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Nintendo Of America President Doug Bowser Says 'Stay Tuned' When Asked About New Mainline Mario Game
When Nintendo held its Nintendo Direct to showcase the Nintendo Switch 2 earlier this month, many assumed a mainline Super Mario Bros. game was a given. After all, the last time we received a full 3D Mario game was with 2017's Super Mario Odyssey. Even if you want to include Bowser's Fury, which launched as a side game to the Switch re-release of Super Mario 3D World, as the most recent 3D Mario game, that title came out nearly four years ago. Though Donkey Kong Bananza looks to fill the 3D platformer space in Nintendo's launch-window lineup for Switch 2, and Nintendo's primary mascot and his friends will be well-represented through Mario Kart World, the absence of the Super Mario Bros. franchise was surprising.
Speaking with CNN earlier this month, Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser didn't reveal much when asked about Mario's absence, but he did deliver what could be perceived as a tease. "Stay tuned," Bowser told CNN. "You know, we have a long, long catalog, and a long list of (intellectual property) that I'm sure will make its way to the platform."
Obviously, it would be absurd to imagine a world where Switch 2 never gets its own Mario game, so you could interpret Bowser's potential tease as simply stating the obvious. Looking at the calendars in past years, Nintendo has traditionally delivered a Nintendo Direct detailing the games of the second half of the year in late June, then another in the fall/holiday time frame. With Nintendo Switch 2 launching June 5, it's possible Nintendo wanted to use the Switch 2 reveal Direct focus on the near-term titles like Mario Kart World (launching June 5) and Donkey Kong Bananza (launching July 17), in addition to previously announced titles like Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, while saving new announcements for this holiday season for a later presentation.
Super Mario Odyssey arrived the same year as the original Nintendo Switch, while Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury came to Switch in 2021. In the meantime, we received an all-new 2D adventure in 2023 in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Still, many fans are curious about the future of the 3D side of the Super Mario series. Perhaps we'll learn more in the coming months if Bowser is in fact teasing this.
[via IGN]
Were you surprised we didn't get a 3D Mario game during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct? Do you anticipated we'll learn about one before the end of 2025? Do you think it'll be more like Super Mario Odyssey or Bowser's Fury?
At long last, it seems we are finally getting that big remaster of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. And that’s just the bee's knees. I loved Oblivion. So why don't I feel very excited?
Oblivion floored me when I first played it on PlayStation 3 in 2007. It was my first exposure to not only the series but also to big, open-world western RPGs. The level of freedom astounded me, from the moment Emperor Patrick Stewart freed me from my prison and the Jurassic Park-like reveal of Cyrodiil that followed, to finding out I could kill a dude and be invited to join a cool club of totally normal cloaked samaritans with good intentions. You’re saying I can climb (read: awkwardly skip upwards) that mountain in the distance? I’m sold.
It was the first time since Grand Theft Auto III that I felt I had limitless opportunities in a video game. That freedom was so intoxicating that I tolerated the game's horrendous menu and inventory system, constantly having to jump to accelerate the strange passive stat leveling system, and the litany of mechanically awkward interactions that have since aged into a blend of peak comedy and modern art.
With those warm memories at the forefront, I pored over the leaked screenshots of this probably-real remaster and found myself simply thinking "neat." My muted reaction has little to do with the alleged facelift potentially sapping the original world of its whimsical glow. Slowly but surely, I realized a remaster can't capture the core of why Oblivion made such a mark in my life; it gave me something I had never experienced at the time. That has very much changed.
In the whopping 18 years since I finished Oblivion, I've experienced the same freedoms it offered many times over in other games – and done better, at that. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Red Dead Redemption II, and Oblivion's own sequel, Skyrim, have all outclassed the 2006 RPG in one aspect or another, whether it's boasting bigger worlds, better quests, superior combat, or stronger storytelling. No NPC has topped Oblivion’s Annoying Fan, however, including Bethesda itself (at least you tried, Starfield). So if I’m more likely to taint my near two-decade-old memory of the game by unfavorably comparing it to what's come after, what would I be coming to this remaster for?
Oblivion was a great game, but what I want to experience again most of all is the intangible excitement that came from it being a novelty. A remaster can't scrub my brain clean of my overexposure to games of its ilk. That's one of the unfortunate but inevitable drawbacks of any remaster (or remake, for that matter). Sure, Oblivion will look much nicer, and I'll check it out in the name of nostalgia and media-obligated science, but I'll really be chasing a high that is simply unattainable.
