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Nintendo Announces 50th Maximus Cup Event For Tetris 99

To celebrate the recent launch of Kirby Air Riders on the Switch 2, Nintendo has announced a new event for its Switch Online battle royale game Tetris 99.
This event will take place between 4th December and 8th December 2025, and allows players to unlock a special design inspired by Kirby's new game. This also happens to mark the 50th Maximus Cup event!
In some other Switch Online news, Nintendo has also released some new Animal Crossing: New Horizons icons for Switch Online members this week.
Rockstar

Turok And Turok 2 Have Been Updated, Here Are The Full Patch Notes

Nightdive is still rolling out regular updates for its Switch eShop versions of Turok and Turok 2, and to kick off December, it has released two new patches.
In Turok, you can expect all sorts of enhancements and improvements as well as a Switch-specific update. And in Turok 2, the team has added a bunch of improvements including cross-play multiplayer. It also shared some details about issues it's aware of in Turok 2.
Here are the full details courtesy of the Nightdive website:
Turok (2015) Patch 3 - 1st December 2025
Turok has been updated on all platforms!
PATCH NOTES
Added Atari intro video. Updated KEX and Nightdive videos. Removed Acclaim intro cutscene.
Save menu will now update the save slot text when all save slots are used.
Fixed cheat text localization when entering in a cheat code.
Added a much-requested gameplay option to toggle respawning enemies off.
Added a gameplay option for enemies to always drop items no matter what the difficulty is set to.
Crosshair now scales with the size of the screen.
Trails: are smoother, no longer disappear when the enemies change animations, and their performance has been improved.
When firing the Rocket Launcher the trails no longer stop spawning smoke particles.
Crawling now uses the weapons walk animation instead of the run animation.
Particles now fade in correctly with the intended alpha values.
Sounds pause and resume when opening and closing menus.
Lowered volume of explosion sounds during the end game escape cutscene.
Maximum active sounds increased from 64 to 128.
When the music changes there’s a quick fade out.
Fixed issues with some enemies showing the wrong blood colors.
Sandworms can no longer be shot when they have died and are under the floor.
Knife makes metal impact sounds when hitting metal enemies.
The arrow head on the Bow now flashes briefly for a better indicator of the Bow’s super shot timing.
After beating the Longhunter and the dam opens, water sounds now play. Removed shadow flags on 2 of the dam doors. Removed unused switch sectors from beta version only seen on the automap.
In Level 5 a shortcut from the beta version was added in, going from the outside area with the key to back inside to the catacomb hallways. The unique model used for the shortcut entrance was never correctly modeled, and it has now been fixed up.
Added in the missing startup elevator sound for tech platforms.
Sky speed now changes based on the sector properties. In Level 7, for example, the sky moves a little faster than the other levels.
Fixed walk speed value when moving diagonally.
Fixed enemies not respawning when they’re in water.
Interpolation fixes.
Minor model geometry fixes.
(Switch) You can now select up to an FOV of 120 on Nintendo Switch.
(PC) Rendering fixes when window focuses/unfocuses.
(PC) Using mods no longer prevents achievements which was the original remaster behavior.
(PC) Modding additions and improvements.
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil - Patch 2.2
Turok 2: Seeds of Evil has been updated on all platforms!
Improvements:
Updated KEX engine version for latest support and features.
Updated rendering defaults.
Smoother shadows, optimized light scattering, and improved ambient occlusion.
Extended singleplayer weapon models for ultrawide resolutions.
Improved localization across the game.
Added subtitles for all cinematics.
Cross-play multiplayer is now functional.
Current Issues:
We are currently aware that some players are encountering graphical and visual glitches in the Turok 2: Seeds of Evil “Next-Gen” update. We are currently working on these issues and will be addressing them in a future update slated for release before the end of the year.
We want to ensure that this release is simultaneous on all platforms, so we ask to please wait a little longer for these updates to go live. Thank you for understanding.
Rockstar

More 007 First Light Gameplay in New Developer Livestream This Week

IO Interactive has confirmed that it's hosting a gameplay-focused livestream later this week, where it will share more on its upcoming PS5 title 007 First Light.
Having been the star of a recent State of Play showcase, the James Bond game will next appear in a Beyond the Light livestream this Wednesday, 3rd December 2025. Gameplay director Andreas Krogh and senior level designer Thomas Pulluelo will "pull back the curtain on all things gameplay" from 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm GMT on Wednesday. It'll be livestreamed on Twitch.
One of the biggest releases for the first half of 2026, the game is slated to arrive for PS5 on 27th March. Will you be tuning in to the show, or have you already seen enough? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

IO Interactive Confirms the Hitman Series Will Continue

Developer IO Interactive is currently all-in on its upcoming action adventure, 007 First Light, but it sounds like Hitman fans needn't worry about the franchise's future.
In an interview with Variety, CEO Hakan Abrak is very clear about the status of the Hitman series.
"So of course there will be more Hitman," Abrak says, saying that the team is first focusing on bringing co-op to the existing game, calling it a "really, really good extension to the universe".
After that, though, Abrak says IO will "be talking about the next Hitman — because, of course, there’s going to be a next Hitman."
Exactly what form a future Hitman game will take is unclear, but Hitman 3 — now known as World of Assassination — will be a tough act to follow.
Incorporating the campaigns from Hitman 1 and 2, various additional modes, and a seemingly never-ending supply of Elusive Target missions and special events, World of Assassination is about as content-rich a game as you'll find in 2025.
IO's excellent post-launch support continues throughout December with an Elusive Target that sees Eminem hiring Agent 47 to kill Slim Shady.
Hitman 4 could simply be a whole new campaign added to the existing package, or perhaps it'll be a fresh start for the series. It's all speculation for now; we expect a new Hitman will take a while to materialise given the studio's other work.
Still, confirmation of a "next" Hitman is quite exciting, isn't it? Are you looking forward to more Agent 47 in future? Tell us in the comments section below.
Rockstar

