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PS5 Patch 24.06-10.01.00 Will Hopefully Sort Out Graphics Issues Caused by the Recent Firmware Update

Sony has issued a fresh patch for the PlayStation 5 that will hopefully sort out graphics problems caused by the recently released firmware update.

Firmware update 24.06-10.00.00., which added the Welcome Hub to PS5 among other new features, caused technical issues in Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 16.

Myriad users reported issues including entire portions of the screen being overcome with black squares and crashing when loading a save file or fast traveling. Similar bugs appeared in Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws, Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky, Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding, and other games.

At the time, Square Enix confirmed it was working with Sony to address the issues introduced through the firmware update, saying: “Following the recent release of the PlayStation 5 system update, there have been reports of the game crashing and graphical issues. We are currently working with Sony Interactive Entertainment to investigate, and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused. Please await our further updates.”

Today, September 20, Sony has released a new update for PS5 (Version: 24.06-10.01.00) which seems targeted at sorting the problems out. Sony’s patch notes are brief and vague:

Version: 24.06-10.01.00

  • We’ve improved system software performance and stability.

It’s a busy time for Sony’s gaming business, with the recently announced PS5 Pro set to launch in November, as well as an eye-catching PlayStation 30th Anniversary edition of the PS5 and PS5 Pro. On the games front, it’s just released Astro Bot as well as God of War Ragnarök on PC. Firewalk’s hero shooter Concord, however, was hauled offline after its disastrous launch.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Nintendo vs. Palworld: ‘Killer Patent’ May Be About the Mechanic of Catching Pokémon

Following Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s shock patent lawsuit against Palworld developer Pocketpair, and Pocketpair’s subsequent statement claiming it had no idea which patents it’s accused of infringing, analysts believe they’ve worked out which patent Nintendo plans to use to win its case.

Kiyoshi Kurihara, a Japanese patent attorney and consultant on intellectual property spoke to Yahoo Japan on the lawsuit (translated by Automaton), and pointed to a “killer patent” that revolves around the mechanic of catching Pokémon itself.

“It seems like it would be hard to avoid if you want to make a Pokémon-like game, and it’s easy to infringe if you’re not careful,” Kurihara is quoted as saying.

In general gameplay terms, Palworld’s survival and crafting mechanics are more like those of Ark than Pokémon. After Palworld’s huge launch earlier this year, comparisons were made between Palworld’s Pals and Pokémon, with some accusing Pocketpair of “ripping off” Pokémon designs. But rather than file a copyright infringement lawsuit, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have gone down the patent route.

Kurihara identified four divisional patent applications that Nintendo and The Pokémon Company jointly registered after Palworld’s launch in January. A divisional patent contains isolated content from an already registered parent patent. The patent Kurihara believes is the focus here, Patent No. 7545191, describes, per Automaton:

Aiming a capture item (Poké Ball) at a character placed on the field (Pokémon), releasing the capture item in a direction determined by player input, judgment of whether capturing is successful or not upon contact between the capture item and Pokémon, and changing of the Pokémon’s status to “owned by the player” when capturing is successful. In addition, the patent also covers the mechanic of having capture probability displayed to the player, regardless of whether it uses colors, graphics or numbers.

Patent No. 7545191, alongside three related others, were only approved in August, which might help explain why it’s taken this long for Nintendo to announce its lawsuit. The parent patent of the four divisional patents was registered in December 2021, and thus, Automaton points out, are legally effective against Palworld, which launched January 2024. Nintendo has yet to officially reveal the patents it alleges Pocketpair has infringed.

It is worth noting that Palworld does include a mechanic that involves throwing a ball-like object (called a Pal Sphere) at monsters out in a field to capture them, and this may prove the key to the lawsuit. Kurihara suggested Nintendo and The Pokémon Company filed the four division patents for specific use in litigation against Palworld developer Pocketpair. As for Pocketpair, it’s said it will begrudgingly investigate the patent infringement claims while continuing to update Palworld despite the lawsuit, and apologized to players left concerned about the future of the game.

Here’s Pocketpair’s statement in full:

Regarding the Lawsuit

Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed against our company for patent infringement.

We have received notice of this lawsuit and will begin the appropriate legal proceedings and investigations into the claims of patent infringement.

At this moment, we are unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon, and we have not been notified of such details.

Pocketpair is a small indie game company based in Tokyo. Our goal as a company has always been to create fun games. We will continue to pursue this goal because we know that our games bring joy to millions of gamers around the world. Palworld was a surprise success this year, both for gamers and for us. We were blown away by the amazing response to the game and have been working hard to make it even better for our fans. We will continue improving Palworld and strive to create a game that our fans can be proud of.

