Author: Game Infliction

Hardcore mode has been a time-honored Diablo tradition going back to Diablo II, challenging players with the possibility of permanent death. But what happens if your Hardcore character happens to stumble into one of Diablo IV’s Fields of Hatred? Well, watch your back.

Asked whether are consequences for Hardcore characters who die in Diablo IV’s PvP, Blizzard community director Adam Fletcher said simply, “Permadeath.”

In other words, it’s time to roll a new character.

Permadeath. https://t.co/ZxRz4eE5GX

— Adam Fletcher (@PezRadar) April 20, 2023

Hardcore players will want to watch their step then, since the Fields of Hatred can be entered at will on Diablo IV’s open-world. There players can collect Shards of Hatred by killing other players as well as monsters. The areas also feature special vendors that serve as a further enticement to test your might in one of Diablo IV’s PvP zones.

For the daring, though, there’s the Fearless Combatant achievement, which can only be earned by getting 10 PvP kills in Hardcore Mode. Otherwise you can avoid Fields of Hatred altogether, which is likely the more prudent route unless you get to be especially powerful.

In the meantime, fans will get to try Diablo IV one more time before launch as part of an upcoming “server slam.” The server slam, which is designed to stress test Diablo IV’s servers before launch, will include the various changes from previous beta tests. It will commence at 12pm PST on Friday and conclude at 12pm PST on Sunday.

While you wait, check out our recent interview with Diablo IV’s developers, in which they talk about class changes, dungeons, and more ahead of the final test.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Today, Woot is offering the open box Meta Quest 2 256GB VR headset for only $330.56. Note that this is the larger capacity 256GB model. That’s a rather significant price drop for what is already one of the least expensive VR headsets on the market. The lower capacity 128GB model normally retails for $399.99 new and the 256GB model for $499.99 new.

After over 2 years on the market, the Quest 2 is still far and away the best value when it comes to VR gaming. For a price that beats every other comparable VR headset out there, it offers a completely tether-free experience, phenomenal inside-out tracking, and a huge library of games. Also, starting August of 2022, you do not need a Facebook account to login to your Quest 2. That was justifiably a sore point for many people.

Meta Quest 2 256GB VR Headset for $330.56

The Quest 2 is the most practical option for you to jump into Beat Saber, easily the most successful VR game in history. Beat Saber is a simple rhythm based game that doubles as an outstanding fitness tool. By now there are hundreds of official songs available and the game receives plenty of regular updates. If that’s not enough, there’s a huge modding community out there with access to tens of thousands of user created songs that are every bit as good as the official songs. Beat Saber needs to be purchased separately ($29.99), but really you shouldn’t be getting a VR headset if you don’t get this game.

Warhammer 40,000 and its fantasy equivalent Age of Sigmar are dominant in the tabletop miniatures space. They’ve remained popular for decades thanks to the evocative settings, high-quality miniatures, and comfortable rulesets — not to mention the seemingly endless series of video games, books, and other media. But we’re not wed to Warhammer. Tabletop gamers have other options.

Many alternatives boast their own advantages, such as easier entry, cleaner systems, and innovative twists. These five games feature a variety of styles and settings. Each is an exceptional miniatures game full of satisfaction and reward.

Marvel: Crisis Protocol

While some say Marvel has peaked cinematically, it’s still tearing it up on the tabletop. The first thing to notice about Crisis Protocol is its stunning 40mm sized miniatures. These are fully plastic, multi-part models that require careful assembly, but the work pays off. The next thing you will inevitably be struck by is the hefty price. These large miniatures are expensive, and that’s something to be prepared for when considering this game.

But if you can muster the funds without breaking your back, it’s absolutely worth it. This is a very open, free-form design that allows you to mix and match whatever figures you’d like in your roster. You can team up Wolverine with Thanos and bash in the skulls of Iron Man, Captain America, and Ultron. It’s wild with each figure boasting a unique suite of special abilities. This may be the most dynamic game on this list, even allowing characters to throw terrain and demolish structures. It’s cinematic, quick, and incredibly dramatic.

