Earlier today, Nic did me a great injustice by waving aside my suggestion that he write about Shroom And Gloom, because “I want to read you describing mushrooms in interesting ways”. Nic, I have no interesting ways to describe mushrooms right now. I used up all the mushroom lore I’ve ever gleaned from real-life foraging when I wrote about Morels 2, and I spent most of that article whining about unicorns. The best I can do as regards Shroom And Gloom is to say that these Shrooms do indeed look very Gloomy, possibly because some mad human has wandered into their warren and is now stabbing and eating them.
Following a hugely successful launch on Steam back in 2020, indie developer Spiderling Studios has brought the physics-based medieval vehicle-builder Besiege to Switch. What’s more, it’s available right now.
This is a game that will see you building deadly devices to take on whichever army is unlucky enough to stand in your way. What you build is entirely your call, with over 70 different blocks at your disposal and enough inspiration out there to keep you going for a while (just take a look at the above trailer).
Jump between 2D and 3D worlds in a storybook adventure that literally leaps off the page, dive into the depths of the North Sea in a techno-futuristic 1970s, reconnect with friends in a crumbling former mining town and more with September’s PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup*! The Plucky Squire launches day and date into PlayStation Plus, with the lineup’s headliner joined by Under The Waves, Night in the Woods and many more games. We’re also announcing new classics and PS VR2 game offerings coming to PlayStation Plus Premium, which includes action rhythm shooter Pistol Whip. All these games will be available from September 17.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the new game announcements.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium | Game Catalog
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The Plucky Squire | PS5
The Plucky Squire follows the magical adventures of Jot and his friends – storybook characters who discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their book. When the malevolent Humgrump realizes he’s the villain of the book – destined to lose his battle against the forces of good for all eternity – he kicks the heroic Jot out of its pages and changes the story forever. Jot must face challenges unlike anything he’s ever seen if he is to save his friends from Humgrump’s dark forces and restore the book’s happy ending. Jump between 2D and 3D worlds in this charming action adventure – solving puzzles, boxing badgers, flying with a jetpack, and enjoying many more delightful and surprising mini challenges as you become the hero of a living storybook.
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Under The Waves | PS4, PS5
Under the Waves is a narrative-driven adventure game about the engulfing power of grief. Set in the depths of the North Sea in a techno-futuristic 1970s, professional diver Stan is struggling to overcome a life-changing loss and embrace a new future. A love letter to the oceans, Under The Waves invites you to dive into a gorgeous underwater world, brought to life in a poetic blend of cinematic visuals and poignant storytelling. Live a gripping story through Stan’s eyes and guide him through an unforeseen series of events that will bring him deeper and deeper into the abyss, the reflection of his own psyche.
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Night in the Woods | PS4, PS5
College dropout Mae Borowski returns home to the crumbling former mining town of Possum Springs seeking to resume her aimless former life and reconnect with the friends she left behind. But things aren’t the same. Home seems different now and her friends have grown and changed. Leaves are falling and the wind is growing colder. Strange things are happening as the light fades. And there’s something in the woods. Night in The Woods is an adventure game focused on exploration, story, and character, featuring dozens of characters to meet and lots to do across a lush, vibrant world. Break stuff, play bass, hang out, walk on powerlines, jump between roofs, and discover strange and amazing and terrible things you never asked for.
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Chernobylite | PS4, PS5
Chernobylite is a science fiction survival horror RPG from developers Farm 51. Set in the hyper-realistic, 3D scanned wasteland of Chernobyl’s exclusion zone, you’ll take on the role of Igor, a physicist and ex-employee of the Chernobyl Power Plant, returning to Pripyat to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his fiancee, 30 years prior. Compete with the hostile military presence, other stalkers and supernatural creatures, as well as the harsh and unforgiving environment in your search to uncover the truth. Get ready for a thrilling adventure of survival, conspiracy, horror, love, and obsession.
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Wild Card Football | PS4, PS5
Wild Card Football is a fun pick-up-and-play arcade-style football game featuring 7v7 team-focused gameplay with the unique Wild Card system that lets you change the course of the action in an instant with special power-ups and rule-breaking abilities. With optimized rule sets, customizable teams and outfits, authentic pro players, and bombastic moves, players can show off their skills across single-player and competitive multiplayer modes, while using ‘Wild Cards’ that redefine the football genre and unleash over-the-top action.