It is truly unfortunate that we will be forced to allocate significant time to matters unrelated to game development due to this lawsuit. However, we will do our utmost for our fans, and to ensure that indie game developers are not hindered or discouraged from pursuing their creative ideas.

We apologize to our fans and supporters for any worry or discomfort that this news has caused.

As always, thank you for your continued support of Palworld and Pocketpair.

Players are now left wondering whether Nintendo and The Pokémon Company’s lawsuit will force Pocketpair to remove Palworld from sale or even shut the game down.

Palworld launched on Steam priced $30 and straight into Game Pass on Xbox and PC earlier this year, breaking sales and concurrent player number records in the process. Pocketpair boss Takuro Mizobe has said Palworld’s launch was so big that the developer couldn’t handle the massive profits the game generated. Still, Pocketpair acted swiftly to capitalize on Palworld’s breakout success, signing a deal with Sony to form a new business called Palworld Entertainment that’s tasked with expanding the IP.

Speaking of Sony, Palworld is heavily rumored to be set for a PlayStation launch announcement at this month’s Tokyo Game Show. Pocketpair teased a PlayStation release back in June, so this would come as little surprise. TGS runs from September 26 to 29.

While player numbers have declined somewhat since Palworld’s explosive launch, it remains one of the most-played games on Steam (Microsoft does not make Windows PC and Xbox player numbers public), sitting comfortably in the top 100 on Valve’s platform.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Netflix Geeked Week 2024: Everything Announced

Netflix Geeked Week 2024 has officially come to an end. All week long Netflix has been dropping trailers and news about some of the biggest upcoming movies, shows, and games coming to the streaming service.

Netflix has been dropping announcements since monday leading up to an live, in-person fan event that has wrapped up today. To help you keep up with everything announced so far, we’ve gathered all of the biggest news from Netflix Geeked Week from the entire week and the live show. You can check out all of the biggest announcements below.

The Biggest Netflix Announcements This Week

Arcane Season 2 Gets Multiple Release Dates and New Clip

Netflix has officially dropped the release dates for season 2 of Arcane, and like the first season, it will be arriving in multiple acts. Act 1 will arrive on November 9, Act 2 on November 16, and Act 3 will debut on November 23. You can check out the new clip of the upcoming season of the Arcane series below:

Avatar The Last Airbender Reveals Toph Casting

Netflix officially revealed who they have picked to play Toph Beifong in season 2 of the live-action Avatar The Last Airbender. Mia Cech will be playing the blind earthbender we all know and love. Season 2 of the series has already started production.

Devil May Cry Gets a Release Window and a New Trailer

The Devil May Cry animated series officially has a release window. The new animated series will be arriving on Netflix in April 2025. The first teaser trailer shows of demon hunter Dante, who fans will recognize from Devil May Cry 5.

Squid Game Season 2 Gets a New Trailer

Squid Game Season 2 is still set to arrive on December 26, and Netflix has just dropped a new trailer for the upcoming season. You can check out the full trailer below:

Magic The Gathering Animated Series Is in Production

Although Netflix didn’t give us any more concrete details, but we got a single shot of the upcoming animated MTG series. You can check out the image below and make of it what you will.

Black Mirror Season 7 Cast Revealed

Netflix dropped a quick teaser that has the cast names for Season 7 of Black Mirror hidden within. If you pause the video around the 8-second mark, you’ll be able to see names like Awkwafina, Issa Rae, Paul Giamatti and more. Black Mirror Season 7 is set to arrive sometime in 2025.

Splinter Cell: Deathwatch Gets Its First Trailer

Netflix has officially revealed the first trailer for the new animated Splinter Cell series, titled: Splinter Cell: Deathwatch. Although we don’t yet know how the series will be fitting into the larger franchise timeline or even when it will be released, it’s another step for Netflix into the world of video game shows to look forward to.

Wednesday Season 2 Gets a First Look Trailer

After a highly successful season one of Wednesday, Netflix has given us our first behind-the-scenes look at season 2 of the series. The next season isn’t set to arrive until 2025, but you can check out the trailer below:

Castlevania: Nocturne Season 2 Is Arriving in January 2025

We reviewed the first season of Castlevania: Nocturne in 2023 and gave it a near-perfect 9 out of 10. If you’ve been waiting for news on the next season of the series, Netflix finally announced today that Season 2 will be arriving in January of next year. You can check out sneak peek of the upcoming season with the new teaser trailer below:

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft Gets a Trailer

Netflix has dropped a new trailer for Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. The upcoming animated series takes place after the events of the Tomb Raider Survivor games and is coming to Netflix on October 10.