'Everyone Told Us Not to Do It': Dispatch Producer Says Episodic Release Was Deemed 'Insane'

It sounds like Dispatch developer AdHoc Studio knew it was taking a risk by adopting an episodic release schedule — but the decision paid off in the end.
The interactive superhero drama dropped its first two episodes — of eight total — on the 22nd October, and then proceeded to launch two new episodes every following week.
In years gone by, Telltale Games had all but driven the episodic model into the ground with its numerous licensed adventure titles. And AdHoc apparently had to navigate that lasting negativity when considering its approach for Dispatch.
"Everyone was telling us not to do it," admits executive producer and CEO Michael Choung, in an interview with Knowledge.
"[It's] an insane thing to do," he adds. "From every metric, from a production perspective, no one should do this. If you think episodic alone is going to be the thing that dictates success for you, then good luck."
Essentially, Choung says that Dispatch's success was partly down to its episodic nature, but he certainly doesn't recommend that other developers follow suit — unless the narrative hook is already abundantly present in the actual game.
"The spine of this whole thing is the creative. If the creative is strong, you can cut it up however you like, and it probably is going to make it through, even if it's a poor decision," he explains.
"If you go episodic with a not-so-great story, you're flirting with people that aren't attracted to you whatsoever."
Indeed, Dispatch has been (in our opinion, rightly) praised for its endearing cast of characters and comedy-tinged storyline. There's more than enough quality there to keep people coming back.
While it's entirely possible to play through all eight episodes in one or two sittings, it's clear that the episodic structure helped spread positive impressions; Choung says that player counts hit new heights every time fresh episodes were made available.
"Again, conventional wisdom says: whatever you guys do in the first week, the second week is going to be half that number. It was literally the opposite. Those things, we anticipated. I don't think we anticipated the scale of it," Choung reveals.
Of course, we think it probably helps that Dispatch was always completely transparent with its schedule right from the start. One of Telltale's biggest problems was how uneven its releases were, with delays often sapping the hype as the studio scrambled across multiple projects.
Do you think there's still room for episodic releases in gaming? Did you play Dispatch week by week, or did you binge the whole thing in one go? Ponder Season 2 in the comments section below.
Rockstar

New 'Sonic Universe' Movie Spin-Off Announced For 2028

Paramount has revealed some of its future movie plans, but for us, the biggest draw is that Sonic the Hedgehog will be getting a brand new spin-off movie in 2028.
Variety reports that this upcoming spin-off is currently untitled, but it's being referred to to as the "Sonic Universe Event Film". It will launch in cinemas on 22nd December 2028. More than three years away!
Note that this isn't the planned Sonic the Hedgehog 4 movie, which is coming out in March 2027.
We have no other details right now, but there are a lot of opportunities to branch out in the Sonic universe, with tons of untapped characters and other video games the movies can draw from.
Plus, it seems like a no-brainer to expand the Sonic movie universe — the first three films have all received warm critical reception, particularly Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and fans seem to absolutely love them.
Collectively, the franchise has made over $1 billion at the box office and spawned a TV show focusing on Knuckles the Echidna, so more movies surely means more money.
We at least have some idea of who will feature in the Sonic 4 movie, so we'll have to excitedly wait and see on what the Sonic Universe movie will bring.
Rockstar

Third Styx Game Set for PS5 Release in February 2026

Cyanide Studio has revealed the third instalment in the Styx stealth series, Styx: Blades of Greed, has been delayed out of 2025, and will now release for PS5 on 19th February 2026.
From the perspective of Styx himself, the following was posted to the game's Steam page: "Yeah, yeah, I know, waiting isn’t your favorite thing. Mine either. (Unless I’m waiting in the dark to stab someone, of course). The devs are taking a few extra months to polish everything up, tweak the bits that need tweaking, and make sure my grand return is as glorious (and chaotic) as it deserves to be."
Blades of Greed follows on from Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness, with a third entry almost nine years after the latter released. Decent enough stealth experiences, this new title "refines the proven formula of the first two games by making freedom and creativity central to the experience. Explore vast vertical environments and master new tools and powers."
It'll now come to PS5 on 19th February 2026. Are you interested? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

Ghost of Yotei Gets 'Incredible' PS5 Pro Frame Rate Boost Thanks to New Patch

Ghost of Yotei's latest update — patch 1.1 — has resulted in some pretty significant performance boosts.
Analysed by our friends over at Digital Foundry, the update's introduction of VRR support is a win for all players, but it's an especially big deal on PS5 Pro.
Just to recap, version 1.1 was headlined by the addition of New Game+ when it launched last week, but developer Sucker Punch also snuck in some juicy new graphical settings.
A new 'Balanced' mode targets 40 frames-per-second, but really, it's the ability to uncap the game's frame rate that yields the most impressive results.
The aforementioned Balanced mode, with ray tracing, manages to hover between its intended 40fps and a smooth 60fps on PS5 Pro, with the uncap toggle enabled.
But even more impressive, the title's already excellent RT Pro mode jumps from 60fps to anywhere between 70 and 90fps, giving Atsu's adventure a seriously silky feel. Digital Foundry describes the jump as "incredible", given how well the open worlder performed to begin with.
Meanwhile, if you decide to switch ray tracing off and just dive into the standard Performance, Balanced, and Quality modes with the frame rate uncapped, you'll be treated to a roughly 33% fps increase across the board.
Oh, and on the base PS5, it's worth mentioning that Balanced can give you a very similar boost to what's available on PS5 Pro — as long as you're playing on a VRR-compatible 120Hz display. Uncapped, the frame rate can hit 60fps.
Have you given Ghost of Yotei a shot since Update 1.1? Behold those beautiful frames in the comments section below.
Rockstar

