Halo Infinite Season 5 brings Firefight, Two Arena Maps, Flood-Inspired Customization, and more to the game

343 Industries is prepared to drop Season 5 of Halo Infinite on October 17, 2023, and it might be the largest content drop we’ve seen for the game since 2021. Today, the studio dropped a trailer that teases some of the game’s new features and it showcases a lot including the return of Firefight. For those who don’t know, Firefight was first introduced in Halo 3: ODST followed by Halo: Reach and it’s been a fan favorite ever since. There is plenty to look forward to in Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning and here is a list of what we know thus far. Extraction, which first debuted in Halo 4 will be coming to Halo Infinite this season Two Arena Maps – Prism and Forbidden Flood-themed Customization for your Spartans, weapons, kill effects, and more Free 20-tier Battle Pass Multi-core Helmets meaning you can mix and match helmets from different cores (finally) Forge AI Toolkit – You’ll now be able to add AI to your maps like Grunts, Jackals, Brutes, etc You’ll be able to gain Match XP for participating in Custom Games There is much more to learn about Season 5: Reckoning and with the Halo World Championships happening this weekend we expect 343i to reveal what else will be coming. Source: Halo

Alien Hominid Invasion launches November 1 for Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC

The Behemoth has been working on their next great hit with Alien Hominid Invasion and they finally revealed its release date. On November 1st players will be able to get their hands on Alien Hominid Invasion which is full of chaos. Also releasing with this sequel is Alien Hominid HD which is an enhanced version of the original title. Both Alien Hominid games will be released for Xbox Series XlS, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. “In Alien Hominid Invasion, players can look forward to endless customization options, fluid character movement, chaotic mutation abilities, and a non-linear gameplay experience, all while continuing the story of Alien Hominid HD. Online and local co-op will allow for up to four players to join in on the fun, with the added capability for each player to choose their own difficulty and play across skill gaps. It’s time to grab your trusted blaster, ready your alien allies, and prepare for the invasion of a lifetime!” You can grab Alien Hominid Invasion for $19.99, Alien Hominid for $11.99, or grab both games as part of The Extra Terrestrial Bundle for $24.99.

Activision confirms Modern Warfare III & Diablo IV won’t join Xbox Game Pass this year

Activision Blizzard has been the talk of 2023 with Microsoft closing in on an acquisition that will have the popular publisher join Xbox Game Studios. It’s expected the $68.7 Billion purchase will close on Friday, October 13, 2023, a few days before the deadline Microsoft and Activision agreed to. By the end of 2023, we will have seen the release of both Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV for most platforms and questions have been asked about the games joining Game Pass. Today, Activision Blizzard announced on Twitter that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV will not be joining Game Pass this year. The company stated once the deal closes, they expect to start working with Xbox to bring their games to more players around the globe. Activision also confirmed they’d be adding games into the best service in gaming sometime in the course of 2024. See the full statement below: “It’s awesome to see anticipation building for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® III. As we continue to work toward regulatory approval of the Microsoft deal, we’ve been getting some questions whether our upcoming and recently launched games will be available via Game Pass. While we do not have plans to put Modern Warfare® III or Diablo IV into Game Pass this year, once the deal closes, we expect to start working with Xbox to bring our titles to more players around the world. And we anticipate that we would begin adding games into Game Pass sometime in the course of next year.”

Krafton Confirms The Callisto Protocol Director Glen Schofield Is Exiting The Studio

Rewinding back to 2019, Krafton shared the firm would be opening a new studio – even more is the team would be helmed by Sledgehammer Games co-founder Glen Schofield. With his previous work on titles like Dead Space overlooking the iconic trilogy, it was no surprise a successor would be the first project from the new Striking Distance Studios with The Callisto Protocol. In our review for the game, we scored the game an 8.5/10. “The Callisto Protocol is a stunning and terrifying sci-fi experience worth getting scared over. […] It has everything the genre needs, an intriguing plot, mysterious factions, and the desolation sci-fi horror provides due to its setting. Inspirations from films such as Aliens are just as prominent as this game’s heavy Dead Space design elements.” According to a new report from Bloomberg, Schofield has already departed from the developer. In a statement confirmed by a spokesperson for Krafton, CEO Schofield “decided to pursue new opportunities.” Additionally, Schofield told his departure feels “bittersweet” on the whole matter. Steve Papoutsis, COO of Striking Distance Studios, is to take the mantle left by Schofield. Previously, Schofield did press that he is interested into developing a follow-up for The Callisto Protocol. But despite the underwhelming response by consumers and now with his departure at the developer, it is truly unsure the direction that the game studios is heading with the IP and if it is to work on something new at the moment. Even more, the game has now been added to PlayStation Plus for this month. Similarly, the same fate was met for Volition’s Saints Row with the team announcing its closing its doors after operating for over three decades. You can read the full report by heading here. What is your thoughts on Schofield leaving Striking Distance Studios? Source: Bloomberg