First Look at Chopper in One Piece Season 2

During an inside look of One Piece season 2, Netflix gave us our first look at Chopper from the beloved anime series. You have to wait until the very end of the clip below, and there’s not much there, but it’s worth checking out.

The Rebel Moon Video Game Gets a Trailer

Although Zach Snyder’s Rebel Moon movies didn’t quite get the reception Netflix was hoping for (see our reviews of Part 1 and Part 2), the franchise is moving forward with a new video game. The Rebel Moon game is coming in 2025 and you can already sign up for the closed beta. Check out the first trailer below:

Netflix Confirms a New Cyberpunk animated Project

Although Netflix didn’t reveal any real concrete details, they did offer confirmation that another collaboration with CD Projekt Red is in the works. You can check out the tease below, which relaly only confirms we will be going back to the Cyberpunk universe.

The Witcher Sirens of the Deep Gets a New Release Date

If you’re a fan of The Witcher games, you’ll be happy to know that the new Witcher animated movie features Doug Cockle as the voice of Geralt of Rivia. Netflix has dropped a new clip of the upcoming film as well as a release date of February 11, 2025. We still haven’t heard anything about a release date for Season 4 of The Witcher series, however.

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin Is Out on October 25

The Remarkable Life of Ubiln, which made its debut at Sundance earlier this year, is coming to Netflix on October 25. This documentary tells the story of Mats Steen, who lived a tragically short life due to a degenerative muscular disease. Much of the film dives into his life taking place in World of Warcraft, revealing a surprising depth of online friendships he made inside the MMORPG.

New Trailer for Sakamoto Days Anime

Netflix has officially dropped a new trailer for Sakamoto Days, which appears to be a faithful adaptation of the manga of the same name. The series follows a retired hitman who now own a convenience shop trying to live a peaceful life as his colorful past keeps coming back up.

One Piece Season 2 Behind the Scenes Look

Netflix and Jeff Ward (the actor who plays Buggy) took a tour of the set, props, and costume designs for Season 2 of the live-action anime adaptation. Alongside this behind-the-scenes look, Netflix also announced casting for Nico Robin and Crocodlie. Season 2 of the series doesn’t currently have a release date, but you can still watch all of the episodes of the One Piece anime on Netflix right now.

New Wolf King Series Announced Based on the Wereworld Books

Although the title of this series sounds like it would be in the same realm of Tiger King, it’s actually a new fantasy adventure series coming to Netflix. Based on the Wereworld books by Curtis Jobling, Wolf King is an animated series following Drew Ferran in a coming-of-age story about a boy who discovers he’s the last in a long line of werewolves. There are currently six books in the Wereworld series, so there’s potential for multiple seasons if the show does well. Season 1 will be coming to Netflix in 2025.

Sam Raimi’s Don’t Move Gets a New Trailer

From produce Sam Raimi comes a film about a woman stranded and alone in the forests of Big Sur who has to escape a serial killer. The new film will arrive on Netflix on October 25, and you can check out the new trailer below.

Monument Valley Is Now Available on Netflix Games

Monument Valley, one of the highest-rated mobile games, is now available for Netflix subscribers to download and play via Netflix games. This version is free to play if you have a Netflix plan and doesn’t require any in-app purchases. You can check out the reveal trailer for this announcement below:

Tomorrow and I Gets a First Look

Netflix released its first trailer for Tomorrow and I, a new Thai anthology series arriving this year. The series includes four episodes that ask different “what if?” scenarios about futuristic technologies colliding with culture. You can check out the trailer below.

SpongeBob SquarePants: Bubble Pop F.U.N. Is Now Available on Netflix Games

Joining the Netflix games lineup today is SpongeBob SquarePants: Bubble Pop F.U.N., a new mobile game featuring everyone’s favorite sea sponge. It’s a classic match-three puzzle game where you fire different bubbles at similar bubbles to remove them from the board. If you have a Netflix subscription, you can now download the new game for free with no ads.

Gundam: Requiem For Vengeance Gets a New Clip

We already knew that Gundam: Requiem for Vengeance was coming in October, but Netflix has dropped the opening scene from the series to give us a better idea of what to expect. Check out the first four and a half minutes of the new show below. You can watch Requiem for Vengeance on Netflix starting on October 17.