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Space Engineers | PS4, PS5
Space Engineers is a sandbox game about engineering, construction, exploration and survival in space and on planets. Players build space ships, wheeled vehicles, space stations, planetary outposts of various sizes and uses (civil and military), pilot ships and travel through space to explore planets and gather resources to survive. Featuring both creative and survival modes, there is no limit to what can be built, utilized and explored. Space Engineers concentrates on construction and exploration aspects, but can be played as a survival shooter as well.
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Road 96 | PS4, PS5
Road 96 is a crazy, beautiful road-trip. The discovery of exciting places, and unusual people on your own personal journey to freedom. An ever-evolving story-driven adventure inspired by Tarantino, The Coen Brothers, and Bong Joon-ho, made by the award-winning creators of Valiant Hearts and Memories Retold. Moments of action, exploration, contemplative melancholy, human encounters and wacky situations set against a backdrop of authoritarian rule and oppression. A stunning visual style, a soundtrack filled with 90s hits, and a thousand routes through the game combine so each player can create their own unique stories on Road 96.
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Ben 10 | PS4
As Ben Tennyson, it’s up to you to save the world. Take on some of Ben’s most infamous enemies, including Zombozo, Queen Bee, and the Weatherheads. Unlock and transform into all ten of Ben’s incredible alien forms. Use each alien’s powerful combat moves – including Ultimate Attacks – to lay the beat-down on enemies with devastating combos, and solve puzzles with each alien’s unique abilities as you unravel exciting new stories in three all-new playable episodes.
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Far Cry 5* | PS4
Welcome to Hope County, Montana, the land of the free and brave, but also the home of a fanatical doomsday cult. Stand up to cult leader Joseph Seed and his siblings, the Heralds, to spark the fires of resistance and liberate the besieged community. Use a vast arsenal of weapons from rocket launchers to shovels, and take control of iconic muscle cars, ATVs, planes, and more to engage the cult forces in epic fights. Ally with the Fangs for Hire group, including fan-favorite bear Cheeseburger and dog Boomer, and free Hope County from its oppressors.
*PlayStation Plus re-release.
PlayStation Premium | PS VR2 & Classics
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Pistol Whip | PS VR2
This physical first-person shooter is fueled by dynamic tracks, dreamscape visuals and easy to learn, tough to master gunplay. Blast, duck, and dodge your way through fever dream scenarios, build unique rhythms in a ballet of bullets and claim glory on the leader boards.Inspired by iconic action cinema, the only thing that goes harder than this title’s soundtrack is you. Flow to the music with your own rhythmic patterns, or go all out as a dual-wielding deadeye with nothing to lose.
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Secret Agent Clank | PS4, PS5
Play as Clank, Ratchet, and Captain Qwark in this undercover adventure, originally released on PSP and now enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. When a valuable gem is stolen and Ratchet is charged with its theft, only one Robot can save him – Secret Agent Clank! It’s up to the galaxy’s top spy to solve this mystery and uncover the true mastermind behind the crime.
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Sky Gunner | PS4, PS5
Experience SkyGunner, a 3D third-person combat flight sim originally released on the PlayStation 2, now enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Choose from three Skygunners; Ciel, Copain and Femme and take on a multitude of spectacular missions and take advantage of the intricate scoring system to unlock hidden secrets and modes.
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Mister Mosquito | PS4, PS5
You are Mr Moskeeto, an uninvited guest in the Yamada’s family home. You will need to drink as much of their blood as possible to survive the winter. They know you are in the house, and they plan to take you out. This PS2 release is now enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Fly through and explore the 12 levels of the Yamada household, searching for victims. Use stealth or prepare for air combat as you do battle with human inhabitants. Watch the family’s relationship disintegrate as they take their irritation out on each other.
*PlayStation Plus Game Catalog and PlayStation Plus Premium/Deluxe lineups may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day.
The PS5 Pro is now a fast-approaching reality. The $700 mid-generation upgrade arrives on November 7, approximately a year in advance of the game that will likely push the four-years-old base PS5 to its very limits: Grand Theft Auto 6. But how essential will the PS5 Pro be to enjoying GTA 6 at its very best? It’s a question more complicated than it first seems.