Remasters are great for making games look and play "the way you remember them," but they can't make you feel the same way you did the first time. Some come close; the Dead Space remake added new mechanical bells and whistles to make the game even scarier on the second go around. Metroid Prime Remastered reinforced that title as one of the best ever, and there are still few shooters like it. Perhaps it's because Oblivion is one of the originators of a now oversaturated genre that the idea of going back to it is less appealing without that now-expired novelty factor.
It could also be that Bethesda's RPGs have been losing their usual iron grip on me since Fallout 4. The novelty of freedom that their adventures once monopolized has now been plundered by other games, leaving me to see the aging warts in their titles without the thick layer of magic to obscure them. I bounced off Starfield pretty hard, so can what's essentially an 18-year-old version of that basic blueprint hook me the same way it once did? I'm not sure.
To avoid sounding too much like a sourpuss, I'm very much open to being proven wrong. I don’t know what the remaster would have to do to recapture my love in other ways; maybe my lengthy time away from it will make it feel "new" again. In recent years, I have found myself enjoying more throwback-style games such as Hi-Fi Rush and, most recently, South of Midnight, whose simpler templates feel refreshing in the current landscape. The Oblivion remaster could land with me in the same way: a fun time machine to before open-world RPGs became overly complex and bloated affairs.
It's probably healthy that I’ve recalibrated my expectations for this potential remaster from "rose-colored" to "realistic." I’m less likely to kid myself into thinking I'd be having the same type of fun I did in 2007. I’m not saying I won’t experience some degree of enjoyment and will suddenly hate the game. But will I be as utterly enchanted as I was as a 19-year-old who didn't know video game worlds could be that expansive? Absolutely not, and I'm coming to grips with being okay with that.
In 1991, Nintendo featured an unknown actor named Paul Rudd in its United States launch commercial for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Fast forward to 2025, and Paul Rudd is more than 30 years deep into an acting career that has seen him star in films like Wet Hot American Summer, I Love You, Man, and the Ant-Man franchise, as well as fight with Captain America and Iron Man in blockbusters like Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame. To pay homage to the now-famous actor’s early work as just a guy who’s Playing with Power, Nintendo brought the movie star back in the first US commercial for Switch 2.
This commercial's release coincides with the announcement of the United States preorder date, which was initially scheduled for April 9. However, the tumult surrounding President Trump's tariffs on foreign goods delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in both the United States and Canada. Last week, Nintendo revealed the new United States preorder date as April 24.
You can see the new Switch 2 commercial starring Paul Rudd below.
The ad, which emphasizes the Switch 2's online multiplayer and GameChat social features, plays with the SNES's "Now You’re Playing with Power" tagline. Instead, it uses the line, "Now You’re Playing Together." To provide the context to its YouTube subscribers, Nintendo also uploaded the original 1991 SNES ad featuring Paul Rudd, which you can see below.
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System arrived on US shelves on August 23, 1991. The Nintendo Switch 2 launches worldwide on June 5, 2025, with the delayed preorders finally starting this Thursday, April 24. For more on Nintendo Switch 2, check out our in-depth hands-on impressions here. You can also read our impressions of Switch 2 games like Mario Kart World, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Donkey Kong Bananza, Drag X Drive, and Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.
The long-rumored The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion remaster might finally be confirmed tomorrow. Following last week's leak, in which screenshots surfaced, Bethesda's official social media accounts shared an image teasing an announcement tomorrow.
Bethesda took to its accounts on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter to share an image with the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion font with only "IV" displayed and an armored mask in the background. The tweet says, "Tomorrow, 11:00 am EST" and lists URLs to the Bethesda Twitch and YouTube channels. When you visit the YouTube channel, you are greeted by the same art, with a livestream that has the title, "All will be revealed...."
The screenshots that hit the Oblivion subreddit last week, as users started digging into the website files of game development studio Virtuos, potentially indicating that the studio is responsible for the remaster. Immediately following the widely publicized leak, the studio's website was taken offline. Virtuos is a Singapore-based development studio that typically runs support for larger studios or ports the works of other studios to new platforms. Most recently, Virtuos has been assisting Konami with developing Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, the upcoming remake of Metal Gear Solid 3.