Squid Game Season 2 Gets a New Poster

Although it’s not as exciting as a trailer, Netflix has dropped an all-new poster for Squid Game season 2. They have confirmed alonside the poster that we will be getting a teaser of the new upcoming season sometime tomorrow.

The Platform 2 Gets a Sneak Peek Trailer

Following up on the 2019 Spanish sci-fi thriller The Platform, Netflix has released a short peek at the sequel. The Platform 2 is set to arrive on the streaming service on October 4.

Netflix Subscription Options

All of the new shows and movies announced at Netflix Geeked Week will be available exclusively on Netflix. Unfortunately, Netflix doesn’t have a free trial. So if you’re looking to pick up your own subscription, you will have to go straight into monthly payments before testing it out. There are currently a few different pricing options available, with the lowest price starting at $6.99 a month with ads. You can see our full breakdown of Netflix plans and prices for more info.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior SEO Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor’s degree in communication and over 7 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different topics — from TV series to indie games and popular book series.

Jacob has written for various different publications over his career. You can find the bulk of his previous work at Digital Trends and The Manual where he covered the latest tech deals, Netflix, and food.

Netflix Confirms a New Cyberpunk Animated Project With CD Projekt Red Is on the Way

During Geeked Week’s live event tonight, Netflix Animation officially announced another collaboration with CD Projekt Red in the Cyberpunk universe… but didn’t confirm what it would be.

The tease, which you can watch below, is brief, only really confirming a “return to Night City.” Otherwise, the streaming platform merely invites fans to “stay tuned.”

While the news is exciting, it isn’t a huge shock. During CD Projekt Red’s latest earnings call last month, the company teased that it’s “definitely” planning more animated projects with Cyberpunk, but was similarly vague.

“We are definitely planning to do more in terms of animation with Cyberpunk so I hope that’s enough as an answer,” joint CEO Michał Nowakowski told investors at the time. “So expect to see more for sure, but that’s as far as I can go right now.”

CD Projekt Red and Netflix first collaborated on Cyberpunk Edgerunners, which debuted in September 2022 to acclaim from fans and critics alike. It even helped fuel more interest back to Cyberpunk 2077, and fans were clamoring for a second season.

Nowakowski’s previous comments revived more hope of that, but it’s worth noting that neither Netflix nor CD Projekt Red have revealed whether this “return to Night City” would be an Edgerunners Season 2. That animated series didn’t exactly leave itself open for a second season, and Netflix Animation could very well tell a different story in the universe that simply takes place in the Cyberpunk setting.

That is, of course, all speculation until we find out more. IGN raved about Cyberpunk Edgerunners in our 9/10 review, writing that it “delivers a satisfying return to Night City that does a better job exploring why Mike Pondsmith’s famous location became so iconic in the first place.”

For more, check out our roundup of everything announced at Geeked Week so far.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Netflix Reveals First Trailer for Rebel Moon Video Game Spinoff

Netflix and Zack Snyder have revealed the first trailer for their Rebel Moon video game spinoff, Blood Line: A Rebel Moon Game.

The streaming giant revealed the first look at its exclusive spinoff as part of Netflix Geeked Week 2024 Live, showing off an early look as well as confirmation of the project’s title. Developed by the studio behind Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, Super Evil Megacorp, Netflix says subscribers can look forward to grouping up with friends to play it for themselves sometime in 2025.

Today’s Geeked Week reveal comes with a few more details about what exactly Blood Line has in store. Netflix describes the Rebel Moon spinoff as an “online co-operative action game” that asks players to step into the shoes of a rebel. Subscribers who play will have the option to select from different classes in order to fight and reclaim their planet from Moterhworld.

Blood Line will exist as part of Snyder’s larger Rebel Moon universe. So far, the story has unfolded as two movies, with the first, Rebel Moon Part 1: A Child of Fire, debuting in December 2023, and the second, The Scargiver, arriving April 2024. However, both films received negative reviews from fans and critics alike upon release. We gave both Part 1 and Part 2 4/10s in our reviews.

Super Evil Megacorp announced its partnership with Netflix to create a Rebel Moon video game in May of last year. We spoke with Snyder shortly after its reveal, and he promised that the developers would create a spinoff that stays faithful to the source material while building on it in fresh ways.

“Even though it’s definitely an add-on to the universe I didn’t expect, it was a cool place where we thought to explore other things that are happening in the Rebel Moon universe,” Snyder said at the time. “And the guys have been great to… I’d say, “Guys, we can’t. We can’t do that.” And then they’d come back, “Well, what about this?” And so we were really, I think able to land on something that was really world building, but also consistent with the world.”