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Lacklustre European Sales Continue Trending Downwards

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is looking like the weakest-performing game in the series in quite some time, and new data from the European market sees that story continue.
As reported by Chris Dring on The Game Business, citing digital and physical sales data from GSD, Black Ops 7 has been replaced at the top of the chart by EA Sports FC 26.
This means a decline in sales for the first-person shooter, though it should be noted that this is fairly typical for the games market.
Flanking it is Battlefield 6, which moves up a position from fourth to third, indicating an upward trend in sales.
While raw numbers for the sales of Black Ops 7 have yet to be disclosed, this is just one more indication that things aren't going completely to plan for Activision's big FPS.
Elsewhere on the chart, the top 10 sees It Takes Two return at number seven, and Red Dead Redemption 2 moves up to fifth, just above GTA 5.
In terms of revenue rather than unit sales, EA Sports FC 26 is top dog there as well, while Sony games Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Ghost of Yotei show up in eighth and ninth respectively.
European Top 10 Unit Sales (Week Ending 23rd November)
EA Sports FC 26 (EA)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (Activision)
Battlefield 6 (EA)
Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros)
Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
It Takes Two (EA)
Anno 117: Pax Romana (Ubisoft)
NBA 2K26 (2K Games)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo)*
European Top Ten Revenue (Week Ending 23rd November)
EA Sports FC 26 (EA)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (Activision)
Battlefield 6 (EA)
Anno 117: Pax Romana (Ubisoft)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo)*
NBA 2K26 (2K Games)
F1 25 (EA)
Spider-Man 2 (Sony)
Ghost of Yotei (Sony)
Kirby Air Riders (Nintendo)*
*Digital sales data not available
Rockstar

Spec Ops: The Line Director Returns With Horror Game 'Sleep Awake' On Xbox This Week

One of the games you probably glossed over in our "games coming to Xbox next week" roundup over the weekend was Sleep Awake, which is a psychedelic horror game that's being developed by a brand-new studio.
That studio is called "Eyes Out", and it's led by Spec Ops: The Line director Cory Davis, as well as the Nine Inch Nails guitarist (!) Robin Finck. If you haven't played it, Spec Ops: The Line is a very interesting shooter from the Xbox 360 era.
Sleep Awake is a totally different genre to that game, of course, taking the form of an "immersive first-person psychedelic horror narrative experience that explores the realm between sleep and death". It looks suitably creepy and packed with puzzles, and the few previews that we've seen ahead of launch have seemed positive.
Here's an example from PC Gamer:
This sounds like one to keep an eye on, then! If you're interested, Sleep Awake releases on Tuesday, December 2nd for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, but it doesn't look like pre-orders will be live on the Xbox Store ahead of time.
We'll throw some more details about the game along with screenshots below.


Rockstar

Yakuza Kiwami 3 Is More Than Just A Remake, And It Contains "Major Hints" For Series' Future

The Yakuza / Like A Dragon series has been one of the biggest surprises of the Switch 2 generation, with three games — 0, Kiwami 1, and Kiwami 2 — available on the platform already. In February next year, it'll be joined by the brand new Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties which is much more than a remake of Yakuza 3, says RGG Studio director Yokoyama Masayoshi.
In an interview with GameWatch (translated by Automaton), Masayoshi-san has said that this remake "contains some major hints about the future direction of the series."
"We haven't officially announce anything related to that yet," Masayoshi continues "But once you play it, I think you’ll get an idea, or rather, a pretty solid sense of what we intend to do with the series going forward.”
Well, considering there are five more mainline games (not including spin-offs such as Judgment or Gaiden) set after Yakuza 3, that's a little surprising!

Dark Ties is the major new content, but other changes may well be coming — Image: SEGA
None of those are on Switch consoles either, and with Yakuza: Like A Dragon and Infinite Wealth both starring a different protagonist (though Kiryu does pop up, because of course he does), it certainly leaves us with some questions.
Masayoshi also insists that the new story starring Yoshitaka Mine, Dark Ties, is "extremely shocking", stating that it's one of the "darkest" stories in the series' history: "if you think Yakuza Kiwami 3 is just a remake, you’d be hugely mistaken."
Well, even without that little hint, it certainly sounds like a lot more than a rehash of the original PS3 release.
Rockstar

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Review (PS5)

Between the brilliant TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind, retro beat-‘em-ups are enjoying a bit of renaissance.
Marvel Cosmic Invasion is perhaps the highest profile effort yet, a sublimely presented four-player pixel art tribute to the arcade glory years, when smoky pool halls were ruled by the likes of Capcom’s The Punisher and, perhaps more pertinently here, Konami’s X-Men.
In that sense, this outing harbors few surprises: you select from a roster of 15 superheroes and punch your way through 15 stages, each inspired by locations from across the larger Marvel Universe.
Your ultimate objective? To take down insectoid Annihilus and his Cosmic Control Rod, in a plot that’s partly based on the Annihilation Wave storyline from the comic books.
While the gameplay remains fairly familiar for the genre, its biggest twist is how it requires each player to select two superheroes, adding tag mechanics to the traditional button mashing mix.

