fog as light winds continue, leaving it feeling distinctly cold before dawn.
By breakfast time, any lingering fog patches and low cloud are expected to clear quite quickly, with a dry start and temperatures edging up to around 4C at 7am and 6C by 8am.
Winds remain on the light side at this stage, generally a gentle breeze at around 3 to 4mph, so although it is chilly, conditions are calm with very little chance of any rain.
Advertisement
As the morning wears on, sunshine becomes more widespread, and by mid-morning Darlington should be enjoying long sunny spells with temperatures climbing through 7C and 9C to around 10C or so by late morning.
The chance of precipitation stays very low through the day, pointing to a fine, settled picture rather than anything showery.
Humidity, initially on the higher side after the misty start, steadily eases back as the air warms, helping it to feel more pleasantly springlike by late morning despite the modest numbers on the thermometer.
Into the early afternoon, the day peaks, with a maximum temperature of about 12C expected for Thursday, reached as we head from lunchtime into mid-afternoon.
Advertisement
Hour-by-hour figures show temperatures stepping up from 11C at midday through 12C and 13C to around 14C at about 3pm before easing back slightly later in the day.
Winds remain light, mostly in the 5 to 7mph range, so there is little wind chill to speak of and, under unbroken or long sunny intervals, it will feel a touch warmer than the air temperature suggests, with “feels like” values running close behind.
UV levels rise to moderate around the middle of the day, so there is some strength in the sunshine during the early afternoon.
Later in the afternoon and into the early evening, the fine, dry theme continues, with temperatures slipping back through the low teens into single figures by early nightfall.
Advertisement
By 5pm, Darlington is on around 13C, fading to about 10C by 7pm as the sun lowers, but with the chance of any rain still very low.
Light breezes continue, and visibility remains generally good to very good, making for a clear, cool evening if you are out and about after work.
Overnight into Friday, skies stay predominantly dry and winds fall very light again, allowing temperatures to dip away to around 4C, with humidity creeping back up and the potential for some mist or fog patches to reform towards dawn.
Across the wider North East, Thursday fits into a settled spell, bringing another fine and dry day with long sunny spells and light winds once any early low cloud, mist and fog have cleared.
Plans were approved in January to introduce a 20mph speed limit in the village
New speed limit signs in a Cambridgeshire village have been vandalised “within a matter of hours” of being installed. The new 20mph signs are being put up in Cottenham.
Advertisement
Plans to introduce the lower speed limit throughout the village were approved by Cambridgeshire County Council back in January, despite over 150 objections to the plans. The speed limit was introduced to “create a safer environment for all road users”.
The signs have only just been installed, and some have already been vandalised with black paint. Resident James Prestidge said he spotted a vandalised sign while driving home from work on Tuesday (April 21).
He said: “I noticed, contractors had started installing the new 20mph signs in Cottenham. So far only the entrance from Twenty Pence Road has been done, and a few little ones up to the high street.
“On the way home from work, I was quite amazed to see them plastered and dripping in black spray paint! It seems within a matter of hours they’ve already been vandalised!”
Advertisement
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “We are disappointed to confirm that one pair of the newly installed 20mph signs in Cottenham has been vandalised. Our highways team is on-site, and it will be cleaned as soon as possible.
“The 20mph speed limit is being introduced in Cottenham following a successful application to our funding programme, and a consultation where the local community were invited to share their views and help shape this project.
“We’re committed to improving road safety, and 20mph schemes are one part of this. Reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph can cut pollution by up to 30 per cent and reduce the likelihood of a severe or fatal injury in the event of a collision by as much as 60 percent.”
The warning comes as airlines face operational challenges and potential fuel supply issues. Travellers are being urged to prepare for possible delays and familiarise themselves with their rights.
Tom Vaughan, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “For Brits planning to travel this summer, it’s worth being aware that flight cancellations and delays could happen as airlines respond to operational pressures.
“Disruptions like this can leave travellers unsure about their rights and what steps to take next if they are affected.
Advertisement
“The good news is that UK passengers have rights if their flight is cancelled.
“Airlines should offer a refund or an alternative flight, even if your ticket was non-refundable.”
Mr Vaughan also urged travellers to obtain travel insurance before departure.
He said: “It’s always sensible to take out travel insurance before going away.
Advertisement
“Even if you are able to claim directly via the airline, an insurer can guide you on how to make a claim.
“With the right policy in place, you may also be able to claim back for other parts of your holiday that were affected as a result.”
He advised passengers to contact their airline as soon as possible if affected and to keep receipts for essential expenses, such as food, accommodation or transport, as these may be reimbursed.
Travellers were also encouraged to review their travel insurance policies and speak to their insurer to understand what extra costs could be claimed back.
Several UK airlines may have to cancel flights or hike prices ahead of summer with travel experts warning passengers to ensure insurance is in check with ‘refund’ update
05:20, 23 Apr 2026Updated 05:20, 23 Apr 2026
As summer holidays are approaching and UK airlines are facing some disruptions due to the Middle East conflict, passengers have been urged to be aware of their refund rights.