Marvel: Crisis Protocol is also well supported. It’s produced by Atomic Mass Games, the miniatures studio now responsible for X-Wing and Star Wars: Legion, and they’ve released dozens and dozens of new characters spanning the entirety of the Marvel comics universe. They don’t appear to be letting up anytime soon.

Core Space

Core Space is the closest aesthetically to Warhammer 40k on this list. It captures some of that game’s Rogue Trader days, putting players into the role of competing starship crews on the hunt for salvage. Unfortunately, opposing traders aren’t the only hurdle, as the robotic menace known as The Purge arrive over the course of the game, appearing in greater frequency as time elapses.

This game is a looker. It has 3D cardboard terrain, plastic miniatures, and an attractive neoprene surface. It’s flexible, allowing players to cooperate or compete over the scattered equipment as they pursue scenario objectives. There are two separate and complete products, the original Core Space and the sequel First Born. The latter is focused on raiding ancient temples and is aimed more at fully cooperative or solitaire play as the foes are more challenging and aggressive. Both can be integrated, allowing for crews to traverse either environment. Tonally, this hits on Firefly, Shadowrun, and the scum and villainy nook of Star Wars. The play lives up to those lofty expectations.

Blood & Plunder

It’s an exciting time to be playing Blood & Plunder. This miniatures skirmish game just received a new two-player complete starter set recreating the historical battle where the English captain Maynard felled the infamous Blackbeard. The full ruleset allows participants to field forces consisting of soldiers, militia, and ship crew representing countries such as England, France, and Spain. Pirates have now entered the fold as the game has progressed to the 1700s.

This is an intriguing game with new plastic miniatures, a striking activation system with tactical nuance, and a variety of play modes. With only a few additional rules, players can even engage in ship to ship combat using enormous sloops.

While Blood & Plunder is cinematic, it is historically faithful to the period. It’s not a complex ruleset, but it features several flourishes to evoke verisimilitude. Muskets must be reloaded and morale is of utmost importance, for instance. These details add a sharp texture to play and help anchor the experience to its rich Caribbean setting.

Gaslands: Refueled

Have you ever wanted to re-enact Mad Max with Hot Wheels cars? Well you can do so with dignity, as Gaslands: Refueled is Mike Hutchinson’s ruleset offering car customization, campaign play, and maximum carnage. You can grab any toy cars you like and either muck them up with dirt grime and plastic weapon options, or simply deploy them as is and let your imagination do the heavy lifting.

As a set of car combat rules, this game is magical. It uses template-based movement similar to the popular X-Wing miniatures game, and a light dice based combat system to regulate damage and chaos. Initiative and movement is handled with a clever yet streamlined gear system, and virtually any style of vehicle can be modeled and remain competitive. A significant part of the joy is in modding children’s toys, but the hobby aspect here is perhaps the most gentle and inviting of any game I’ve ever encountered. You can merely add some dirt and rust to a pre-painted car, maybe tear out a windshield or bumper, and you’re good to go.

The game itself is fantastic as well. It captures the spirit of 80s darling Car Wars with little of the cruft and complication. Invite some mates over, toss out some Matchbox cars, and blast the hell out of each other. Done deal.

Wings of Glory

Wings of Glory is a diverse range of products better thought of as a system. Featuring both extensive World War One and Two lines of pre-painted planes, players pilot beautiful aircraft across the skies of a tabletop as they attempt to circle each other in a spiral of death. Much like Gaslands, movement is carried out through templates–specifically maneuver cards–that guide your plane through various loops and dives.

It’s a very light entry, requiring either the purchase of a full starter set complete with rules and miniatures, or a smaller rules only product allowing the purchase of whatever individual planes a player desires. At its best, multiple participants are engaged with each flying a single fighter. This makes for a very modest introduction when compared to something like Warhammer, as your entire force is a single small box purchase.