We don't know the platforms or release date of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, but widespread speculation is that it will release very soon on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. However, we will not know for sure until tomorrow when the livestream occurs at 11 am Eastern / 8 am Pacific. To watch it live, you can head to Bethesda's Twitch or YouTube channel.
Diablo IV’s eighth Season is on the way, and it’s all about the big return of Diablo III villain Belial, Lord of Lies. As one of the seven Great Evils of the Burning Hells, the elusive god is a powerful adversary who has been biding his time since players silenced him at the end of the last game. Diablo IV sees him return as a new lair boss with heavy implications on the narrative, but if this is going to be your first time encountering the trickster demon, or you need a refresher on his history, Blizzard as you covered.
For a quick primer on Belial, I spoke to Blizzard’s associate lore historian Ian Landa-Beavers and lead seasons designer Deric Nunez about the character’s history up to this point, how his motivations have changed between the events of Diablo III and IV, and how they approached redesigning him as a boss encounter. Blizzard also provides exclusive concept art of Belial from Diablo III’s development.
Game Informer: Diablo IV brought in a lot of new fans for the first time. For the unfamiliar, who is Belial? What has he been up to since his defeat in Diablo III?
Ian Landa-Beavers: Belial is considered one of the seven Great Evils. He counts himself among the four Lesser Evils, though, that doesn't mean they're any less dangerous than the Prime Evils that sort of take rank every so often. As it is, he is the Lord of Lies. He really relishes deceit and duplicity to get what he wants out of any given situation. He particularly relishes the point when his victims realize they've been deceived. So, that's sort of a vicious cycle there. And we last saw him in Diablo III, when he was impersonating Emperor Hakan II, and he's been a little quiet since then.
Deric Nunez: As you know, folks who have played Diablo III might recall that Belial was in the form of Emperor Hakan II, as Ian pointed out. And in Diablo III, we saw what he is capable of when he is allowed to kind of build up to his full strength and put his networks of lies and intrigue throughout a society, essentially.
So, as Ian mentioned, he has been quiet. And as we know, even if you defeat a Great Evil, that's not the permanent end to them. Their soul, or whatever they have, gets cast back into the Burning Hells to reemerge when the time is right. And Belial has essentially been kind of biding his time for that opportunistic moment that was created when Mephisto, his former mentor, at the end of the Vessel of Hatred, is now walking Sanctuary, creating the appropriate kind of atmosphere or distraction for Belial to breach Sanctuary once again, to make his bid to plunge it into the Realm of Lies, where he maintains sole dominance over the perception of reality.
Will Belial’s role be as big as it was in Diablo III, or is he merely secondary to Mephisto right now?
Nunez: We're continuing the Age of Hatred, which is the story of Mephisto. But that does not necessarily mean that Belial is coming into the game in kind of a downplayed way. In fact, he's actually coming into the game in a very meaningful way, not just from a narrative standpoint, but also a mechanical standpoint. So the entire Season 8 storyline is all about Belial and the player's efforts to ally with the Vizjerei Mage and the Cathedral of Light's former knight to kind of stem the spread of his power before it gets out of control. But as far as the impact that he'll have, even after Season 8, Belial is now a permanent part of Diablo IV as the top of the lair boss ladder. So he is the top dog, the highest difficulty, the most rewarding. And I think one of the cool things about not just Season 8, but also just the updates we're making to the Lair Boss system, as far as how Belial relates to it, is he's going to be kind of stalking the player as they're fighting the other bosses even, in the sense that he can actually surprise ambush you after defeating and looting any one of them. So it's kind of interesting, the kind of a place that we landed, where this is the Age of Hatred, it's the story Mephisto, but we're able to bring kind of fan favorite, nostalgic characters like Belial in in not just kind of like a narratively impactful way, but I think even more importantly, to some of our players, in mechanically meaningful way, as far as his role into connect the overall core loop of Diablo IV.
There's a pretty big time gap between Diablo III and IV, and we assume Belial’s been licking his wounds, so to speak. How much attention has he been paying to the events of Diablo IV, and how has this shifted his motivations since the last game?
Nunez: I think one thing that's kind of changed is that he is fully aware of the events that have transpired. Like, again, he's been kind of biding his time, and he knows that his old mentor, Mephisto, is walking the Earth, and that's why it's an opportunistic moment for him to kind of strike. I think one of the key differences that players who are familiar with him in how he portrayed his character in Diablo III compared to IV, is through an early kind of a narrative beat where you, in some way, kind of spoil some part of his plan. Since you have the blood of Lilith coursing your veins, there's an early beat where Belial actually tries to possess you. But since you have the blood of Lilith, it kind of counteracts and it kicks off kind of like the sequence of events in Season 8.