“I think there’s good evidence to suggest that the [GTA 6 trailer from last year] was running on either PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X,” says Richard Leadbetter, technology editor at Digital Foundry. As such, the impressive level of graphical detail seen in that trailer should be achievable using the power of the original 2020 model PlayStation 5. It stands to reason, then, that the new PS5 Pro will be more than capable of delivering what we saw in that short glimpse of Vice City.
Frame rates, though, are an entirely different thing. When asked if GTA 6 could realistically run at 60 frames-per-second on the PS5 Pro, Leadbetter is blunt in his analysis: “No. Grand Theft Auto games have always run complex simulations that push the CPU hard, which is why every GTA game has initially launched on their target platforms at 30fps (or lower!).
“The PS5 Pro uses the same CPU as the PS5 and it would be extremely challenging to hit 60fps if the base PS5 version is targeting 30fps,” he explains. “This isn’t a GPU problem, it’s a CPU problem.”
There’s a multitude of simulation work running concurrently and constantly in GTA to keep its open world ticking. Every street is, at the very minimum, a stage for complex traffic and pedestrian simulations – AI routines and physics calculations that bring those roads and sidewalks to life. GTA 6 will very likely feature one of the most realistic depictions of city life we’ve seen in a video game, and so will be significantly taxing on the CPU as it renders all sorts of NPC behaviours. That leaves little bandwidth to boost those frame rates.
Grand Theft Auto games have always run complex simulations that push the CPU hard, which is why every GTA game has initially launched on their target platforms at 30fps.
Still, thanks to the PS5 Pro’s other enhancements, GTA 6 will undoubtedly look better on the new console. It just likely will not be the 4K 60fps experience many will be expecting following Sony’s boastful presentation. “What you will get will be higher quality visuals, but likely still running at similar frame-rates [to the base console],” says Leadbetter. “If GTA 6 can’t sustain a locked 30fps (GTA 4 and GTA 5 couldn’t on PS3 and Xbox 360), PS5 Pro can run the CPU with a 10 percent bump to clock speeds – so you may get more stable performance.
“Of course, all bets are off if Rockstar is targeting 60fps on the standard PS5 – but we’ve seen no evidence so far to suggest it is.”
While it seems unlikely that the PS5 Pro will run GTA 6 at 4K 60fps, there’s still reason to believe the new console will prove an impressive machine. Right now, though, there’s little evidence of its transformative abilities. “I think the hardware’s certainly capable, but the actual presentation confused me,” says Leadbetter. “Nine minutes just isn’t really enough to describe in depth the features the machine has and the philosophy behind the design.”
Leadbetter also notes that the games showcased during the presentation were already fantastic graphical showcases in their original forms, and so were not ideal demonstrations of the Pro’s machine learning-based upscaling technology. Why was it the already gorgeous Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man 2 being shown off when we could have seen how transformative PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution could be for games that have shaky image quality on the standard PS5?
“Combine that with poor presentational techniques and YouTube’s inadequacies as a video delivery platform and you didn’t see much of an improvement,” says Leadbetter.
While Sony has chosen to so far only preview enhancements to games that barely require them in the first place, we can at least be relatively confident that those titles in desperate need of a performance boost will be catered for. The PlayStation Blog states that up to 8,500 games will be improved thanks to the PS5 Pro Game Boost feature.
We might even finally get Elden Ring locked to 60 frames per second.
“I think [the improvements will] be quite cool actually, assuming the extra 45 percent of GPU power is fully available to existing games,” enthuses Leadbetter. “Many titles have dynamic resolution scaling. You should see clear image quality improvements there. Similarly, a lot of games have frame-rate issues in their 60fps performance modes – I’d expect those to be cleaned up. We might even finally get Elden Ring locked to 60 frames per second.”
One thing Leadbetter thinks is less likely to make an impact is the Pro’s 8K capabilities. While he foresees a very small number of tech-focused developers, like Gran Turismo 7 creator Polyphony Digital, making 8K resolution options available for PS5 Pro, he doubts other studios will work on such modes “because the audience out there is vanishingly small.”
“I had an 8K screen for four years, but even as an RTX 4090 owner, I have little interest in 8K gaming when high frame-rates at max 4K are so much more desirable,” he says.