The ruleset is equally welcoming. The basic details can be internalized by a child as young as eight. You can tear open the box and be off jousting in less time than it takes to watch a television episode. More experienced players can layer on the advanced options that include tailing, variable damage types, and altitude. For a sleek design, it allows for a solid amount of simulation with cinematic framing.

For more, be sure to check out our picks for the best board games overall, as well as the best strategy board games and best war board games.

The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Apple’s App Store policies, saying that it doesn’t violate federal antitrust law. The ruling confirms an earlier decision in an antitrust case brought by Epic Games, Bloomberg reports.

The latest decision is another blow to Epic in its ongoing dispute with Apple over the 30 percent cut it takes in in-app purchases. The dispute resulted in Fortnite being removed from the App Store — a deliberate PR play intended to weaponize the battle royale’s vast fanbase.

The case has been wending its way through the courts ever since, with the latest decision in favor of Apple. However, the court also upheld a 2021 ruling that the App Store violate California’s unfair competition law, which resulted in an injunction forcing Apple to permit developers on its platform to link to outside payment options with their apps.

“There is a lively and important debate about the role played in our economy and democracy by online transaction platforms with market power,” the three-judge panel said. “Our job as a federal court of appeals, however, is not to resolve that debate — nor could we even attempt to do so. Instead, in this decision, we faithfully applied existing precedent to the facts.”

Apple called the decision a “resounding victory” in a statement to Bloomberg, but said that it was considering further action on the state law ruling.

IGN reached out to Epic Games for a statement, but did not receive an immediately comment.

The previous decision saw US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers rule that the dispute was ultimately over “digital mobile gaming transactions,” and that it couldn’t conclude that Apple has a monopoly in that market. However, the court did call Apple’s conduct “anticompetitive,” leading to the injunction. Epic was also ordered to pay $6 million for breach of contract.

According to Bloomberg, the appeals court said that the previous ruling “erred” in defining the antitrust market in question, but ultimately found that Epic failed to “show its proposed market definition and the existence of any substantially less restrictive alternative means for Apple to accomplish the procompetitive justifications supporting iOS’s walled garden ecosystem.”

Apple and Epic first squared off in court in 2021 in what we called “the Gamer Trial. It led to a number of leaks of third-party secrets, much to the chagrin of Sony and other companies.

Epic hasn’t found much success in court since, but Fortnite continues to be a dominant force in gaming even without a presence on the App Store. Epic recently released an updated set of creation tools, bringing it ever closer to its vision of being a full-blowing gaming platform of its own. You can read our full interview with Tim Sweeney here.

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios announced that Dead Island 2 has sold over 1 million copies within the first three days of release.

“Dead Island 2 has won fans from around the world with countless players snapping up a copy of the drop dead gore-geous game in the first 72 hours,” Deep Silver said in a press release.

Furthermore, in-game stats were revealed detailing how many players did certain actions. Thus far, players have slayed 1.1 billion zombies, hacked off 756 million zombie limbs, and sliced 45 million zombies in half. Additionally, players spent a combined total of 11 million hours with the game and collectively died 28 million times so far.

The latter number is also over twice the population of the game’s setting, Los Angeles.

If you’re still hankering for some more Dead Island 2, a UK insurance company is offering a Dead Island 2 life insurance policy for £8,000.

Dead Island 2 is available now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. In IGN’s Dead Island 2 review, we said, “Dead Island 2 is a hilarious gore-fest and a competent zombie-slaying adventure, but lacks creativity outside of its great sense of humor.”

George Yang is a freelance writer for IGN. He’s been writing about the industry since 2019 and has worked with other publications such as Insider, Kotaku, NPR, and Variety.

When not writing about video games, George is playing video games. What a surprise! You can follow him on Twitter @Yinyangfooey