You can toggle freely between your characters at any time, or trigger team-ups which allow you to really lay the smackdown on your foes. This means, in a full four-player setup, there can be as many as eight superheroes on the screen.
To support this, dev Tribute Games has prepared a fairly stacked launch day roster, which blends familiar faces like Spider-Man and Wolverine with lesser-known additions like Beta-Ray Bill and Cosmic Ghost Rider.
While all of the characters ultimately have access to the same basic set of abilities, they handle pretty differently.
She-Hulk is slower and more powerful than some of her peers, for example, while Storm and Silver Surfer have more potent aerial abilities.
Each character has his or her own special moves, like Black Panther who can lob Vibranium spears at his opponents or Rocket Raccoon who wields an arsenal of explosives.

You also build up Focus through landing attacks, which allows you to trigger a screen-clearing super move. Again, each of these is unique, like Captain America throwing his shield in a 360-degree circle or Phoenix filling the screen with flames.
The animation work on some of the characters is exceptional, with Venom’s symbiote transformations particularly standing out, occasionally revealing a glimpse of conduit Eddie Brock behind his suit.
And many of the levels are filled with Easter Eggs, whether it’s New York City and its various references to the Daily Bugle or the Savage Land with its pre-historic backdrops.
We don’t want to spoil too much, but this is a whistle-stop tour through the Marvel universe, and there are some brilliant cameos which even the most casual of fans will appreciate.

While the game is perfectly enjoyable in single player, it is built around online and local multiplayer first and foremost. Fortunately, in all formats it’s a drop-in/drop-out experience, so your friends and family can dip in and out as they please.
Playing in a pre-release environment we haven’t been able to test out the online just yet, but we did spend time in local co-op and found the action more intense and over-the-top in this format.
There are definite difficulty spikes in single player which you should be aware of, and while they’re not insurmountable, the whole game becomes much more manageable when you’ve got two or three partners by your side.
We should also mention that you will also level up your superheroes the more you use them in the main campaign mode, and this adds additional HP and various other abilities and passives to their arsenal.

In some instances, we found we were being punished for experimenting with new characters we hadn’t levelled up, but the game absolutely encourages replayability and its difficulty isn’t so high that you can’t beat levels with superheroes you’ve never tried before.
Our biggest criticism of the game is how depth perception – a common issue for side-scrolling brawlers – is made more difficult by the increased emphasis on enemies who can fly here.
Without referring to shadows – which can be difficult to pay attention to given the chaotic nature of what’s happening on the screen – we often found we would whiff on aerial attacks because we were either too shallow or deep into the stage.
It’s not a major issue, but it can become frustrating when you air ball an enemy you thought you were perfectly lined up alongside, and it happened to us a lot across almost all of the game’s stages.

Still, it’ll take you roughly three hours to beat the campaign on your first playthrough, but you are encouraged to replay all of the levels to fulfil challenge requirements which encourage you to use specific characters or play in a particular way.
Once you’ve done this, you can invest any resources you’ve earned into the NAME HERE to unlock various character bios, color palette swaps, and even arcade modifiers.
And yes, the latter pertains to a more traditional arcade mode, which actually condenses the runtime and sees you selecting between stages at key moments on your path towards the final face off with Annihilus.
Conclusion
Marvel Cosmic Invasion does little to surprise, but it executes excellently on its retro beat-‘em-up ambitions. Depth perception can be a problem, but we like how the tag-team format gives the game a bit more of a chaotic feel, especially during local and online co-op sessions. And we also appreciate how each superhero handles slightly differently, adding a lot of replay value to a brawler that already has a relatively robust content offering.
Rockstar

'If You Think It's Just a Remake, You're Hugely Mistaken': Yakuza Kiwami 3 Has 'Major Hints' About Series' Future

Yakuza Kiwami 3 will apparently feature "major hints" about where the Like a Dragon series is heading, despite being a PS5 and PS4 remake of a PS3 title.
This is according to RGG Studio director Masayoshi Yokoyama, who isn't a stranger to saying stuff that'll make Yakuza fans sit up and take notice.
"It contains some major hints about the future direction of the series," Yokoyama told GameWatch (as translated by Automaton).
He continues: "We haven’t officially announced anything related to that yet. But once you play it, I think you’ll get an idea, or rather, a pretty solid sense of what we intend to do with the series going forward."
Honestly, it's one hell of a quote, and it immediately makes us wonder if there's much more to Yakuza Kiwami 3 than meets the eye.
Indeed, Yokoyama almost seems to double down on just how important Kiwami 3 is to the franchise, stating: "If you think Yakuza Kiwami 3 is just a remake, you’d be hugely mistaken."
Now, again, Yokoyama has a bit of a history when it comes to hyping things up — it is part of his job as both a director and an executive producer, after all — but we don't think he'd be going this hard if there wasn't something more to Kiwami 3.
We also need to remember that the remake bundles in a whole new expansion-like story called Dark Ties, where you play as Yakuza 3 antagonist Yoshitaka Mine. Yokoyama could, to some extent, be referring to Dark Ties' inclusion.
So, could Kiwami 3 have new plot bits and pieces that tie into future games? Or maybe Yokoyama's on about gameplay-related mechanics and systems? It's impossible to say at this point, but the man clearly knows how to stir up interest.
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is still set to release on the 12th February, but will you be booking a trip to Okinawa? Wear your best holiday shirt in the comments section below.
Rockstar

Cyberpunk 2077 News Teased for 5th Anniversary

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red might be teasing something for the game's imminent fifth anniversary.
We've written about this before, but it wouldn't surprise us in the least if the company has plans. After all, third-party developer Virtuos is — as far as we know — still working on updates for the open world title, having helped create Patch 2.3 earlier in the year.
Some fans have theorised that the team's been working on another big update ever since, and the game's fifth anniversary would obviously be the perfect time to release it.
Anyway, this rumour's been reignited thanks to a new post from the official Cyberpunk 2077 account on social media.
For a while now, the account has been pointing out character birthdays — but with its latest post, it actually highlights the aforementioned anniversary, which takes place next week, on the 10th December.
Again, it's not hard to imagine CDPR having something up its sleeve for the occasion — and the company's always enjoyed posting cryptic teasers online.
Do you have any hopes and dreams for Cyberpunk 2077's fifth anniversary? Try to forget that original PS4 release in the comments section below.
Rockstar

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta: All Start Times, How to Play, and What's Included

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, Sony's superhero fighting game, comes out sometime in 2026, but fans will be able to give it a try very soon with the second closed beta test.
The closed beta will give you a chance to play the Arc System Works tag-team fighting game, but what are all the details? In this guide, we'll be going through everything you need to know, including start and end times, how to join, and plenty more.
What Time Does the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta Start?

The Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta test takes place over the course of three days, and users will be able to play continuously over that time.
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' closed beta begins on Friday 5th December, and concludes on Sunday 7th December.
The closed beta period starts at the following times:
North America: 12am PST / 1am MST / 2am CST / 3am EST
UK/Ire: 8am GMT
Europe: 9am CET / 10am EET
Asia/Oceania: 5pm JST / 4pm AWST / 7pm AEDT
Your Local Time: 1am, Fri 5th Dec 2025 Mountain Standard Time

The closed beta period ends at the following times:
North America: 11:59pm (Sun) PST / 12:59am MST / 1:59am CST / 2:59am EST
UK/Ire: 7:59am GMT
Europe: 8:59am CET / 9:59am EET
Asia/Oceania: 4:59pm JST / 3:59pm AWST / 6:59pm AEDT
Your Local Time: 12:59am, Mon 8th Dec 2025 Mountain Standard Time

How Do You Join the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta?
In order to get into the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta, you need to have signed up to the PlayStation Beta Program, accessible through the link.
Once you have registered, you may be invited to take part in beta tests, including Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
Beta invites are being sent out in waves, but there's still a chance you may receive yours between now and the beta's start time, so keep checking your inbox for an invitation and further instructions.

On What Platforms Is the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta Playable?
The Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta is available to play exclusively on PS5.
What's Included in the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta?
The Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta features several playable characters to take into online and offline matches.
Characters
The following characters are available to play:
Captain America
Doctor Doom
Ghost Rider
Ms. Marvel
Iron Man
Spider-Man
Starlord
Storm
Stages
There are three stages available in the beta:
Marvel's New York
Savage Land
X-Mansion


Modes
Here's what you can get up to in the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta:
Online matches — available for the entire duration of the closed beta
Offline matches vs. CPU — available from 5th-6th December
Spectator mode
Training tutorials
Do You Need PS Plus to Play the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta?
No, you do not need a PS Plus membership in order to play the Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls closed beta test.
However, you will need an active PSN account and internet connection to play.
Rockstar

Here's What The Red Dead Redemption Upgrade Looks Like On Xbox Series X|S

The new version of Red Dead Redemption for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S will be with us on Tuesday, December 2nd, and it's already Tuesday in some countries right now, hence why we've got some early footage!
It always seems to be Fuzion Xbox Testing on YouTube that gets to this kind of stuff earlier than anyone else, and they've already provided us with detailed early looks at both the Xbox Series X and Series S versions of RDR 1.
On Xbox Series X, we can see that Red Dead Redemption is running at a resolution of 4K and delivers some nice visuals despite looking dated in some ways, while the frame rate seems to be a locked 60FPS. Ah, finally!
It's very much the same story on Xbox Series S, with the game running at a native resolution of 1440p this time with visuals that are slightly downgraded but still perfectly fine as a result. Again, we seem to be looking at a locked 60FPS.
For what it's worth, here's a look at a cutscene shot from the Xbox Series X version as well:

It's no surprise that Red Dead Redemption is running well on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, but it's still a relief to see all the same - and now we can look forward to playing it for the rest of the week! Don't forget that the new version is free if you own the Xbox 360 release digitally, otherwise it has a 50% discount on the Xbox Store or you can grab it as part of the GTA+ membership.
We'll leave you with Fuzion Xbox Testing's two videos of RDR1 down below:

Rockstar

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Impresses Critics As Arcade Beat-'Em-Up Lands On Xbox Game Pass

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is kicking off December on Xbox Game Pass in a big way - and the new Marvel brawler is out now, which means early reviews are starting to trickle in for the newly-released Xbox title.
So, we're going to gather up some of those early reviews down below for you take a look at. Spoiler alert; Marvel Cosmic Invasion sounds like it'll be a lot of fun on Xbox Game Pass!
Console Creatures (9/10)
TechRaptor (8.5/10)
Nintendo Life (8/10)
Push Square (8/10)
GamesRadar (4/5)
PlayStation Universe (7.5/10)
At the time of writing, Marvel Cosmic Invasion has a score of 78 on Metacritic and a rating of 82 on OpenCritic; pretty good going for this one so far, then. The new Marvel beat-'em-up is now live on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with two other titles arriving later this week!
Rockstar

Red Dead Redemption For Xbox Series X|S Has A 50% Launch Discount

Rockstar's new current-gen upgrade for Red Dead Redemption is starting to roll out in certain regions, and with the game now live in some parts of the world, we're seeing that this new version has a 50% launch discount on Xbox Series X|S.
Available for seemingly the first two weeks after release, Red Dead Redemption has a half price offer right now. Here's how that's looking on the New Zealand store at the moment, with the upgrade expected to go live in other regions over the next few hours:

