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Sea of Thieves has reached 40 million players

Sea of Thieves continues to reach new milestones since its release in 2018 for Xbox and PC. Today, Rare announced that Sea of Thieves has now reached 40 million players ahead of its release on PlayStation 5 on April 30, 2024. That total number comes from a combination of Xbox, Windows 10, and Steam. “40 million players across Xbox, Windows 10 and Steam is an amazing milestone to be able to talk about, and of course it wouldn’t have happened without you – our brilliant, positive and welcoming community, who continue to surprise and impress us with your creativity and antics out on the waves.” There is no question that Xbox Game Pass has helped in the number of players on Sea of Thieves, but it seems like every time Rare and Microsoft announce a new milestone it’s by a lot. Rare recently held a Closed Beta for Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5 which concluded with a lot of positivity from the PlayStation community. We should expect the number of players exploring Sea of Thieves to rise when it officially comes to PlayStation 5 because it was the most pre-ordered game on the PS Store in the United States.

Dead Island 2 DLC ‘SoLA’ Available Now

After prolonged delays and swapping developers, Dead Island 2 launched in 2023. From our review for the game we wrote, “Dead Island 2 pulls off a miracle with a mix of great combat and an eccentric cast of memorable characters. After a near decade long absence, Dead Island 2 comes back from the dead to terrorize a new generation of players, and it modernizes the originals gameplay concepts and ideas.” In post-launch, it did not take long before Dead Island 2 surpassed 1 million units sold. By November, DLC ‘Haus’ shipped in part of the promised post-launch support for the base game. Additionally, Dead Island 2 is anticipating a new release for Steam next week on April 22nd. But in between both of that, the next expansion for Dead Island 2 is here. This week, add-on ‘SoLA’ arrives offering a new setting, story, and more zombies. You can watch the new trailer in the video below: “Set against the backdrop of ancient grounds pulsating with a malevolent beat, players dive headfirst into a world overrun by the Beat of the Autophage, triggering the change in the DNA and transforming the festivalgoers into ravenous zombies hungry for flesh,” the overview reads. “As you navigate through the ruins of SoLA, you’ll encounter new enemies such as the Whipper and Clotter;  twisted creations born from the madness of the Beat. “The Whipper, driven to the brink of insanity, harnesses its self-loathing as a weapon, lashing out with ferocity unmatched. The Clotter, meanwhile, oozes revulsion, decomposing into a repulsive mound of gore only to reform, relentless in its pursuit of carnage. But fear not, brave slayers, for you’ll have new legendary weapons at your disposal, including the Ripper, a deadly amalgamation of baseball bat and circular saw, and the Sawblade Launcher, perfect for ranged decapitation and dismemberment. “With its unique setting, terrifying enemies, and arsenal of brand new deadly weapons and skills, the SoLA DLC promises to deliver an electrifying addition to the Dead Island 2 universe, inviting players to face the music and confront the darkness lurking at the edge of reality.” What has you excited for SoLA? Dead Island 2 is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Dambuster Studios

Details On PlayStation PC Overlay Revealed For Trophies, Friend List, And Cross-Play

In the spur of a few years now, PlayStation & Sony Interactive Entertainment has embraced the idea of PC versions for its titles immensely. And since then, we’ve witnessed close to a dozen different first-party releases arrive to Steam. However, while impressive to see its titles on a different platform, it is not part of a connected ecosystem alike with Xbox. And although there is no likeliness a ‘Xbox Play Anywhere’ feature is likely to come, some features appear to be on the way for the platform. In one discovery back in fall 2023, TrueTrophies reported that the Trophy system is being worked on for PC. In a new update from PlayStation on the coming Ghost of Tsushima PC port, this feature plus more PlayStation elements will be live on the platform. According to PlayStation Blog, a new ‘PlayStation Overlay’ will be experimented with the release for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut later this May. Friend List, Trophies, Settings, and Cross-Play are all to be accessible through the overlay. Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is the first PlayStation title on PC that uses a new PlayStation overlay, which includes your Friends list, Trophies, Settings, and your Profile. This feature is available on Windows PCs and will be accessible from the in-game menu or, for keyboard players, by pressing the “SHIFT +F1” shortcut on your keyboard. “While playing the game, you can earn PlayStation Trophies just like on PlayStation consoles. Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut on PC shares the same Trophy set as the game on PlayStation 5 consoles. In addition, the PC version also has full support for Achievements on Steam and the Epic Games Store,” Nixxes Software online community specialist Julian Huijbregts writes. “To make use of features like Trophies, Friends list, and cross-play, you can sign in with your existing account for PlayStation Network or create a new account. The use of PlayStation overlay is optional for both the single player experience and Legends mode.” Of course, the PlayStation Overlay is expected to be integrated to older PC releases in the coming future alongside newer titles being added as well. What are your thoughts on the PlayStation Overlay for PC? Source: PlayStation Blog