We'll see Belial in a bit more of an openly aggressive kind of status than we were familiar with him in Diablo III. So in Diablo IV, we have as part of the new seasonal activity, the Apparention Incursions we see Belial kind of just being more aggressive by spreading these horrifying apparitions of monsters across Sanctuary to kind of mentally break down the denizens of the Sanctuary to make them more prime for the picking. I think the best way I can put it is he knows that he has a limited window, while Mephisto is creating this distraction, to strike and kind of grasp at some semblance of power or control on Sanctuary. So I think we can expect a bit more of an aggressive, maybe impatient, Belial.
Does that mean Belial will rely less on subterfuge and tricks and be more in-your-face?
Nunez: I think pretty much, yeah, he's going to be relying a little bit less on subterfuge, since he now knows that there is a distinct threat in the Wanderer who spoiled kind of a part of his plan. So we can expect Belial to be more openly aggressive towards you and trying to take down you and your ragtag crew who's trying to put into him. So it's kind of a cat-and-mouse chase in Season 8.
How did you approach writing Belial? What aspects of the character do you enjoy writing for the most, and can long-time fans expect any types of fun callbacks to things he’s done in the past?
Landa-Beavers: So, historically, Belial, we talked about before, he's very much into deception. His whole idea is that perception is the reality that you live in. So if he can decide, or if he can help you decide, that what you're seeing is real, he's controlling you already. And that extends not only to humanity, but also to the Great Evils. We have to remember that Belial is very much responsible for the Great Evils arriving on Sanctuary in the first place. He had ousted them from the Burning Hells along with Azmodan and had since been ruling in the Burning Hells. It wasn't until very recently, within the last 100 years of Sanctuary's history, that he started becoming intrigued and curious about humanity and seeing what he could leverage them for what he wants out of ruling the Hells or extending that rule over the rest of creation as well.
Nunez: Yeah, I think there's one piece that Ian and I are chatting about is his vanity.
Landa-Beavers: Yes, very much. He's very vain. One of the first times he started getting curious about humanity, in fact, he sort of duplicated two playwrights into penning two plays about his escapades and kicking the Prims out of the Burning Hells. And it didn't stop there. He engaged in a war just before the events of Diablo II kicked off. He gave the forces of Hell over to one of his minions. He's always been out there and getting more and more involved in Sanctuary's business.
Nunez: So kind of with that, the vanity and tendency for spreading lies and subterfuge and whatnot, was the inherent inspiration for like, “Hey, we want to expand the lair boss system in a meaningful way. We need a character that is a lot of fun to work with.” He has big impact on the lore of Sanctuary, and he's also very versatile. So, Belial, being a shape-shifter and master illusionist, was inherently what was exciting about bringing him back at this specific beat in the Age of Hatred. And as far as the writing style is concerned, the team's approach to that, we definitely did review the tapes, go into the archives, review the tapes of Diablo III to remind ourselves of his speech cadence and the way that he kind of portrays his characteristics, and kind of just took that and asked ourselves, “Where would he be now after all of the events of the base game, and after the events of the Vessel of Hatred?" So again, kind going back to in Diablo III, he was a far more patient version of Belial than he will be in Seanson 8, maybe to the point, that Ian mentioned, that he is kind of just barely getting his feet in the world of Sanctuary, since he's kind of like a baby to actually walking it.
So he's a little bit more pompous now. And I think that was really exciting to kind of expand on the story, especially because I love kind of jerk-type characters, and Belial is definitely one of those. So again, it was a lot of fun to write for and for the team to write for him. And I think also just the fact that he's a very chatty boss encounter as well. He's going to be taunting you, he's going to be throwing disses at you, and whatnot. And again, he's one of the most fun, Great Evils, I think, in my opinion.
How did you approach redesigning Belial as a boss fight with all of that in mind? How does he differ from the previous lair bosses?
Nunez: So if we recall from Diablo III, his initial boss fight was like a two-parter, right? Like, you fight the smaller version of him, and then everything crumbles, and you fight the big, supreme version of him. So one, we wanted to extrapolate the cool and spread it across Diablo so that it's more of a long-term impact as opposed to a one-two punch. So the smaller version of Belial will be stalking the apparition incursion events, the new seasonal activity that I mentioned. He will be kind of ambushing you for a secondary bonus boss fight in the whole lair boss loop itself.