Of course, we must note that existing owners of the Xbox 360 backwards compatible version will get this new upgrade for free anyway, so if you have that old version tied to your account, you'll be good to go when the upgrade launches in your region. This free version is only applicable to digital purchases though - physical owners won't be able to upgrade for free.
So, if you have a disc version of Red Dead Redemption or are simply picking this one up on Xbox for the very first time, you can grab the game's current-gen upgrade at 50% off for the first two weeks of release (until roughly December 14th).
Rockstar

Marvel Cosmic Invasion Review (Switch eShop)

It’s been over three years since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge was released, and Tribute Games has been really busy. Stuffed like a return-trip suitcase, Marvel Cosmic Invasion’s enormous cast of heroes and villains is here united in a rapturous beat-'em-up fanfare. Its pixel art positively simmers, with beautifully rendered backgrounds, giant set-pieces, and solid, impressively animated sprites. And, in addition to primary antagonist Annihilus, nemeses like Galactus, Hela, and Thanos make sufficiently heavy-duty appearances.
What’s particularly endearing is that the production feels wholly comic book. Its story mode, fleshed out with superbly rendered cutscenes and spot-on voice acting, really honours the source material. From Wolverine’s growl to Spider-Man’s quips, Venom’s brusque manner to Nova’s heroic fortitude, the exchanges really capture the Marvel feel. The slightly squat sprite styling works well, too, and the soundtrack is on-point throughout.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Outside of palette swap options, there are no Marvel movie elements here, and the roster is interestingly formed, teaming up the likes of Captain America and Iron Man with lesser-knowns like Beta Ray Bill and Phyla-Vell. In total, there are a whopping 15 playable characters, several of whom are unlocked during playthroughs.
Any modern scrolling beat 'em up worth its salt requires a creative and dynamic combat system, and Cosmic Invasion rises to the challenge with a dual-character tag-team setup. In Story Mode, you choose a fresh duo each time you begin a stage, selecting your destination of choice via a bullet-pointed map that runs along branching paths. Certain stages need to be beaten before you can progress, and finishing a stage will level up your team with increased power and health.
Story Mode also comes with a set of optional Challenges. These include tasks like defeating a set number of enemies with a specific move or finishing a boss with a specific character. The challenge list shows which heroes properly align with a stage’s cutscenes and narrative. Characters that are narratively required for each level have glowing boxes around them on the select screen, too, although that could be signposted better.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Arcade Mode operates in true linear fashion: your initial character choices remain fixed for the entire game, there’s no levelling up, and you’re restricted to a limited number of stages across optional routes. For many, this will be the most enjoyable way to play.
The cast’s fighting properties are amazingly varied, with differing speeds and weights, and enough unique attack forms to make each one feel interesting. Some can fly with a double-jump tap, patrolling the air, while others, like Rocket Raccoon, dominate from range with heavy artillery. Each wields a basic tap combo, a double-tap rush attack, and a dodge or block that, when timed right, enacts a parry. Every character can charge a unique breakout move, and the 'X' button lets loose their special attack. The 'R' button is reserved for big, flashy supers, requiring a “Focus” energy that recharges while battling.
Tag-teaming works entirely around the left trigger. Tapping switches characters, who can swing in and break you out of holds. You can also combine attacks, whereby pressing the trigger mid-combo will have your partner appear alongside you, dealing out extra blows. Interestingly, you can combine the tag function with different buttons, creating different partner effects like aerial dives or rushing slashes. All tag battling eats into your Focus energy, a point to consider if you’re trying to build a team super: a devastating dual attack engaged with 'ZL' and 'R' that requires maximum Focus for both characters.
Cosmic Invasion is flashy and superbly slick, and mining all the little details is quite the adventure. There’s not much included in the rather threadbare tutorial, so it’s down to you to experiment, discovering which grabs can be turned into throws with D-pad combinations, and which characters have functions that respond to simultaneous button presses. The fastest hack here is to hit pause and read through your character’s movelist.
In a world post-Absolum, Cosmic Invasion doesn’t quite land in the same way Shredder’s Revenge did. While it does get furiously heated, its pace does feel a tad slow overall. What's surprising, though, are the numerous oversights in the visual feedback department. The map points on Story Mode, for example, don’t change colour when you clear a stage or complete its challenges, and post-toilet break it can take a moment to recognise which you just did.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Tribute Games clearly aren’t fans of prominent combo counters either, which is a shame as Cosmic Invasion seems to be crying out for one. Here, the combo counter is small, tame, and seated inconspicuously beside your health bar. As such, your building of blows isn’t as rewarding, and, being a comic-book-themed game, classic onomatopoeia or “Dazzling!”, “Amazing!”, or “Super!” would have been the perfect way to celebrate combo milestones.
The feedback element that really needs bolstering, though, surrounds the tag mechanic. With so many different usage combinations, some additional visual, aural, or haptic cues to delineate each state would have been helpful amidst the game’s flurrying pyrotechnics. For example, a short pad vibration upon engagement, and perhaps character colour flashes could give some idea of how much Focus energy is being consumed. And, as the tag function can be combined with different buttons for different dual attack types, some kind of visual feedback to articulate each state wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
It’s not the end of the world, but your tag mechanics tend to get drowned out in the fighting stew, lacking a sense of tactility. For your mammoth dual super attack, too, any kind of wind-up effect or chime would have been welcome, just to let you know you’re primed to go. Additionally, recovering the secret green cubes hidden on each stage is so perfunctory it’s like a fart in the wind. There’s no indication it even has value, no message screaming “Cube Recovered!” or the like. In fact, it’s quite possible to pick one up accidentally without realising it.
These aren’t criminal offences, and they certainly don’t diminish the effort involved. But anyone who understands arcade games knows that good feedback aspects can really elevate the experience. As such, while impressively deep with its dodging, parrying, and potential for wild mix-ups and tag-team juggling, Cosmic Invasion's combat doesn't feel quite as satisfying as something like Streets of Rage 4, the recent Absolum, or even Shredder’s Revenge, which was a touch more honed in the battling department.
The more overt problem with Cosmic Invasion, though, is its difficulty balancing. Credit-feeding arcade games robs them of their value, largely because of their routine nature, and a lack of challenge has a similar effect. For some reason, Cosmic Invasion’s default Medium difficulty setting is a total cakewalk. Bosses, whose attack patterns are often thoughtfully designed, go down to first-attempt spamming in all but the last few stages. Health items are scattered all over, and being able to tag characters, regularly deploy super attacks, and regenerate not only Focus but your health too, actually makes the campaign a tad mundane. It’s much like the Marvel movies themselves in this respect: when there are no stakes, you start to switch off.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Undocked)
Now, there is a Hard Mode, but it isn’t available from the outset. Instead, you need to earn cubes to be spent on a hexagonal grid, unlocking additional character palettes and other in-game adjustments. For your information, you want to go right to the top middle of the hexagon and unlock that Hard Mode option, because frankly, it’s transformative.
Playing Arcade Mode on Hard Difficulty suddenly makes Cosmic Invasion both reasonably challenging and, with it, far more interesting, requiring thought and skill over mindless button mashing. All aspects of your moveset take on genuine importance, with different enemies and situations demanding experimentation — and the dodge and parry become crucial. While, in my opinion, the default difficulty should have been set somewhere between Medium and Hard Mode — and that means Tribute Games didn’t quite get either quite right — Hard Mode is still the place to go lest things get boring.