Talking of Nvidia’s RTX graphics cards, PC gaming has been the much-debated topic following Sony’s reveal of the PS5 Pro’s eye-watering $699.99 price tag. I’ve seen several suggestions across social media that it’s better value to just save up a ‘little extra’ money and buy a PC that will prove more powerful than the PS5 Pro. It’s an argument I personally think is flawed – a strong 4K, high frame-rate PC will set you back notably more money than the cost of the new console. And, when it’s built, it simply won’t be capable of doing the thing many prospective PS5 Pro owners want: playing GTA 6 at launch with the best possible graphics. (GTA 6 will ship on console first, remember.)
Leadbetter has a similar outlook. “You will struggle to get that kind of visual quality on a similarly priced PC,” he says. “The closest GPU on the market now with that kind of feature set and performance is the RTX 4070 – which is a fair bit better, I’d say. But your base cost there is $540/£480. And then you need to factor in CPU, motherboard, memory, storage, power supply and case.
“You could offset the extra cost against the fact that you don’t need extra subscription costs over time, I suppose, but I think you’re missing the fundamental point of what PS5 Pro is and who is going to buy it.
“It’s a console, not a PC – and there are still key differences there, not least in a viable living room experience. I’d also say the Pro is designed to appeal to core PlayStation users with a library built up over many years. That library will not transition over to PC so those users are effectively starting from scratch.”
Of course, that’s not to say that the PS5 Pro is a ‘good deal’. “That user base likely has a physical game library, too – so the notion you don’t even get a disc drive for your £699/$699 is nuts,” Leadbetter concludes.
There may be other people looking at the PS5 Pro and failing to see a good value proposition, too, although for entirely other reasons. “I think Phil Spencer watched the presentation and felt vindicated in the decision not to make a ‘pro’ console for this generation,” Leadbetter theories. “Xbox players already have a great way to play high-end Xbox games – and that’s on PC, where the enthusiast has more freedom to pick and choose the kind of hardware they want.”
It’s true: Microsoft has been running three different platforms from the very start of the generation, offering a solution for players of all tastes and budgets. It is arguably Xbox’s biggest advantage over PlayStation. Who needs a Series X-X when you can play Starfield at 4K60 on a PC? Avowed’s 30fps lock simply isn’t a problem if you’ve already shelled out for an RTX 40-series graphics card.
But, as we’ve already said, the PS5 Pro is not a PC. It’s a different beast entirely. Is it the console the PlayStation hardcore needs, though? Let’s see how fast it flies off the shelves this November.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Features Editor. Additional reporting by Alex Simmons.
Space Marine 2 has its first patch following its record-breaking launch, but don’t expect big changes — those are coming in a larger update due later in September.
Publisher Focus Interactive announced that a small hotfix (hotfix 2.1) is out now for the Saber Interactive-developed Warhammer 40,000 action game across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S (check out the patch notes below).
IGN’s Space Marine 2 review returned an 8/10. We said: “Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 may not break the third-person shooter mold, but it looks amazing, makes good use of its Warhammer lore, and has brutal combat that just feels great.”
Space Marine 2 hotfix 2.1 patch notes:
Crashes and bug fixes
Fixed some rare possible crashes when starting the game
Fixed a rare possible crash that occured during the first cutscene
Fixed several other rare crashes
Fixed several rare bugs that were causing soft locks in the story mode
PC Only
Optimized CPU behavior on high end CPUs
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.
Gold Gold Adventure Gold is a game that relies on raw enthusiasm and moxie to power you through a blizzard of confusing references. It boldly describes itself as a “Cult-of-the-Lamb-lite, Rimworld-lite, Majesty-like mixed with Black & White with a pinch of Against the Storm”. Whoa there, pardner, save a few subgenres for the rest of us! I think that’s half the New & Trending keywords on Steam in one sentence. If you’re mystified, best watch the announcement trailer – it paints a clearer picture, though it does involve a startling amount of cartoon decapitation and dismemberment.
The Pokémon TCG Halloween Trick or Trade BOOster Bundle is back, bringing a spooky twist to your collection on All Hallows Eve. With 35 mini boosters in each bundle, you’ll have plenty of chances to pull some of your favorite Pokémon, all with a cute Pikachu Halloween stamp.
It’s a brilliant product for collectors, kids, or anyone looking to hand out something cooler than sweets this year. Plus, the whole set of 30 cards can be completed with just one bundle, which is perfect for those who like a challenge but don’t want to break the bank.
If you’re after a fun, seasonal Pokémon product that’s easy to collect, the Trick or Trade BOOster Bundle 2024 is it. It’s only $15 for 35 mini boosters (see here), and this year’s is one of the best ever, with cards like Okidogi, Munkidori, and Gengar making appearances, it’s a great mix of reprints and new faces. Check out our full preview of the 2024 set right here.