Fallout Shelter Ships New Update Adding Content From The Amazon Series

With the airing of Fallout on Prime Video, it has been a complete resurgence for the Bethesda property. In its first week, the new television series already shot up to #1 worldwide for the streaming platform. Additionally, the number of active players also faced an incline with Fallout New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76 welcoming this surge. The show itself is also appearing to grow in new directions. Prior to April 10th, reports indicated that the TV series is expecting to be greenlit for a season 2. In that, The California Film Commission issued a $25 million tax credit to Amazon for the project. And in an interview with IGN, Todd Howard confirmed that Fallout New Vegas, its ties in the show, are canon with the events of the game and future for the show. Among that, Fallout Shelter also received some attention recently. The mobile experience welcomed a new update that features new content inspired by the Fallout show. This includes the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. statistics for the cast of the show, thanks Kotaku: Lucy MacLean: Strength-4 Perception-7 Endurance-6 Charisma-5 Intelligence-6 Agility-5 Luck- 7 The Ghoul: Strength-5 Perception-6 Endurance-7 Charisma-7 Intelligence-4 Agility-7 Luck-4 Maximus: Strength-7 Perception-6 Endurance-6 Charisma-5 Intelligence-4 Agility-7 Luck-5 Ma June: Strength-5 Perception-7 Endurance-5 Charisma-7 Intelligence-6 Agility-4 Luck-6 “Inspired by the recently released Fallout series streaming on Prime Video, this update adds one questline with 8 new quests to Fallout Shelter, as well as new locations and 6 unlockable vault dwellers, including Lucy and The Ghoul,” the blog post reads. “And we’re introducing new themes, weapons and outfits featured in the show. Get a chance at a pre-war cowboy outfit, The Ghoul’s revolver, and even a wedding dress that comes with a party-crashing bandolier. You can also claim a Vault 33 jumpsuit for your dwellers just by playing between April 9 and May 7.” In other Fallout game news, the long-awaited next-generation update for the game on Xbox Series X|S & PlayStation 5 is coming later this month. Including new enhancements and content, the update arrives on April 25th. You can read the full report by heading here. Do you plan to enjoy this Fallout show content in Fallout Shelter? Fallout Shelter is available for Android, iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Source: Bethesda

Todd Howard Verifies Fallout New Vegas Canonically In The New TV Series

Over the past week, fans of the popular Fallout series rejoice for a new hurrah: the Prime Video television series. Airing on April 10th, it precedes the previously promised release dates for the new show. Since all eight episodes went live for streaming, Fallout was soon ranked #1 worldwide on Prime Video, Amazon revealed. Additionally, there is already chatter for a second season for Fallout. In that, The California Film Commission issued a tax credit indicating the resources are there to continue the series. On the consumer side of Fallout, mass turnout for the titular games also occurred. Fallout 4, Fallout New Vegas, and Fallout 76 specifically witnessed a surge in users since the show aired. Speaking to IGN recent, Todd Howard elaborated on the source material referenced in the live-action portrayal. After a campaign of users online discount any connection to the popular Fallout New Vegas, he goes ahead to confirm that all games are tied to the show’s plot. This is a reiteration on him previously confirming the show’s canon ties. “There might be a little bit of confusion in some places. But everything that happened in the previous games, including New Vegas, happened,” Howard explained. All I can say is we’re threading it tighter there, but the bombs fall just after the events of New Vegas.” The concern for retconning the 2010 game is sourced from Episode 6 where viewers learn about the bombing of Sandy Shores. It is now clear that the events took place after the game. “And we talked through it and it was, ‘This would be a pretty impactful story moment that a lot of things anchor on,” Howard shares about the decision for the plot. “We’re careful about the timeline,” he added. It is said the show was approached in the writing room similar to creating a new game without divorcing this new experience from the lore-rich universe already established. In a separate IGN interview, Howard reveals his intentions on an adaptation for The Elder Scrolls. While unsure to other properties, he did establish that doing a series for The Elder Scrolls will likely have him respond with a “No.” You can read the full report by heading here. Are you excited for what the future of the Fallout series can offer? Source: IGN