Captured on Nintendo Switch (Docked)
Now, if you’re primarily here for the multiplayer aspect, all this challenge criticism goes out the window. With friends, it’s just a blast, even if the four-player is a little too chaotic, all things told. In terms of delivering campy Marvel magic, however, in which iconic superheroes smash iconic supervillains, Cosmic Invasion comes through with flying colours.
Conclusion
Pure cartoon fun, and all the better for it, Tribute Games has not only totally honoured the source material, but delivered one of the best arcade Marvel games ever made. The aesthetic is beautiful, and the effort involved in creating such a varied cast of beat-'em-up protagonists is admirable.
Yes, there are areas for improvement, and some of its combat-feedback oversights feel like missed opportunities. But if you primarily want multiplayer action, to unlock and grind and level up your cast, and to get knee-deep in Marvel mayhem, it’s right on the money. If you’re working through its single-player Story campaign, you’re likely to get bored before the end owing to its ease, but unlock Hard Difficulty and Cosmic Invasion becomes all it was destined to be.
Rockstar

Here's Another Look At Elden Ring Running On Switch 2

We might have to wait a little while longer than expected until we can see Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in its full glory on Switch 2, but the title is still popping up at games expos around the world, giving us plenty of opportunities to see it in action.
The latest slice of hands-on time came from the Milan Games Week 2025, where 'Corey Da Flame' captured the over-the-shoulder footage found above (thanks, Nintenderos). It's the same opening section that we have seen played on Switch 2 a couple of times now, and off-screen recording is never the best way to get an idea of things from a performance perspective, but things seem... less tarnished than we were expecting.
Okay, it's no PS5 build, but as far as talk of the Switch 2 version goes, it looks pretty darn fine. Our initial impressions of the game in handheld were rather rough, and while things certainly seemed to be a step in the right direction when getting our first look at the game in docked, the latest footage suggests that things are getting better still.
Again, we won't know for sure until the full game comes our way at some point next year — and we don't only have over-the-shoulder footage to go off. At the time of writing, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is still hanging with a vague '2026' release window after FromSoftware decided to delay the port back in October.
Rockstar

Didn't Catch The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown? Here's Who Won

Last Friday saw the broadcast of The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown, sponsored by Nintendo and overseen by our friends at IGN Entertainment.
Featuring 24 UK variety and gaming influencers, the event showcased Mario Kart World's Knockout Tour at its most chaotic. The selected streamers were split into six teams of four, and commemorative trophies were offered to the quartet that accumulated the most points throughout the competition. Clearly, much more than honour was at stake here.
Hosted by IGN UK’s George Forsyth-Nash (aka Nash) and Outside Xtra’s Jane Douglas, The Mario Kart World: Knockout Tour Streamer Showdown also benefited from insights by Outside Xtra's Mike Channell and presenter Jules Hardy, both of whom were on hand to supply colour commentary and general Mario-related waffle.

The final rankings — Image: IGN UK
Some of the UK's biggest streamers took part, including TooBizyGaming, GetMadz, OwengeJuiceTV, KickThePj, InTheLittleWood, TheOrionSound and ReadySetBen.
The event delivered a true masterclass in Mario Kart skills, but ultimately, it was the Orange Team (TheOrionSound, Solidarity, InTheLittleWood and Ravs) which emerged victorious, while the poor old Red Team came in last. Better luck next time, guys!
If you caught the karting action and feel the need to demonstrate your own talents, then you can enter IGN UK's Streamer Showdown giveaway over on X, where a brand spanking new OLED TV is up for grabs. Entries close on 14th December, 2025, and are open to UK residents aged 18 and over (full T&Cs can be found here).
If you want to revisit what happened, then head over to IGN UK's YouTube and Twitch channels – or you can watch the full stream below.
Rockstar

Jennifer Hale Says She Was "Thrown Under The Bus" Amid Bayonetta 3 Casting Controversy

Jennifer Hale, one of the most iconic voice actors and best known for playing Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect trilogy and Naomi Hunter and Emma Emmerich in the Metal Gear Solid series, has spoken about her experience in playing Bayonetta in Bayonetta 3.
Hale, who took over the role from Hellena Taylor for the third entry in the series, told GAMINGbible (via IGN) that she "got thrown under the bus by that whole thing."
"I was unable to speak on my own behalf because I was under not one but two NDAs. Eventually, I was allowed to make a statement, which I appreciated, and I was able to present the facts,” Hale continues.
Following PlatinumGames' announcement of the new voice actor, Taylor urged fans to boycott the game due to a pay dispute. She claimed that the studio offered her only $4,000 "to do the whole game...as a flat rate". Fans rallied around Taylor initially, before reports emerged that Taylor had been offered that rate for between four to five sessions.
Hale says that “There were some things said [that were] presented as facts, but were false. I would have never taken a role otherwise. Before I accepted the audition, I checked everything thoroughly, and I trust the director."