Among Us Gets PlayStation VR 2 Teaser, Innersloth Cancels Original PlayStation VR Version

For more than a couple years now, InnerSloth’s Among Us continues to faced well-met support in post-launch as the popularity on the game continues to bring new players. Recently, developer InnerSloth revealed a new ‘Fungle’ map is on the way bringing the game to a fresh location out of the sky and onto the ground floor for the first time. Additionally, there is more for the game as a television show is on the way. Previously, it was confirmed that Titmouse (Big Mouth, Star trek: Lower Decks) is to be involved for the animated project over at CBS. Elsewhere, Among Us virtual reality support is still waiting to be fulfilled on the PlayStation side of things. Although PC & Meta already has the game, the promised PlayStation VR version is still awaiting its release. In a new teaser trailer, InnerSloth shares Among Us is now officially coming to PlayStation VR 2. You can watch the brief trailer in the video below: According to a follow-up of the announcement on X, InnerSloth tells Gematsu the original PlayStation VR mode is no more. “We are incredibly excited to bring Among Us VR to the PS VR2 community with crossplay capability with other VR devices. The game will not be available for PS VR1.” Although there is no release date, the game is available to wishlist on the PlayStation Store already. As for other inner workings for Among Us at PlayStation, there is a unique Ratchet & Clank crewmate pack which features the duo as a costume and pet bundle. You cam read the full report by heading here. What has you excited for Among Us confirmed for PlayStation VR 2? Among Us is out now for Android, iOS, PC, Nintendo Switch. Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam VR, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest PRo; listed for PlayStation VR  2.

3 Million Players Already Played Payday 3, Starbreeze Presses On Matchmaking Rework

Early on following the release of Payday 3, it was no secret the troubles the new entry for the Starbreeze Studios was facing. Ultimately, the title was a problem to even play as servers would take immensely longer to launch – even by yourself required playing online too. However, in a comment from CEO Tobias Sjögren, he presses an offline mode is being considered for the game. As for our review for the game, we gave the game a score of 7.0/10. “Payday 3 lets you carry out some daring heists and feel like a professional bank robber. With a well-prepared team, you can properly coordinate a variety of strategies whether you are aggressive or stealthy,” writer Victor Tan penned. “Unfortunately there aren’t that many missions and playing solo is a difficult endeavor thanks to poor AI. Team matchups can also be risky if you aren’t with friends.” In a recent blog post from Starbreeze Studios, the team shares that Payday 3 has welcomed a new milestone for the developer. Less than a month into release, the game already welcomed over 3 million players, Sjögren shares. First and foremost, I would like to thank our players for the patience they have shown us. Our community is the engine that drives both our games and our company forward. I don’t really need to repeat that this was not the start we wanted, but at the same time, our business model is a marathon and not a sprint and we will tirelessly continue to build PAYDAY 3 bigger and better to deliver the greatest possible value for our players. Additionally, the firm went on to elaborate that there has been some intense maintenance done to the matchmaking to meet players standards as well. “The planned maintenance was carried out in two stages. During Tuesday, September 26, the software in the matchmaking infrastructure that distributes incoming players to different servers was updated. During Friday, September 29, the infrastructure was upgraded both in terms of software and hardware, with more regional nodes to distribute players, increase the speed of matchmaking and create greater redundancy across all online services.” From a planned roadmap for Payday 3, Starbreeze Studios went on to elaborate that the game is to face a care package of support for the game. In that, more than 200 quality of life improvements is on the way this month. For the remainder of October and into November, there is also more scheduled quality life improvements, content, and additional functionality. What has you most hopeful for Payday 3 from this recent update? Payday 3 is out now for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Starbreeze Studios