And the supreme Belial, or as we cheekily like to call him on the team, "Giga Belial", will be sitting atop the throne of all the lair bosses. So that was kind of like the initial approach: "How do we take this really cool, memorable two-parter boss fight that players already know and love with the character, and kind of pay homage to that, and respect that in our own way that casts a wide net of value as opposed to a singular beat in a campaign? So, as far as redesigning the fights, the team definitely wanted to take a look at what the signature abilities that are just inherent to the Belial fight.
We're talking about Belial Supreme for a second here. He has the big claws, he does all the big striking movements, and the kind of like the half donut ring. So we wanted to definitely approach it by bringing something old, mesh it with something new, and something blue, but to create a new expression of the Belial boss fight in Diablo IV that takes advantage of all the new mechanics and character abilities that we have. So, yeah, definitely expect to see some more of his signature moves coming back, but with a heavy balance towards just new, previously unseen attacks that he has, and ways that he kind of mixes them up to juke you out, in some regards.
Will this Season more or less be a one-and-done for Belial, or should we expect him to maybe stick around for the longer haul as we continue to build towards the next big expansion next year?
Nunez: So I'll definitely say that Season 8 is definitely a season of, from a narrative perspective, reintroducing Belial to the world of Sanctuary. As mentioned, he will remain physically and mechanically in the game outside of Season 8. And one thing I will say, we have the roadmap that kind of showcases the build-up towards expansion. I can't give away too many of the kind of narrative beats that we're building up, but we definitely do want to draw more of a strong narrative thread as we're building up and continuing the Age of Hatred towards the crescendo in the next expansion. So, yeah, I wish I could say more, but yes-ish.
Is there any specific piece of feedback that you guys have received from Vessel of Hatred from a narrative standpoint that you guys considered for this upcoming Season?
Nunez: Yeah, that's a great question. Let's see, I think the main element of the feedback coming out for the Vessel of Hatred, and this is all kind of like taking tidbits of scattered feedback, not necessarily one direct thing, and kind of meshing them together to help define the vision of where we take the seasonal quest lines with Season 8 specifically is we definitely did receive some of the feedback of fans wanting to have a stronger through line between the seasons that tie towards the canon thread and not see seasons kind of like a one off, offshoot type deal. So, the narratives that we're telling in the seasons of with Season 8, nine, and leading up to the the next expansion are all canon. And that's something the approach that we took from us is that we're not just bringing Belial back in like a Saturday morning one-off cartoon type fashion, we're bringing him back as a mainstay of the series. And that inherently dictated the direction of how we brought him back, and kind of the narrative role that he would play.
Have you guys written everything up to whatever the next expansion will be? Do you guys know for sure where you're going narratively right now?
Landa-Beavers: I work directly with the writers, and I know that they've been hard at work this whole time. We definitely have a compass to follow for sure.
I would love to know from both of you what you’ve enjoyed most about bringing back Belial, and what you are most excited for players to experience with him. Is there anything else you'd like to tell players about Belial, especially those that are going to be fighting him for the first time, that we haven't talked about today?
Nunez: [Belial’s] honestly one of my all-time favorite characters in the Diablo franchise. So I think the opportunity to bring him back at this perfect moment in time in the Age of Hatred storyline was a great opportunity. One thing I absolutely loved about this character is, again, the versatility of him, that he has his shape-shifting forms that players get to experience Belial in various scenarios throughout the course of the Season, not just as a one-time campaign boss that you defeat and move on to the next thing. So, I think, for me, the thing that I'm most excited about Season 8, and for fans to kind of get their hands on, is just finding and fighting all the different flavors of Belial throughout the entirety of their time with the season.
That, and I think one thing that we didn't chat about necessarily tying into the narrative of Season 8 and the blood of Lilith coursing through you, is that through that early interaction with Belial, you actually take a piece of his own power of deception and illusion. And that kicks off your own ability to steal the reality, the perception of reality, of signature bosses' key moves across the game. So, [there are] 24 bosses for you to go defeat, and on the first-time kill, you take their signature ability and express it for yourself. So this is like defeating the Wandering Death, and now you have the ability to shoot the big chest beam out. Or Duriel, you get the Duriel burrow. So, yeah, I think it's just the bombastic nature of Season 8 that I'm really excited about, and all the different forms that we're going to be finding Belial in.