Bayonetta 3 made a number of changes to the game beyond just the titular character's voice — Images: Nintendo
"Thankfully, playing Bayonetta was so much fun, and the community was so welcoming to me, especially after the fiasco had passed and the facts came out."
Following Hale's initial statement, PlatnumGames came out in support of the actor, stating "We give our full support to Jennifer Hale as the new Bayonetta, and align with everything in her statement."
Fortunately, the controversy died down following those additional reports and Platinum's own involvement, and the experience hasn't put Hale off of the idea of returning to the role: "It was not fun getting thrown under the bus like I had, but I was happy to come out on the other side.”
While the drama has largely subsided, earlier this year, series creator Hideki Kamiya shared his thoughts on the ordeal: "Man, that was seriously lame."
Rockstar

Red Dead Redemption PS5 Trophies Same as PS4, Easy Platinum Trophy

Ahead of its PS5 version launching tomorrow, the Trophy list for Red Dead Redemption has gone live, sharing what is an identical list to the PS4 edition.
Exophase has the complete list of 52 Trophies, which is mostly focused on the base game, with some Trophies for the Undead Nightmare expansion to go along with it. As this is the same list as the PS4 version, we can pull on the Trophy guides published for that edition to confirm we're looking at a very achievable Platinum Trophy on PS5.
PSN Profiles lists just one missable Trophy, which requires you to "complete 20 story missions without switching to a new horse at a hitching post". The advice is to never hitch your horse after earning one from the Bonnie mission, and never use horse deeds or let your horse die. There are certain situations involving this Trophy you'll want to be aware of, though, so check the site for all the details.
Anyone who owns the PS4 version of Red Dead Redemption gets a free upgrade, and the PS5 edition is also launching straight into PS Plus Extra tomorrow, 2nd December. It's not known yet if the PS5 version will also be folded into the GTA+ subscription service.
Will you try to earn the Red Dead Redemption PS5 Platinum Trophy? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

The Witcher Dev Still Wants to Release Ciri's Whole Trilogy Within Six Years

The Witcher developer CD Projekt Red is reportedly sticking to its plan to release not one, not two, but three new games within a six year period.
To be clear, the company's referring to the new trilogy, which starts with The Witcher 4. The Ciri-led adventure doesn't have a release date (or even a release window) yet, but the idea is that once it's out, you won't have to wait too long for The Witcher 5 and The Witcher 6.
"As we had stated before, our plan still is to launch the whole trilogy within a six-year period," co-CEO Michal Nowakowski reiterated during a recent financial call.
Nowakowski suggests that the (much) shorter development cycle will be, in part, thanks to the studio's move to Unreal Engine 5: "We've been using Unreal Engine 5 for The Witcher 4 for four years now, and we're very happy with what we've achieved."
But it's hard not to be cynical, isn't it? CD Projekt Red is, rather infamously, a company that has a history of lengthy development and release delays. And on top of that, its two biggest hits — The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 — required significant post-launch support to get them in good shape.
It's difficult to envision a future where we get three new Witcher titles in the space of six years, then — even if Unreal Engine 5 turns out to be the developer's holy grail.
In truth, we think Nowakowski is just bigging the company up for the sake of its shareholders here, but it'll still be interesting to see what the next decade or so brings for CDPR as a whole.
Can you ever see Ciri's whole trilogy releasing in such a timeframe? Show us some Geralt-style cynicism in the comments section below.
Rockstar

PS Blog Wants Your PS5 Game of the Year Nominations for 2025

With awards season just a few weeks away, Sony's official PlayStation Blog has opened all of its Game of the Year 2025 deliberations to the public, allowing PS5, PS4 fans to vote for their favourite titles released this year.
Voting across 19 categories is live now until midnight on Tuesday, 9th December, giving you a full week to consider your picks and then submit them. You can do so through the link, with the following categories available:
Best New Character
Best Story
Best Graphical Showcase
Best Art Direction
Best Audio Design
Best Soundtrack
Best Accessibility Features
Best Use of DualSense
Best Rerelease (Remaster)
Best Multiplayer Experience
Best Ongoing Game
Best Expansion
Best Sports Game
Best Independent Game
Best PSVR2 Game
Best PS4 Game
Best PS5 Game
Studio of the Year
Most Anticipated Game of 2026 and Beyond
While each category does list a handful of titles to vote for, there's also the option to input your own entry, even if it's not present. Therefore, there isn't really a definitive list of nominees; PlayStation is accepting anything. The results will be revealed in a few weeks, with the winners receiving the same accolades as our category GOTY articles: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Trophies.
Of course, our own Game of the Year deliberations will begin around Christmas time, and the likes of Ghost of Yotei and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 have already picked up a few awards. We suspect they shall be strong contenders for other outlets and the PlayStation Blog awards, too.
What are you voting for? Let us know in the comments below.
Rockstar

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