Stay tuned for more information on how Blood Line will build on the Rebel Moon universe when it launches sometime next year. While we wait for updates, you can keep up with everything announced at Netflix Geeked Week 2024 here.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Grab an Xbox Wireless Controller for Only $37 with This Lenovo Deal (Updated With New Price Drop)

Lenovo is currently offering the Microsoft Xbox Series X wireless controller in Carbon Black for only $37.05 shipped. You’ll see $39 on the product page, but there’s a 5% off code “LENOVOFLASHWKD” that will auto-apply in your cart. That’s about 33% off its original $55 MSRP. You won’t find a better price on a brand new official controller at the moment.

Update: The price has dropped from $39 to $37.05

Xbox Wireless Controller for $37.05

This Xbox Core wireless controller is identical to the one that’s bundled with the Xbox Series X and S consoles right down to the Carbon Black color. Features include textured grips, hybrid D-pad, button mapping with the Xbox app, a 3.5mm audio jack that works with any wired headset, and a Share button to upload screenshots and video.

The Xbox Core controller also features both Xbox wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. That means you can use it for your PC or mobile device as long as it supports Bluetooth. In fact, the Core controller is considered one of the best PC controllers you can get, especially if you limit yourself to this price point. If your PC doesn’t have Bluetooth, then you can connect your controller via a USB Type-C cable or with the Xbox wireless adapter.

Check out the best Xbox deals today for more discounts on Xbox accessories.

Aussies: Win an Exclusive EA Sports FC™ 25 Experience

In anticipation of the release of EA Sports FC™ 25 on September 27, Uber One is teaming up with EA Sports FC to kick off the Uber One EA SPORTS FC™ Underdog Academy, an exclusive training experience where budding EA SPORTS FC players who are Uber One members will have a chance to hone their in-game skills.

Not only will you be coached by an elite EA SPORTS FC player, but you’ll also get to compete in epic 1v1 showdowns, with the player who comes out on top taking home a mega gaming prize pack.

Six major prize winners will score:

  • An invitation to the Uber One EA Sports FC™ 25 Underdog Academy Experience 1-on-1 coaching from an EA Sports FC™ pro
  • EA Sports FC™ 25 Standard Edition
  • An elite gaming controller and high-end gaming headset
  • Return flights to Sydney from nearest capital city in Australia (if the winner lives outside NSW)
  • One night accommodation in Sydney and transfer to/from the event
  • Finally, the grand prize winner of the Uber One EA Sports FC™ 25 Underdog Academy Experience will take home all of the above as well as a 4K UHD TV and high-end soundbar.

We’ve also got a whopping 75 copies of the game to give out as runner-up prizes!

For your chance to win, all you need to do is join Uber One if you are not already a member and answer this question:

In 25 words or less, tell us why you need a personal EA Sports FC™ 25 coach.*

Got a good answer? Want to go from underdog to EA SPORTS FC™ 25 top dog? Click here to submit it and you could win!

*T&Cs – See full program terms and conditions [here] (t.uber.com/EAAUTC).

Xbox Ambassadors Program Will Soon Shutter After More Than 13 Years

Microsoft has announced that it will soon phase out its Xbox Ambassadors program after 13 years of operations.

The company announced the news on its website today, saying that it will wind down the branch of its community efforts starting today. The Xbox Ambassador website will then shut down October 15, giving all current members of the service until then to claim any leftover codes and rewards.

Microsoft says Xbox Ambassadors “represent what a healthy gaming community is all about: Inclusivity, safety, and fun.” Participants accepted into the program to represent the Xbox umbrella by supporting the gamers under it, with the company’s goal being to use these knowledgeable players to maintain positivity among all its fans. Xbox Ambassadors are not employees but were required to meet a number of requirements in order join, including having at least 1,500 Gamerscore and being at least 17 years old. Standout members were rewarded with physical and digital goodies as well as editorial spotlights and sweepstakes opportunities.

Microsoft says it has “learned so much from this passionate group” but is choosing to shutter the program because of how the Xbox brand has evolved through the last decade. Seasonal Ambassador Quests will be phased out today, with the company promising to offer additional updates on how it plans to “expand” its Rewards with Xbox and Xbox Research offerings “soon.” The statement adds that players will soon have a “new, more global way to share feedback directly with” the company, teasing that select fans will have fresh ways to explore early access for new games and features.