Landa-Beavers: Yeah, likewise. I'm just really excited to get back to Belial. We've mentioned Mephisto wandering Sanctuary. If there's anyone that can pose a threat to Mephisto, it's Belial. Not only was Mephisto his mentor, but Belial is also responsible for getting him kicked out of the Burning Hells in the first place. It's two people playing 3D chess against each other at a certain point, and I'm really excited to explore what that means for Belial.
Is it one of those situations where Mephisto taught Belial everything Belial knows, but not everything Mephisto knows?
Landa-Beavers: It may be one of those situations, but also Belial may have developed a few new things on his own as well. But that's just speculation.
Diablo IV Season 8 begins on April 29. You can read our review of the base game here.
During this weekend's Star Wars Celebration Japan in Tokyo, the team behind the recently announced Star Wars Zero Company delved deeper into what fans should expect from the upcoming tactics game. Developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment, Star Wars Zero Company puts you in control of Hawks, a former Republic officer, in a gritty story starring an original cast set during the waning Clone Wars.
As Hawks, you command a ragtag group of mercenaries and bounty hunters from across the galaxy to combat a dangerous, emerging threat. Hawks' appearance and class are fully customizable, and the operatives you recruit come from a wide array of original Star Wars character classes and species, including Clone Troopers, astromechs, Jedi, and more. Your squadmates are also customizable through their appearances, loadouts, and abilities.
While in the field, players engage in turn-based tactics missions. Player choice looks to play a role in shaping the narrative and gameplay. You can also increase the bonds between your squadmates, unlocking powerful combat synergies. Between missions, you can build up your base and leverage your intelligence network of informants to stay on top of your enemies' moves.
"Our vision for Star Wars Zero Company is grounded in gameplay design pillars that weave in the immersive Star Wars galaxy with engaging turn-based tactics gameplay," Bit Reactor CEO and creative director Greg Foertsch said in a press release. "It's our aim to deliver a game with an original Star Wars story from the Clone Wars era that has meaningful outcomes from player choices, and a deep turn-based tactical combat with an approachable and cinematic presentation."
Star Wars Zero Company comes to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in 2026.
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a solid survival game that brings a fresh perspective to the old-school MMORPG. In this episode of New Gameplay Today, Alex Van Aken and Charles Harte take a look at the crafting system, base-building mechanics, and early combat scenarios you might face while enjoying the stylized art direction defining this new iteration of RuneScape's world. If you missed the news, Dragonwilds surprised launched into Steam early access just two weeks after its official reveal.
Watch RuneScape: Dragonwilds in action:
Believe it or not, we play a lot of games here at Game Informer, but it isn’t always easy getting our hands on everything, let alone finishing them and writing a proper review. We’re always looking for more ways to point readers towards the most interesting games available – especially those that could easily slip through the cracks – so we’ve created Spotlight to highlight the cool games we’ve been dabbling with recently that we believe may be worth your time. We love chatting with each other about the games we check out each day, and we want to add you to the conversation. Here is a selection of noteworthy titles some of the editors have been sampling and want to shout out.
Bionic Bay
Platforms: PS5, PC – Release: April 17
Bionic Bay’s surreal and oppressive atmosphere has drawn flattering parallels to Limbo. But this adventure carves its own success thanks to its satisfying physics-based platforming. You control a scientist who, after an experiment goes horribly awry, must now survive an alien biomechanical world.
The platforming feels great and deceptively precise despite how floaty the scientist feels, and tricky obstacles made every edge-of-my-seat jump feel achieved by the skin of my teeth. A special gadget that lets you switch places with certain objects is a simple mechanic used in increasingly clever ways, such as stacking boxes to reach high perches, using objects as protective cover, or creating a midair platform path. Each zone also presents a different platforming mechanic to keep the adventure fresh, such as lasers that bounce the scientist around like a pinball, a time-slowing power, or constantly shifting gravity. Each mechanical twist changes how you explore this strange world in cool and thoughtful ways.