The Verge: PlayStation 5 Pro Specs Detailed, New Info For 60 FPS ‘Ultra-Boost’ Mode

While the PlayStation 5 lifecycle is still carrying on very strong, Sony Interactive Entertainment remains adamant on swiftly iterating on the system. Just this past fall, we witnessed the retail integration of the new slim model of the 2020 console. But, that is not all on the horizon. Rumors previous indicated a September 2024 release is in place for the alleged ‘PlayStation 5 Pro’. While many consumers are accustomed to lengthened hardware lifespans, PlayStation 5 is shorter this generation. According to one statement from CFO Hiroki Totoki, the PlayStation 5 is already in the “latter stages” of its shelf life. Totoki also notes that sales are expected to dip within the next fiscal year as it is likely moving on to the next console. However, the Pro model has yet to see the light of day. And before that, information verified by The Verge has been published online. Codenamed ‘Trinity’, the new console is to push power to the next gear compared to the current PlayStation 5. The Verge has gathered excerpts from an internal document that were issued to developers. “Trinity is a high-end version of PlayStation 5,” which indicates to sell alongside the base model. Trinity is to offer “about 45 percent faster than standard PlayStation 5,” and feature “more powerful ray tracing architecture.” It also reads that “Trinity has a mode that targets 3.85GHz CPU frequency” while the GPU works “roughly 1 percent lower performance” than prior iterations. The unit is also said to offer “bandwidth gain may exceed 28 percent” pertaining to the adjusted memory. In a separate report from The Verge, sources familiar at PlayStation internally note that the firm is encouraging developers to favor 60hz performance with the new offered enhancements on the capable machine. “Trinity Enhanced,” the document reads insisting the system can “provide significant enhancements” to prioritized software. This new ‘Ultra-Boost’ feature is said to be a PlayStation 5 Pro-exclusive mode that the developer would create to upscale the resolution to 4K with 60fps in mind as part of the new PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) system. The ‘Enhanced’ label for these titles would only apply to games with fixed resolution output, The Verge reports. Ultra-boost is also indicated to feature Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) which will offer more stable performance. Sony urges game studios to update the SDK to experiment with the PlayStation 5 Pro features. The outlet also notes that teams can order test kits already. While the asking for an enhancement label does appear to be a tall ask, there is plenty of negotiation room alike the PlayStation 4 Pro before it. Although PlayStation appears to be speeding up the process for the console race, Microsoft is pushing the envelope even further. With projections of the next Xbox expected to ship in 2026, president Sarah Bond has already spoke on the hardware at a recent business update firechat. You can read the full report by heading here. What are your thoughts on this new development for the PlayStation 5 Pro? Source: The Verge, (1)

Alongside A May Showcase, PlayStation Is Rumored To Ship A New Astro Bot Game This Year

Although PlayStation 5 remains to be a competent machine in terms of its power and profitability for Sony, the console is to face a creative drought in 2024. In one financial report, it was revealed many legacy IP for the platform will be absent for the entire fiscal year – until March 2025 at the earliest. Instead, it is expected live-service initiatives are to take the mantle for this year. However, there are other returning franchises with rerelease plans this year. Previously, it was revealed that Nixxes Software & Ballistic Moon are to deliver a PlayStation 5/PC remaster for Until Dawn. Additionally, reports also point towards Gravity Rush 2 also receiving the same treatment as well sometime in the calendar year as well. According to Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb, the insider says more is on the way believing a new Astro Bot title is primed for a 2024 launch. He also urges there is a May showcase underway following the pattern of previous State of Play airings. You can watch the segment of the show below: “I’ve been hearing multiple times now that there will be a PlayStation ‘something’ next month. It does seem like they are leaning towards some sort of showcase, they definitely did a showcase last May so it’s not too shocking,” Grubb says. “They probably do have a number of games to talk about and I’m ready to hear about it. […] Also, I do keep hearing that some smaller, first-party games, like that Astro [Bot] game that is still supposedly happening this year.” Of course, the current roster still stands to be strong for PlayStation 5 – even if it’s not from the likes of PlayStation in-house. With titles including Silent Hill 2 & Stellar Blade, there is no reason not to be excited. We also reviewed the recent launch for Rise of the Ronin which you can read by heading here. Are you excited for the future plans ahead for PlayStation 5 in 2024?

