Donkey Kong Land III is now available on Nintendo Switch Online

Nintendo has continued to bring more games to its Nintendo Switch Online libraries across SNES, NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64, and Sega Genesis. Over the last couple of weeks, we have seen Donkey Kong Land and Donkey Kong Land 2 added to the Game Boy library. Today, the trend continues as Donkey Kong Land III is now available to play via Nintendo Switch Online. Here is an overview of Donkey Kong Land III via Nintendo: Will you be the one to uncover the secrets of the Lost World? Fame-and-fortune seekers have journeyed far and wide in search of the fabled Lost World. Eager to find it first, Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong set off to discover its entrance, unaware that Baron K. Roolenstein and his Kremling Krew are hot on their tail! Meanwhile, Dixie Kong is left behind to babysit her younger cousin, Kiddy Kong. But that won’t stop her from answering the call of adventure! Help Dixie Kong and Kiddy Kong through 36 Kremling-infested levels, each containing their own secret areas and bonus levels! While Dixie Kong’s Helicopter Spin is useful for hovering away from obstacles, Kiddy Kong’s Somersault allows you to roll over land and jump farther after rolling off ledges! Animal friends are back to help, and there are plenty collectibles and items to find along the way. Help the adventuring duo be the first to uncover the entrance to the secret Lost World!

Phasmophobia sold 1 million units across PS5, PSVR 2, and Xbox Series

Kinetic Games finally released its horror game Phasmophobia in Early Access on consoles in October after it had been available on PC for several years. Today, it was announced that over 1 million units have been sold across PlayStation 5, PSVR 2, and Xbox Series X|S. “This incredible achievement is only possible thanks to our wonderful, supportive and engaged community” Daniel Knight, CEO And Lead Developer at Kinetic Games of the achievement “the entire team here at Kinetic Games could not be happier, reaching this milestone is the best Christmas present we could have wished for.” Overall, Phasmophobia has sold over 22 million units with the rest of the sales coming from PC when it was released in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Source: PlayPhasmo

XDefiant is officially shutting down

Earlier this year, Ubisoft released its newest first-person shooter, XDefiant, which had the inspiration of Call of Duty and other titles in the genre. It was reported a couple of months ago that XDefiant would shut down and at the time it was quickly denied. Today, Mark Rubin, the Executive Producer of XDefiant, announced that starting on December 3, 2024, new downloads, player registrations, and purchases will no longer be available. Season 3 is still going to launch; the servers will remain active, and the game will be fully playable until June 3, 2025. After June 3rd, XDefiant will officially be shut down. Players who purchased the Ultimate Founders Pack will get a full refund. Anyone who made a purchase within the last 30 days will also be refunded. “I am, of course, heartbroken to have to be writing this post.  Yes, this game has been a personal passion for me for years and yes, I know that not all challenges lead to victory, but I also want to recognize all of the developers who are being affected by this closure. Each and every one of them is a real person with a real life separate from our own and they have all put so much of their own passion into making this game. And I hope that they can be proud of what they did achieve. I know that I will always be proud and grateful to have worked with such a great team! A team that really punched above its weight class,” Executive Producer Mark Rubin stated. In our review of XDefiant, we scored it a 7 out of 10, with one of its main issues at launch not having enough content right away. The game started out strong with 1 million players within hours of release, then reached over 10 million within a month. Lately, the player count on the game has dropped drastically.