Rather than a than a hardcore gaming set, consider the Trick or Trade boosters as more of fun collectible for all ages. The focus here is on the Halloween aesthetic, with reprints like Pikachu and Gengar looking extra spooky with their new stamps. However, you’d be surprised at how many of the cards still have solid abilities for casual play. Plus, you’ve got new cards from the Scarlet & Violet set, like Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandipiti, to add a fresh vibe.
Each set is packed with 35 mini boosters, containing 3 cards in every “mini-booster”. The entire set of 30 cards can be completed by grabbing just one bundle. Unlike regular packs, these cards aren’t about game-changing pulls or competitive play but more about celebrating Halloween with a collectible twist. The nine Cosmo holo cards add a bit of shine to the whole experience, making cards like Pikachu and Mimikyu even more special. We love the 2024 set, and highly recommend it for anyone Pokémon fans getting into the Halloween spirit.
Our Top Trick or Trade Pulls, and How To Play Them
Darkrai 136/197 OBF
130 HP (Dark)
[D] Dark Slumber 20: Your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now Asleep.
[D][D][C] Night Cyclone 120: Move all Energy from this Pokémon to your Benched Pokémon in any way you like.
Weaknesses: [G] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C] [C]
How to Play: Start using Dark Slumber to disrupt your opponent’s Active Pokémon, especially if they rely on big attacks. Then, follow up with Night Cyclone for a solid hit while moving your Energy to a fresh attacker on your bench. This keeps your momentum going even if Darkrai is knocked out.
Fezandipiti 096/167 TWM
120 HP (Psychic)
Ability: Adrena-Pheromone: If this Pokémon has any [D] Energy attached and is damaged by an attack, flip a coin. If heads, prevent that damage.
[P] Energy Feather 30x: This attack does 30 damage for each Energy attached to this Pokémon.
Weaknesses: [S] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Load Fezandipiti with energy and let it rip. The more energy attached, the more devastating it becomes. Its ability makes it a frustrating opponent, as it can dodge attacks.
Flutter Mane 078/162 TEF
90 HP (Psychic)
Ability: Midnight Fluttering: As long as this Pokémon is in the Active Spot, your opponent’s Active Pokémon has no Abilities, except for Midnight Fluttering.
[P][C] Hex Hurl: Put 2 damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon in any way you like.
Weaknesses: [S] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: This card works best to cripple Ability-based decks. Use Flutter Mane early to control the board and stack damage across your opponent’s team with Hex Hurl.
Gengar 057/091 PAF
130 HP (Dark)
Ability: Night Gate: Once during your turn, you may switch your Active Pokémon with 1 of your benched Pokémon.
[D][C] Nightmare 100: Your opponent’s Active Pokémon is now asleep.
Weaknesses: [F] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Gengar’s Night Gate ability gives you flexibility in battle. Its high damage output and sleep effect make it a solid attacker that’s tough to counter.
Mimikyu 037/031 PAF
70 HP (Psychic)
Ability: Safeguard: Prevent all damage done to this Pokémon by attacks from your opponent’s Pokémon ex and Pokémon V.
[P][C] Ghost Eye: Put 7 damage counters on your opponent’s active Pokémon.
Weaknesses: [S] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Mimikyu’s great against ex-heavy decks. Its Safeguard ability keeps it safe while Ghost Eye quietly racks up damage.
Munkidori 095/167 TWM
110 HP (Psychic)
Ability: Adrena-Brain: Once during your turn, if this Pokémon has any [D] Energy attached, you may move up to 3 damage counters from 1 of your Pokémon to 1 of your opponent’s Pokémon.
[P][C] Mind Bend 60: Your Opponent’s Active Pokémon is now confused.
Weaknesses: [D] x 2
Resistances: [F] – 30
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Munkidori excels in control decks. Use its ability to spread damage across your opponent’s Pokémon while keeping your side healthy. The Confusion effect from Mind Bend can throw off your opponent’s strategy.