Travel experts are warning holidaymakers to be aware of how to protect your plans before summer commences.
Advertisement
Fuel prices have nearly doubled since the war began, with the International Energy Agency describing the situation as potentially the largest energy crisis the world has faced.
A document has been submitted to ministers and the Civil Aviation Authority warning that if disruption “worsens” airlines in the UK will be forced to increase fares and cut flights.
Airlines UK, which represents a number of carriers, including EasyJet, Jet2, British Airways and Ryanair, say in the document that “the doubling of jet fuel costs (with fuel accounting for around one-third of airline costs) represents a major additional price shock”.
Advertisement
The letter is an attempt to get the government to step in to secure fuel supplies and give airlines more flexibility to cope with soaring costs.
One of the asks is to allow the temporary import and use of Jet A – a grade of jet fuel produced in the US, according to ITV.
The emergency document illustrates the financial fears of airlines, adding to the concern that flights may be cut or prices escalated.
A travel expert has warned that British travellers should ensure “travel insurance is in order” and “check booking terms” ahead of summer.
Advertisement
Airlines will still be required to offer full refunds, should flights be cancelled, or provide an alternative route.
The spokesperson for Ski Vertigo said: “This is a situation every traveller with a summer booking should be watching closely. Prices are already moving and the risk of cancellations is real, particularly on shorter intra-European routes where the economics are tightest.
“Our advice is to make sure your travel insurance is in order, check your booking terms, and keep a close eye on any communications from your airline.” They added: “If your flight is cancelled, airlines are still required to offer you a full refund or an alternative route, and their duty of care — covering meals, accommodation where needed, and rebooking — remains in place regardless of the reason for the disruption.
“However, because this crisis stems from a geopolitical conflict outside the airline’s control, it is likely to be treated as an extraordinary circumstance, which means financial compensation beyond a refund is unlikely in most cases.”
Residents have been promised they “won’t have to pay a penny” for their home energy for at least five to 10 years
Residents moving into a new 300-home developmemnt in a Cambridgeshire town won’t have to pay an energy bill for at least 10 years. Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, has teamed up with Prosperity Group where they plan to build the 300 “Zero Bills” homes at a site on Sandy Lane in Wisbech.
Advertisement
The homes are due to be completed in 2028, with residents expected to move in later that year. Octopus launched the world-first Zero Bills energy tariff in 2022, which allows customers to move into homes packed with “cutting-edge green tech” including a heat pump, a battery and solar panels. The green tech means that they don’t have to pay an energy bill for at least five to 10 years.
Nigel Banks, Zero Bills director at Octopus Energy, said: “We’re finding ourselves in yet another energy crisis, and households are looking for ways to protect themselves from unpredictable energy prices. Living without a home energy bill is no longer a distant ambition – it’s a reality thanks to our Zero Bills tariff.
“This partnership with Prosperity Group is a big step forward – together, we’re bringing Zero Bills living to hundreds of homes and showing what’s possible when smart tech is built in from day one.”
Octopus Energy aims to deliver 100,000 Zero Bills homes by 2030, and has already rolled out the initiative in Germany, France, New Zealand, and the UK.
Advertisement
Demand for these technologies is reportedly rising, according to new data from Octopus Energy. It shows that heat pump sales are up 103 percent, solar panel sales up by 78 percent, and EV charger enquiries are up 42 percent. The Zero Bills tariff does not cover EV charging as this service is charged separately.
Trai Hume, who plays as a full back for the Black Cats, was spotted taking photos with staff at The Lamp Room in Seaham, County Durham, on Monday (April 20).
Trai Hume visits The Lamp Room in Seaham (Image: THE LAMP ROOM/FACEBOOK)
Hume was all smiles as he met staff at the venue, a day after scoring his first Premier League goal in a 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.
Despite defeat, Sunderland are 11th in the Premier League currently, with Hume playing 33 matches for the North East club this season.
After he visited The Lamp Room, the restaurant posted a photo on social media, with the caption: “The girls got a lovely surprise this lunchtime with a visit from @trai_hume! They congratulated him on his corker of a goal yesterday and got this lovely photo.”
Advertisement
Over the weekend, the Black Cats had scored twice in 58 seconds to turn the game upside down after Aston Villa had coasted to a 3-1 lead.
Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor scored after 86 and 87 minutes as they caught Villa’s Jadon Sancho out each time.
Diarra had a chance to make it four when he was one-on-one with Villa keeper Emi Martinez, but he tried to chip the Argentine, who made a fingertip save.
Advertisement
Villa then took the game to Sunderland, and Tammy Abraham scored the winner.
As well as featuring for Sunderland, Hume plays for Northern Ireland, who missed out on World Cup qualification last month, after they were beaten 2-0 by Italy in the semi-final of the qualification play-offs.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login