Exoprimal Newest Collab Features Mega Man, Out Today

“At the end of the day, Exoprimal is a competent team based dinosaur shooting PVEVP experience that’s just plain dumb fun, and that’s okay. […] It’s the type of game that you and your buddies can hop on one afternoon for a few hours of enjoyment without thinking too much,” Rectify Gaming’s review for Exoprimal says at launch for the game. But, Capcom has much more planned for the game entering its post-launch. Part of the promised roadmap for the new experience includes season updates, new maps & missions as well as collaborations. The first came in the form of Street Fighter that arrived back in October. Additionally, in a similar fashion, Monster Hunter also received its own update too. As part of Season 4, Mega Man is the next collaboration to come to Exoprimal. The new update is available today. You can watch the featured trailer in the video below: “Our third Capcom Collab is slated to release its set of collaborative content with Mega Man alongside Title Update 4, which is currently scheduled for April 17, 2024! It’ll include suit skins, decals, charms, stamps, and emotes based on the beloved Mega Man franchise!” Capcom reveals in the blog post for the update. “Play a certain number of collaboration missions to obtain these items, or purchase the special collaboration cosmetics set. A special collaboration mission involving Mega Man series mainstay Yellow Devil will appear for a limited time! Gather unidentified gears that appear in Dino Survival during the campaign to trigger the collaboration mission!” Are you excited for Mega Man breaching into Exoprimal? Exoprimal is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. Source: Capcom

Steam To Welcome The Crew Motorfest This Week

Although not its most iconic IP, The Crew is certainly Ubisoft’s more recognized series. In our review for the latest game, we wrote, “The Crew Motorfest is by far the best in the series taking place in a beautiful, but small location. The racing game is better than average, but it still has some room for improvement,” giving the game a 7.5/10 score. In a recent announcement, the 2023 release is set to hit Steam for April 18th. Over the course of nearly two years, the publisher has went on a new venture to release its titles outside of the Ubisoft Store on Steam. During the initial inception, titles including Assassin’s Creed Valhalla & Roller Champions were the catalyst for the new initiative. “Discover the playlists and dive into thematic campaigns that will immerse you in the most exciting car culture universes, including American muscle, Japanese-style street racing, and legendary machines of the past! Master every driving challenge and fill your collection with the most legendary vehicles ever created. Customize your cars and show off your own style with the custom contest mode.” The Steam description continues, “The Crew Motorfest has settled down in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth: the island of O‘ahu, Hawaii. Join high-speed street races through the bustling city of Honolulu, test your off-road skills on the ashy slopes of a volcano, and master the perfect curve on the tracks.” Another Ubisoft title is also coming to Steam next month too. In a collaboration with Evil Empire, a new project ‘The Rogue Prince of Persia’ is set to release via Early Access for the launcher on May 14th. You can read the full report by heading here. Are you interested to play The Crew Motorfest on Steam? The Crew Motorsport is out now for Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.

Take-Two is reportedly preparing for an announcement regarding the Mafia series

Take-Two Interactive recently announced it will be firing 5% of its workforce and will also cancel current game projects they’ve been working on. One of the least talked about franchises talked about as of late has been the Mafia series and according to Kurakasis, Take-Two has begun preparations for an announcement regarding the series. He says the preparations only started a few days ago but doesn’t know the timeframe. Kurakasis also mentions he does not know if it’s related to Mafia 4 or the next-gen update for the Mafia trilogy. Or it could be something unexpected with the Mafia games. I can tell you that a few days ago, Take-Two began preparations for an announcement regarding the Mafia series It's hard for me to determine the timeframe, but with Judas I've seen them gearing up for the new trailer about 3-4 weeks before it dropped, so… Soon™️ 🙂 — Kurakasis (@Kurakasis) April 16, 2024 The last time we received a brand-new Mafia game was in 2016 with Mafia III and since then we only received Definitive Editions for all three games in 2020. It will be interesting to see what Take-Two could have coming up for the iconic franchise as we all know the company has Grand Theft Auto VI coming up in 2025 as its biggest release. We are less than two months away from Summer Game Fest which will take place on June 7, 2024, where we could see many announcements from all different publishers, especially from 2K Games.