Okidogi 111/167 TWM
130 HP (Fighting)
Ability: Adrena-Power: If this Pokémon has any [D] Energy attached, it gets +100 HP, and the attacks it uses do 100 more damage to your opponent’s Active Pokémon (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
[F][F] Good Punch 70
Weaknesses: [P] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C] [C]
How to Play: This card is a tank. Stack it with [D] energy to boost its HP and power its punches. Combine it with cards that can recycle [D] energy to keep Okidogi in fighting form.
Pikachu 018/091 PAF
70 HP (Electric)
[C] Growl: During your opponent’s next turn, the Defending Pokémon’s attacks do 20 less damage (before applying Weakness and Resistance).
[E][C] Pika Bolt 30
Weaknesses: [F] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Pikachu’s all about early-game setup. Use Growl to buy time while you charge up Pika Bolt or set up your bench.
Sinistcha 022/167 TWM
70 HP (Grass)
[G] Put 4 damage counters on your opponent’s Pokémon in any way you like.
[G] Spill The Tea 70x: Discard up to 3 [G] energy cards from your Pokémon. This attack does 70 damage for each card you discarded in this way.
Weaknesses: [F] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Sinistcha is great for spreading damage and unloading a massive hit. Use its first attack to soften your opponent’s bench, then spill the tea for huge damage.
Teal Mask Ogerpon 024/167 TWM
110 HP (Grass)
Mountain Stroll: Search your deck for up to 2 Basic Energy cards, reveal them, and put them into your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.
[G][C] Ogre Comeback 20+: This attack does 20 more damage for each of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon.
Weaknesses: [F] x 2
Resistances: N/A
Retreat Cost: [C]
How to Play: Teal Mask Ogerpon shines in battles where your opponent builds a wide bench. Use Mountain Stroll early to stack energy in your hand, then unleash Ogre Comeback when your opponent has a full bench for severe damage. It’s best used in the middle of a match when your opponent will likely have more Pokémon on the bench.
Recently, we asked you if $499 would be too much to pay for a ‘Switch 2’. 20% of respondees said ‘nope’, nearly 30% thought it would be too much, and the majority (rather sensibly) said that it would depend on how big of an upgrade Nintendo’s next generation of hardware represented.
Yesterday Sony pulled back the curtain on the long-rumoured PS5 Pro, an iterative update to its existing console which offers a spec-bump that, as Mark Cerny said in his presentation, looks to close the gap between performance and fidelity modes. Showcasing a modest but noticeable boost (at least when zooming in on the pixels as the presentation did) to several games in Sony’s back catalogue — including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023), Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (2021), and The Last of Us II Remastered (2024) — the price was then revealed: $699 / £699 / €799.
One Big Game: 24-Hour Football Match Returns in Aid of SpecialEffect
One Big Game: 24-Hour Football Match Returns in Aid of SpecialEffect
Soccer-based shenanigans return to St. George’s Park as the UK games industry once again comes together to raise crucial funds for charity! Taking place across September 25 and 26 2024 – a mere two weeks away – 24 hours of high-quality game dev football will be livestreamed on Twitch for everyone’s viewing pleasure, all in the name of raising money for SpecialEffect.
One Big Game has come a long way since its inception in 2020: what started off as a FIFA-based rivalry between Xbox Game Studios Rare and Playground Games evolved into a real-life football face-off between the teams in 2021, and has now transformed into a multi-studio, 24-hour effort played and broadcast live from the English FA’s national football centre. This will be the second time the One Big Game squad have attempted to pull off an event on this scale, with 2023’s event raising an astonishing £30,596 overall.
Building on the brilliant efforts of last year’s One Big Game, teams from games companies such as Activision, Jagex, Ninja Theory, Ubisoft and more will come together to decide once and for all (or for at least a year) who is better: Team Red or Team Blue. All teams taking part will be assigned to represent one of those colours and will play in a full 90-minute match, where the final score will contribute to the overall Team Red and Team Blue tallies.
The sporting showdown will kick off at 7pm BST on September 25, with coverage beginning on the Xbox On Twitch channel from 6:30pm BST – and then at approximately 7:15pm BST on September 26, the final score will be settled alongside the final whistle, when one brave band of players will emerge victorious. You can expect to see some familiar faces on the broadcast and commentary team too, with the Xbox On crew (and some special guests!) taking the reins on hosting the event.
We’re once again thrilled to have the support of so many studios across the UK, all of whom are remarkably enthusiastic about donating their legs, lactic acid and, in some cases, dignity to raise money for SpecialEffect. We’re so proud to be bringing so many people together both on and off the pitch, and this event promises to be an incredibly special show of skill, spirit and generosity amongst the games industry community.