FromSoftware Confirms Multiple Games/Genres Underway, None Are Elden Ring 2

Developer FromSoftware has struct many with the release of Elden Ring. Rectify Gaming scored the title 10/10 for our review of the game at the time. The title went on to be a recipient for Game of the Year at 2022’s The Game Awards. Additionally, expansion ‘Shadow of the Erdtree’ in 2024 has also been nominated for the same awards as well. This comes at a surprise as the FromSoftware game also sweeps up the title held by The Last of Us Part II for being the most nominated release. Alongside accounting for over 20 million in sales, it is no question the success this release has brought. Enough so that even Sony Interactive Entertainment is eyeing the acquisition of Kadokawa – the parent company in possession of FromSoftware. But in terms of the current standing for FromSoftware, what titles are the firm exactly planning to explore now? At least according to Hidetaka Miyazaki, FromSoftware is planning to explore multiple projects across several genres. In an interview with GameWatch, Miyazaki tells this is the plans ahead for the Japanese developer, thanks Gematsu. “We have multiple projects in the works across a variety of genres. There are title(s) directed by me, as well as title(s) directed by those other than myself. In that regard, I think we’ll be able to show you a new FromSoftware in a variety of ways, so please look forward to it,” Miyazaki stated in the interview. He does, however, leave out what these titles might pertain to or the respected genres implied to be explored by FromSoftware. Elsewhere when speaking to GameWatch, Miyazaki also goes on to confirm that Elden Ring 2 is not on the menu, in fact. This is according to a translation from TweakTown. “At this point, we are not thinking about development such as Elden Ring 2. However, this is not to deny the development of the Elden Ring IP.” He does not rule out the possibility, but he does confirm it is currently not in motion. What do you hope to see next by FromSoftware?

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Carrion, Road 96, And More For Xbox Game Pass December 2024 Forecast

The continued Xbox Game Pass subscription remains to bring more & more for its users. While the extended library of Activision Blizzard’s games are still on the horizon, Microsoft has not ceased on blockbuster releases. In October, we saw this with Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 headlining then. Of course, this carried forward momentum well into the following month. November 2024 continued strong with other exciting titles including Goat Simulator: Remastered, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Metal Slug Tactics. And, the latest update featured S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Aliens: Dark Descent, Nine Sols as well. More interesting is that Xbox confirmed Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled is to arrive in the next update for Xbox Game Pass. In the new roster reveal for December 2024, Xbox Game Pass features an expansive lineup that includes another highly-anticipated Xbox release – Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. You can read the full list below: Console Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled – 12/4 Forza Motorsport (Xbox Series X|S) – 12/4 Hauntii – 12/4 Humanity – 12/4 EA Sports WRC [Xbox Series X|S] (Game Pass Ultimate, EA Play) – 12/5 Overthrown [Xbox Series X|S] (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/5 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle [Xbox Series X|S] (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/9 Wildfrost (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/10 Carrion (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/2 Road 96 (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/7 PC EA Sports WRC (Game Pass Ultimate, EA Play) – 12/5 Overthrown (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/5 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/9 Wildfrost (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/10 Carrion (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/2 Road 96 (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/7 Cloud EA Sports WRC (Game Pass Ultimate, EA Play) – 12/5 Overthrown (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/5 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/9 Wildfrost (Game Pass Ultimate) – 12/10 Carrion (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/2 Road 96 (Game Pass Ultimate) – 1/7 Xbox Game Pass Core is also welcoming new titles. On December 4th, games Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled, DayZ, and Goat Simulator will be added. December 15th will feature departing titles Amnesia: The Bunker (Cloud; Console; PC), Forager (Cloud; Console; PC), Forza Horizon 4 (Cloud; Console; PC), Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan (Cloud; Console; PC), Rise of the Tomb Raider (Cloud; Console; PC), Tin Hearts (Cloud; Console; PC), and The Quarry (Cloud; Console). Then, December 31st will feature a separate list of games that will be exiting Xbox Game Pass also. This list includes BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle (Cloud; Console; PC), Close to the Sun (Cloud; Console; PC), Humankind (Cloud; Console; PC), Lego 2K Drive (Cloud; Console), McPixel 3 (Cloud; Console; PC), and Party Animals (Cloud; Console). What title are you most excited to hit Xbox Game Pass as of late? Source: Xbox Wire

