Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda parent company ZeniMax was a surprise to many, and this includes the developers at Arkane, who are working on the PS5 timed-exclusive Deathloop. Game director Dinga Bakaba told Press Start that it took though it took time to make sense of the buyout, he's a believer in Game Pass. "It was pretty surprising, I would say," Bakaba said. "It was unexpected, to an extent… [but] after the surprise, it made a lot of sense. We are very creative, driven and we really care about doing games that are original, that have a lot of personality and style."Bakaba said one part of the deal that is intriguing and special is that it means more people can play Arkane's games more easily through Game Pass.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Best Buy has kicked off another 24-hour flash sale, offering deep discounts on a selection of gear and tech. As usual, the deals include budget 4K TVs, including a Toshiba 55" 4K TV for $100 off. You'll also find markdowns on a couple of laptops, including a 17" Acer gaming laptop for $350 off, and wireless headphones like Apple AirPods Pro.Outside of the flash sale's featured deals, you'll find a bunch of other discounts on video games and gadgets, including peripherals like controllers, a Logitech racing wheel, and Elgato's HD60 S capture card. It's also a good time to snag a preorder of Monster Hunter Rise before it releases this Friday--you'll receive a free exclusive steelbook and its preorder bonuses. The one-day flash sale lasts through today, March 24, and ends at 10 PM PT / 1 AM ET, so if you see something you like, jump on it quickly. And for more great deals besides those at Best Buy, see our roundup of today's best gaming and tech deals.Collection of Mana -- $20 ($30)Dragon Quest XI S: Definitive Edition -- $25 ($40)Dying Light: Anniverseary Edition -- $20 ($40)Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age -- $20 ($40)Hitman 3 - Deluxe Edition -- $60 ($80)Kingdom Hearts III -- $10 ($20)Monster Hunter Rise -- $60 with free steelbook + preorder bonusesRed Dead Redemption 2 -- $30 ($60) See flash deals at Best Buy Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Steam Next Fest, previously known as the Steam Game Festival, is set to return from June 16-22 with "hundreds of game demos" for PC users to check out. There will also be developer livestreams and Q&As to learn about titles coming to Steam.Like last month's celebration, the Steam Next Fest will feature game demos and sales across the platform. Players will be able to get their hands up upcoming games, as well as hear from developers about their titles. Steam has yet to announced the developers that will take part this time around.The Steam Game Festival made a few appearances throughout 2020 after first launching in December 2019, with the most prominent one taking place over the summer. The Summer Game Fest, which also ran from June 16-22, included demos for recently released titles like 30XX and Unto the End. It also featured "unique content" such as game playthroughs and interviews. The festival returned in October 2020 with the usual assortment of content from demos to Q&As.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Rocket League is finally coming to iOS and Android, but this isn't a port of the original game. Rocket League Sideswipe was made from the ground up for mobile, offering faster matches designed for touchscreen controls. And just like its big sibling, the new game from Psyonix will be completely free. It'll even have something to keep the competitive players engaged. Launching later this year, Rocket League Sideswipe moves the perspective to the side (hence the name) in order to make it more intuitive on a smaller, touch-based screen. The matches last two minutes and can be played either one-on-one or with two teammates on each side. It should be a little bit easier for newcomers to pick up and play, though longtime Rocket League players will also see how it translates the gameplay to a different perspective. They'll also have access to competitive ranks to really show off their skills. Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

WWE's Thunderdome will move once again, this time to Tampa's Yuengling Center, starting with the Monday Night Raw on April 12.Initially launched last August at Amway Center in Orlando and has resided over the past four months at Tropicana Field in Tampa, WWE's interactive theater has been a success for the most part and an instant improvement from the no crowds and silence that originally plagued the company at the beginning of the pandemic last year."WWE has always been a highlight of our event mix and bringing this world-class residency to Yuengling Center only strengthens our relationship," said Kevin Preast, Kevin Preast, executive vice president of event management at Vinik Sports Group in a statement. "Hosting WWE Thunderdome is another step towards a full return of hosting more events in the area."