As Xbox Game Studios, we couldn’t be prouder to support SpecialEffect’s mission to level the playing field for all gamers with disabilities. For many people, games are a vital form of recreation and games like Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 5 have a particular role to play in connecting gamers with additional needs. SpecialEffect uses innovative technology to make gaming accessible to all, and your donations will allow this charity to continue supporting disabled gamers well into the future.
So please, if you can, tune in from Wednesday, September 25 for competition, camaraderie and absolutely corking goals from the participating players. Rivalries will be born, heroes will be made and friendships will be forged on the immaculate astroturf of the Sir Alf Ramsey Pitch at St. George’s Park. And, most importantly, vital funds will be raised for charity. If you’d like to get the ball rolling with donations, please head over to the One Big Game ’24 Tiltify donation page to pledge your support.
See you on the 25th – and don’t forget your stretches!
Space Marine 2 has broken free from the shackles of its Warhammer 40,000 setting and made inroads into the gaming mainstream, and that means there are plenty of players new to its grim dark far future.
For them Space Marine 2 is a somewhat bewildering experience, as it leans on much of the lore that Warhammer 40,000 owner Games Workshop has built over decades, with hundreds of novels, rule books, and magazine articles fleshing out the background fans know intimately.
Warhammer 40,000 fans have enjoyed seeing newcomers react in shock at just how grim and dark Space Marine 2 is. And it’s not just the extreme gore, mass death, and terrifying alien enemies that appear in the game either. Perhaps the most disturbing element of Space Marine 2 that newcomers are seeing for the first time are lobotomized babies.
In Space Marine 2, I really respect how cherubs are one of the first sights to see when on the barge. It’s a good tone setter for those who don’t really know what they’re in for pic.twitter.com/D3ZHWUiEQY
A tweet from Forbes writer Paul Tassi, below, sums up the reaction to Space Marine 2’s winged babies, who seemingly fly about the Battle Barge, the spaceship on which the Space Marines live and plan their missions, performing monotonous busywork.
On the face of it, the apparent “good guys” of Space Marine 2’s story have lobotomized babies cleaning up their mess. Sound messed up? Welcome to Warhammer 40,000’s Imperium of Man, a fascist regime always on the brink of extinction and an extreme vision of the far future in which pretty much anything goes.
Warhammer 40,000 is intended to be grim and dark, and so stuff like this is par for the course (lobotomized babies aren’t close to being the most disturbing thing in the setting, if you fancy some light reading, check out what the Drukhari get up to in their spare time). Space Marine 2’s far future is a truly miserable place to be, a place in which countless humans die every day from all manner of horrors, be those alien, demon, or humans themselves. Humanity, bogged down by excruciating bureaucracy and religious fanaticism, has collapsed. There is no respite, no joy, only inevitable death.
With that in mind, Warhammer 40,000 fans are used to things like a “lobotomized church menial cyborg flying baby,” as X/Twitter user ChronoTheHarlequin pointed out. The thing is, with this one in particular, it gets even weirder.
Seeing tweets like these kinda make me realize how numb I’ve gotten to the weird shit in 40k.
“Lobotomized church menial cyborg flying baby” isn’t something I’d even flinch at now https://t.co/YcLQdGCQlC
As the unofficial Warhammer podcast Adeptus Ridiculous clarified, most of these things aren’t actually lobotomized babies. Most are built from the ground(?) up as flesh automatons with computers for brains (A.I is banned in the 40th millennium because of… reasons). Why do they look like babies? Apart from Warhammer 40,000 being all heavy metal and gothic, according to the lore, it’s for “ceremonial purposes.”
Don’t worry, most of them are not actually lobotomized babies, most are built from scratch as flesh automatons with computers for brains and just made to look like babies for ceremonial purposes.
I’m loving Space Marine 2 and its attention to detail. The developers at Saber clearly love Warhammer 40,000 and made the effort to capture its oppressive, soul destroying atmosphere. I’ve particularly enjoyed the flavor dialogue you hear from the humans who are charged with keeping the Battle Barge afloat. Some bemoan a lack of sleep because of how hard they’re forced to work. Others express concern at the prospect of making even a single mistake. Given the truly miserable galaxy in which they live, these chaps are the lucky ones. And don’t get me started on the servitors.
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.
