Ashley Poprik has never been the model for a video game character. As a writer on projects like Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, they work on games, not as characters within them. In 2023, however, a cabal of angry gamers was convinced otherwise. They were furiousContinue Reading
With its fun attitude, excellent graphical fidelity, and tons of character customization, I find myself coming back to The Finals regularly to take a few swings with my sledgehammer. This explosive shooter also supports crossplay between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S/X, and it’s free, so it’s a great optionContinue Reading
Microsoft is wading deeper into generative artificial intelligence for gaming with Muse, a new AI model announced today. The model, which was trained on Ninja Theory’s multiplayer game Bleeding Edge, can help Xbox game developers build parts of games, Microsoft says. Muse can understand the physics and 3D environment insideContinue Reading
Since Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out was released on the NES in 1987, millions of players have undertaken millions of digital matches against one of the hardest video game bosses ever: Tyson himself (or, later, the reskinned “Mr. Dream”). Only a small percentage of those players could survive Tyson’s flurry of instant-knockdownContinue Reading
As the video games industry continues to face massive layoffs, narrative jobs are taking the biggest hit. The industry’s job cuts over the past couple of years—more than 30,000 roles were eliminated in 2023 and 2024—disproportionately affected narrative designers, the creative professionals who craft the story elements of the gameContinue Reading
Well, with one exception. I finally had to ask her to stop talking like a pirate. I couldn’t take it anymore. That, at least, was free. Courtesy of Megan Farokhmanesh Courtesy of Megan Farokhmanesh Pros: Frankie had a more natural way of speaking than the other bots. I could alsoContinue Reading
The 1,462 days of January are finally behind us. Chances are, you’ve probably already canceled that gym membership you signed up for in the midst of a “new year, new me!” haze, and the thought of going for a run when—in much of the northern hemisphere, at least—it’s cold, gray,Continue Reading
The organizers of the extravagant E3 games conference pronounced the event dead in 2023. Attendance for the bombastic, news-packed trade show was on the decline in 2019, and after the Covid-19 lockdown, the organizers at the Entertainment Software Association held one more virtual-only show in 2021 before yanking the plug.Continue Reading
Tired of running your console through your soundbar, or worse, TV speakers? A proper gaming headset offers better directional audio, sound isolation, and a built-in microphone to coordinate with teammates or taunt enemies. Xbox wants to claim that space on your ears with an updated version of its popular butContinue Reading
Players of the game Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket are in revolt over its newly introduced trading system. Since its release last week, fans across Reddit, X, YouTube, and even the game’s official site all agree: Trading in Pocket is very, very bad. Pocket, which launched last October for iOSContinue Reading