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Capcom is rolling out a day one update for Monster Hunter Rise this week. The ver. 1.1.1 patch will weigh in at about 0.6 GB, and players will be required to download and install it to receive DLC items and play the game online with others.According to the patch notes on the official Monster Hunter Rise website, the 1.1.1 update primarily lets you access the game's DLC. After installing the patch, you'll be able to claim add-on content from the Deluxe Kit and the Monster Hunter Amiibo figures. Those who played the Monster Hunter Rise demo will also receive their bonus item bundle.On top of that, the update fixes some unspecified bugs. You can read the full patch notes below.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The What We Do In the Shadows spin-off show Wellington Paranormal has been picked up by The CW and HBO Max. The New Zealand-shot supernatural comedy series will make its US debut this summer.Each episode of Wellington Paranormal will air initially on The CW, before being available to stream on HBO Max the following day. Specific dates are yet to be confirmed.Wellington Paranormal is produced by What We Do In the Shadows creators Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi. It's a mockumentary that focuses on officers Minogue (Mike Minogue) and Leary (Karen O’Leary), members of Wellington's paranormal unit who investigate supernatural occurrences in the town under the supervision of Sergeant Maaka (Maaka Pohatu). Minogue and O’Leary reprise their roles from the original 2014 What We Do In the Shadows movie.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Overcooked: All You Can Eat offers a treat to fans of the series with a sweet discount if you own either of the previous games in the series--but only across select platforms and for a limited time. Destructoid reports that if you own Overcooked or Overcooked 2 digitally on Steam, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, you'll get a 15% discount on All You Can Eat until April 11. That brings the price from $40 down to $34, so it's a pretty good deal if you're in the market for more kitchen hijinks anyway.Overcooked: All You Can Eat adds cross-platform online multiplayer, including in remastered stages from the original Overcooked. It also adds new exclusive levels, an assist mode, and new achievements and trophies. The Swedish Chef from the Muppets franchise is a bonus character in All You Can Eat too, and you can claim him for free until April 30.Where to buy Overcooked: All You Can EatSee it on SteamSee it on Xbox OneSee it on Nintendo SwitchOvercooked is known for its zany co-op action as a team of chefs try to juggle cooking tasks to make gourmet meals without getting in each others' way. You know what they say about too many cooks.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Every now and then, we come across a deal that sounds too good to be true. That's the case with BuyDig's latest deal on the LG 27GN800-B monitor, which drops to $347 if you buy it with an Xbox wireless controller. This deal seems to work with every color of Xbox controller except Shock Blue. All you have to do is add both the monitor and a controller to your cart--a value of $465--and the price will drop to $347 like magic--or as BuyDig calls it, "a coupon." Amazon has the LG monitor for $347 as well, but you don't get the "free" controller.The LG 27GN800-B is a 27-inch IPS monitor that boasts a 1440p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms response time. Its borderless display is backed up by FreeSync Premium and G-Sync compatibility. It's a great monitor for gaming, especially in the $400 price range, and getting it at a discount with what's essentially a free Xbox controller is a steal. LG 27" 1440p monitor $347 with controller (was $465) See at BuyDig Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Fulfilling a promise it made earlier this year, Microsoft has now done away with the Xbox Live Gold requirement for free-to-play games on Xbox. Right now, this is available to members of the free Xbox Insider program, but it should roll out for everyone at some point in the future.Xbox Live Gold will no longer be required for free-to-play games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone. Similarly, you will no longer need Gold for Party Chat and Looking For Groups. Microsoft is testing this change before rolling it out for everyone later on.Xbox Insiders in Alpha Skip Ahead & Alpha today we are flighting some new features. Multiplayer in Free-to-play games, Looking 4 Groups and Party Chat on Xbox no longer requires an Xbox Live Gold membership as we flight and test these service changes ahead of general availability — Xbox Insider (@xboxinsider) March 24, 2021If you want to get started right now, you can download the Xbox Insider app on Xbox and enroll in the beta-testing program. It's free and easy to do, but you should know that opting into the program means you're testing still-in-development features, so bugs and other issues may pop up.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