Whatever Naughty Dog’s Next Game Is, Troy Baker Is Confirmed To Be Attatched

For the current time being, there is little understanding what Naughty Dog is currently pursuing for its next title. Previously, the developer was working on a multiplayer title set within its The Last of Us series. Back in fall 2023, the team asked for more patience on the new title underway. That was until the game was ultimately canceled instead in December 2023. Outside of its attempt at a standalone multiplayer title, Naughty Dog has remained busy with remastering its latest releases. The Last of Us Part II Remastered release on PlayStation 5 earlier this winter. Rectify Gaming scored the game a 9/10. Additionally, Naughty Dog before that ported The Last of Us Part I to PC as well. Now, while the ongoing direction Naughty Dog is heading is unclear, there is one certainty among it all: Troy Baker. The voice actor who has become a hallmark in the industry and more specifically associated with Naughty Dog is to return for the next game. In an interview with GQ Magazine, it is revealed that Baker will be featured in the next project – whatever that may be. “In a heartbeat I would always work with Troy,” Niel Druckmann, Naughty Dog studio head shared with the publication. It is unsure if Baker’s involvement extends to more within The Last of Us series or he will instead be part of a new franchise altogether. Baker next year in 2025 will be featured in Ken Levine’s next project, Judas – a successor to his original IP Bioshock. Again, there is no one certainty to what Naughty Dog is working on. But what many fans speculate is that perhaps Uncharted might not be on the table. Speaking to Buzzfeed, Druckmann did confirm that the last game – Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End – was a good sendoff for the series. You cam read the full report by heading here. What do you hope the next Naughty Dog game will be? Source: GQ

Ubisoft Continues The Watch Dogs Universe In New Legion Follow-up Audio Experience, Watch Dogs: Truth

Just about a decade ago, many were interested to see the direction Ubisoft was heading with new IP Watch Dogs. A counter to Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto and a polar opposite of its in-house Assassin’s Creed franchise set in present time, you followed the role of a hacker as the overarching CTOS system becomes vulnerable to use at your own dispense.  However, after the launch of Watch Dogs: Legion, it appeared the series has been left at a standstill. One report indicated that Watch Dogs was officially set to rest internally at Ubisoft. What does go against that is the development on the live-action film based on the series. At New Regency Productions, filming did complete of the movie back in September this fall. But as part of a continuation of the universe, Ubisoft is proceeding with a new Audible-exclusive experience which follows-up on the events of Watch Dogs: Legion. Introducing Watch Dogs: Truth, the new interactive listening release continues the plot of Zero Day that took place in London, England that features decision making for Dedsec’s next move. After Dedsec’s heroic actions in the Zero Day affair, the government publicly praised their role in saving the city. However, this reset of relations was short-lived. A new crackdown on civil freedoms is underway, as the surveillance state fights back against growing activism and protest.The government’s cyber intelligence force, SIRS, has been directed to orchestrate a sinister campaign of message manipulation, fake news, and discrediting dissent. With the rise of deepfakes and fake news, the line between truth and falsehood has become nearly impossible to discern. “But Dedsec is fighting back. When they uncover a troubling instance of this disinformation, they realize the threat is far more organized and nefarious than it first appeared. Now they must convince the implementers to change course – using the targeted tactics Dedsec is known for.As you listen, you’ll be guided through this story by Bagley, who can access any CTOS device, including your own Optik. At the end of each episode, you’ll be asked to make choices that will determine Dedsec’s next move. The fate of the city hangs in the balance. Are you ready to join the fight for the truth.” Similarly, Halo offered its own audio experience expanding the lore in anticipation for Halo 5: Guardians. In Hunt the Truth, it followed the events leading up to Master Chief’s betrayal to the USNC which materialized in the featured game. Hunt the Truth went on to be extended to a second season in 2015. Are you interested in Watch Dogs: Truth? Source: Amazon Audible

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is coming to Xbox Game Pass on December 4

Since Microsoft acquired the publisher, Xbox Game Pass continues to receive more Activision and Blizzard games. Yesterday, the official Xbox X (Twitter) account revealed that Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled will be coming to Xbox Game Pass on December 4th. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled joins Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, which have joined Game Pass over the last few months. Crash Team Racing was originally released on June 20, 2019, for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 by Beenox. Will More Crash Bandicoot Games Join Xbox Game Pass? Earlier this week, a Reddit user noticed on his Firestick that when they viewed Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time it came up as a Game Pass title. Clicking the game would take the user to the N. Sane Trilogy, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Xbox Game Studios and Activision added more Crash Bandicoot games.