“…we believe that now is the right moment to bring the learnings and values of the Ambassador community into all of our player engagement programs.”

“Players are finding more value in engaging with us in other ways that allow them to live our community values of making Xbox a place where everyone can have fun—including programs like Fanfest, Xbox Insider Program, and Rewards with Xbox,” today’s statement says. “Thanks to the work of this group, the chance for players to experience the joy of gaming is more global and inclusive than ever—and we believe that now is the right moment to bring the learnings and values of the Ambassador community into all of our player engagement programs.”

To help ease Xbox Ambassadors into a new era of Xbox, expect to see weekly sweepstakes for those looking to spend their tickets before the closure arrives mid-October. Ambassador badges will also be updated with “a special legacy design,” and those who remain active for this final season will receive “a special thank you” that will be detailed in the rewards page.

The phasing out of the Xbox Ambassadors program arrives amid a tumultuous year for Microsoft Gaming. The company, along with many others in the gaming industry, has been hit with wave after wave of layoffs. In January, Xbox cut 1,900 staff, with more shifting announced in May with the closure of studios Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks. Another 650 staff were lost just last week.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

GTA 5 Loses Steam Deck Verification as Rockstar Claims Valve’s Handheld Does Not Support Anti-Cheating Tech

You may have noticed that Grand Theft Auto V is no longer verified on Steam Deck. That’s seemingly because of the BattlEye new anti-cheat software for GTA Online, which rolled out earlier this week.

As Rockstar explains in its official FAQ, BattlEye is a kernel level anti-cheat intended to address some of the cheating problems in GTA Online. A side effect of this new software is that it apparently breaks GTA’s compatibility with Steam Deck, which Rockstar blames on Valve.

“Steam Deck does not support BattlEye for GTA Online. You will be able to play GTA V Story Mode but unable to play GTA Online,” Rockstar writes. “GTA V and GTA Online are not officially supported on Steam Deck and all technical support questions should be directed to Valve’s Steam Deck support content and community.”

What’s interesting is that Steam Deck does actually seem to support BattlEye. As The Verge pointed out, Valve has previously said that enabling BattlEye support on Steam Deck is seemingly a matter of reaching out and asking for them to effectively flip a switch.

One way or another, it’s a loss for both Valve and fans of the Steam Deck, as GTA V has consistently been one of the platform’s most popular games. We called it one of the 10 best games on the Steam Deck, eclipsed only by Elden Ring, writing, “In many ways, the sandbox world of violence and crime it offers is well suited for on-the-go gaming. It’s easy to lose yourself in the many distractions Los Santos offers, and passing time on a real city bus while you hijack a GTA city bus is a rare level of portable-gaming inception.”

IGN has reached out to Valve and Rockstar for additional comment.

In the meantime, you’ll still be able to enjoy GTA V’s story on Steam Deck, which definitely still holds up even more than a decade later. You just won’t be able to pull off portable heists online. Alas.

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

Tetsuya Nomura Reveals Why He Likes to Make Final Fantasy’s Villains So Wild and Unconventional

Famed Square Enix developer Tetsuya Nomura is known for his wild villains, from Sephiroth to Genesis, most of whom are clad in leather trenchcoats and have way, way too many belts.

Speaking to Young Jump and translated by Automaton, Nomura, who was most recently creative director on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth but has worked in lead roles on myriad Square Enix projects, said a friend in high school expressed frustration at playing as an unattractive protagonist and this shaped his perspective for creating characters going forward.

“When I was in high school, a classmate was playing a game where the main character wasn’t good looking,” he explained. “They said, ‘Why do I have to be ugly in the game world too?’ Which really left a strong impression on me.”

Nomura therefore designed the characters for the likes of Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 10, and Kingdom Hearts to be especially cool and interesting looking, though admitted he doesn’t go all out with player characters because it makes them too hard to relate to.

“If you go out of your way to make them unconventional, you will end up with a character who is too distinct and hard to empathize with,” Nomura said. His wildest ideas therefore go into antagonists like Sephiroth, when players are expected to dislike them.

The Final Fantasy series is full of over the top characters, of course, with even the more reserved ones, by Nomura’s standards, still standing out amongst the crowd. Final Fantasy 7 protagonist Cloud, for example, has giant spiky blonde hair and a six foot long sword on his back.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the latest game in the long running franchise, though the PC version of Final Fantasy 16 released just earlier this week. Both games have caused a change in strategy at Square Enix, however, as they each underperformed and sparked a shift to multiplatform releases instead of focusing primarily on PlayStation.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.