After leaving Tango Gameworks in 2019, Ikumi Nakamura is back with a brand-new "small studio." Though the name of Nakamura's development house remains unknown, she is already building out her first IP.The news comes via an Archipel documentary, which followed Nakamura as she traversed abandoned, dilapidated warehouses and facilities. During the 17-minute video, Nakamura discussed her motivations for leaving Tango and how traveling around the world shaped her ideas of what makes a good work environment."I made a tweet saying that I had quit," Nakamura said. "On that same day, I received about 2,000 messages on LinkedIn. There were messages of encouragement, support, and job offers as well. Many people were also offering me to come and visit their studios. It was a chance for me to travel and learn what made a good working environment. I decided to use that experience to open my own small studio and build my IP."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

PUBG's Season 11 will bring back the popular Paramo map along with ranked changes and other tweaks, Krafton Inc. has announced. The new season begins on March 31 on PC and April 8 on consoles.Paramo is a 3x3 map set in the South American highlands with terrain changes throughout the area. It's revised version will include more field cover, a dynamic world system that modifies elements like major landmarks, and more frequent item spawn rates for the Secret Room and Care Package helicopter. You'll also be able to create custom games within the Paramo map.Season 11 will also make changes to Ranked. Starting with the new season, Ranked Seasons will run for two months, so they'll no longer be parallel with the Survivor Passes. That means changes will come to pass rewards as well to match the new cadence. Plus, spawn rates across all weapons will be increased in all maps to match those seen in esports mode.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is changing things up next week with the launch of a new version of the Miami multiplayer map. As announced by developer Treyarch on Twitter, the new version has a "close-quarters" layout and has been designed as a 6v6 map. What's more, this map takes place in the daytime as opposed to nighttime from the original version.To give players every opportunity to play the map, Treyarch is creating a 24/7 playlist for Miami Strike when the map releases next week.Sun’s up, guns up. Miami Strike comes to 6v6 next week with a new close-quarters layout and 24/7 playlist. pic.twitter.com/umoaxxfYPq — Treyarch Studios (@Treyarch) March 24, 2021The original Miami map was criticized by players for being too dark, making it difficult to track enemies. The map is also very big, so matches often get cut off by time instead of kill count. It makes for simply not a very fun experience running around the map to find enemies.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Mortal Kombat movie has already secured its R-rating, which was great news for any fans still concerned about the movie's commitment to the franchise's signature brutality even after that red band trailer. But in case there were any lingering doubts, director Simon McQuoid has assured fans even the R will be pushed to its absolute limits in the movie.During an interview with SFX Magazine, McQuoid explained that the Mortal Kombat team was set on getting away with as much "blood, gore, and fatalities" as possible--and yes, that includes having characters get their hearts torn right out of their chests, of course.McQuoid explained that "obviously, there's a point where the film becomes unreleasable if you push it too far, and that would be a very unwise return on investment for the studio. But from day one it’s been, 'Okay, we’re doing this and we’re going to do it properly'."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

A National Treasure TV show has been greenlit by Disney+. The series will be a reimagining of the hit adventure movies and will feature a Latina lead character.The National Treasure show will run for 10 episodes. The series will be written by Marianne and Cormac Wibberley, who wrote both films, and produced by the movies' producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Acclaimed director Mira Nair (Vanity Fair, Monsoon Wedding) will direct.According to Deadline, the Disney+ show will "explores the timely issues of identity, community, historical authorship, and patriotism." It will focus on Jess Morales, a 20-year-old girl who sets off on an adventure with her friends to find lost treasure and uncover the secrets of her mysterious family history.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com