Gaming

The survival-crafting genre is famous for a few things: steep learning curves, a bit of jank in its systems, and a sense of seriousness that, to be fair, is to be expected in an experience that starts you off hungry, thirsty, cold, and defenseless. Obsidian's Grounded, launching into its 1.0 state after two years in Xbox Game Preview, delightfully rejects these tropes, by and large. Instead, it takes the best bits of these games, polishes them, and offers a childlike spin, giving it all a charming sense of place and a unique point of view.The premise of the game's setup is simple: You take on the role of one of four kids inexplicably shrunken down to the size of an ant and must fend for yourself (and up to three co-op partners) in The Backyard, a typical ...

From FIFA to Star Wars, the mass adoption of loot boxes is one of the most controversial things to happen to mainstream gaming in the last 15 years. But despite consistent fears of their mechanical similarities to gambling, and their potential to cause harm to vulnerable players, they remain a profitable means of monetisation for hundreds of games.By Chris Morris and Adam Mason on September 25, 2022 at 10:00AM PDTFrom FIFA to Star Wars, the mass adoption of loot boxes is one of the most controversial things to happen to mainstream gaming in the last 15 years. But despite consistent fears of their mechanical similarities to gambling, and their potential to cause harm to vulnerable players, they remain a profitable means of monetisation for hundreds of games.So are loot boxes...

Netflix won the rights package in December 2018 after a fierce bidding war for The Watcher. Not to be confused with 2022's Watcher or 2000's The Watcher with Keanu Reeves, Netflix's The Watcher stars Naomi Watts and Bobby Canavale, with executive producers Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan.Based on a 2014 article about a mysterious and threatening neighbor, The Watcher follows Derek Broaddus and his wife, Maria, after they closed on a six-bedroom house. On checking the mail, they found a white, card-shaped envelope addressed to "The New Owner." What followed is a horrific tale of paranoia and obsession.We haven't seen much of the upcoming horror series except a teaser with star Jennifer Coolidge as the realtor going through the house, but Netflix finally dropped the first traile...

Marvel comics has been making memorable and iconic characters since it first started printing comics more than 80 years ago. The publisher behind heroes like Spider-Man, Captain America, and the Fantastic Four is a household name, in part because of its steady stream of mega-blockbuster movies that all take place in a massive, interconnected world. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, has made many of its characters mainstream in a way they never were before. The acquisition by Disney in 2009 only amplified its popularity and scope, as the entertainment mega-brand folds Marvel's heroes into its other iconic properties like Disney animation, Pixar, and Star Wars.Marvel has been lending its name out for video game adaptations for much longer, racking up an impressive list ...

While Rockstar has been busy sweeping the internet clean of any early gameplay, fans have been busy piecing together a map of GTA 6’s location based on clues from that leaked footage. The project is reminiscent of a fan-made GTA V map created by GTA Forum users, who used the game's promotional footage and screenshots to get an early view of Los Santos. This time, the bare-bones map is being created using in-game coordinates displayed in the leak to figure out where each location sits in relation to the rest of them. These cartographers have had to get creative in order to get around Rockstar's copyright restrictions, with much of the main GTA Forums discussion working out how to most accurately map the leaked content without including images that can't be posted in the community. Other pro...