Death often comes swiftly and unexpectedly – expect to be crushed, sliced to bits, and melted often before you realize what happened. Thankfully, quick and generous respawns remove the annoyance of what is often an exercise in trial-and-error. I’m having a great time throwing myself, and the scientist, at Bionic Bay again and again. – Marcus Stewart
Monaco 2
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC – Release: April 10
Over a decade has passed Pocketwatch Games’ original release of Monaco. The sequel happily maintains much of the charm and arcade sensibility of the original, but with a new and less retro art style that capitalizes on the heist-caper vibes.
Players control one member in a team of thieves, infiltrating heavily protected hotels, yacht clubs, and other bastions of the well-to-do, and relieving them of their most valuable possessions. Gameplay is straightforward and approachable, focused on the tension between careful sneaking stealth moments that invariably devolve into mad dashes for the getaway van, all while navigating an isometric camera view that makes it feel like you’re moving through a building blueprint. Each character has different abilities and upgrades, and additional pick-ups in the level allow for extra shenanigans with the guards (think smoke bombs and disguises).
The real win here is the ability to play and enjoy the game either solo or with up to three friends. Having the game playable in both online and couch co-op is a big win. A family or friend group looking for a simple, fun caper could happily wile away several evenings with this crew. – Matt Miller
Sonic Rumble
Platforms: PC, iOS, Android – Release: May 8
In late 2020, while I was still largely staying home, I spent many nights playing Fall Guys with friends. The frantic battle-royale-meets-gameshow format hooked me with its approachable gameplay, zany competitions, and colorful visuals. If you follow me or my writing at all, you also know that I’m a pretty big fan of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Sonic Rumble looks to combine those two interests with a round-based elimination-style game starring Sega’s mascot and his friends.
Though the game isn’t out yet, I’ve had a chance to play several rounds through 32-player rounds and have found it to be quite fun. Though most of the stages don’t truly capitalize on the speed the franchise is known for, instead emphasizing careful platforming, ring collection, or avoiding obstacles, Sonic Rumble aptly leverages the IP through the use of myriad collectible character skins, challenges involving iconic enemies from Sonic’s past, and familiar music.
The game is in its third pre-season, offering premium battle passes and purchaseable currency, which could be cause for concern. However, to this point, I’ve found the distribution of skins, icons, emotes, and other cosmetic rewards well-paced. I still need to play more to fully crystallize my thoughts on Sonic Rumble, but to this point, it’s letting me scratch that Fall Guys itch while competing as and against some of my favorite characters in gaming. — Brian Shea
Star Overdrive
Platforms: Switch, PC – Release: April 10 (Switch), June 19 (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
I first became aware of Star Overdrive thanks to a Nintendo Direct: Partner Showcase in August last year. The adrenaline-fueled game trailers don’t quite nail the tone of the actual game. Instead of what I assumed would be open-world SSX with melee combat, what I found once I fired Star Overdrive up this week was something more approximating Breath of the Wild, but with much faster-paced traversal.
Don’t get me wrong: the hoverboard traversal is a massive component of the game, and as you go through the world, you encounter all kinds of challenges involving time trials and navigating, but the exploration and puzzle-solving are more methodical than I anticipated. As someone who considers Breath of the Wild his favorite game of all time, I’m happy to see more games use that format in new and unique ways. You even unlock abilities similar to Link’s in Breath of the Wild, including one that allows you to use magnets to lift giant objects to help with platforming.
That said, don’t go into Star Overdrive with the expectation that it carries the greatness of Breath of the Wild. The combat feels far shallower and more finicky than in Nintendo’s beloved adventure, and the exploration hasn’t been as rewarding so far. Despite how good the hoverboard typically feels in action, I have several frustrations with the camera and occasional problems with how the hoverboard controls, and the performance dips on the Switch quite frequently. Still, I’m excited to continue my journey across this barren planet and discover the mysteries it hides. If you want to check it out for yourself, the studio put a demo on the Switch eShop. — Brian Shea
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Publisher: Red Barrels Developer: Red Barrels Release: March 5, 2024 Rating: Mature
The Outlast Trials’ third season arrives on April 22, kicking off Project Relapse and the fallout of Amelia Collier’s failed escape in Season 2. I attended a hands-off preview event hosted by developer Red Barrels to learn more about this new chapter and to witness its signature new baddie, The Jaeger, in action.
Following Amelia’s failed rebellion, she’s been captured and incapacitated by Murkoff. Her unconscious body is suspended above the starting hub, serving as a constant reminder to players that all hope is lost and there’s no escape. Of course, that won’t stop you and your fellow Reagents from trying, but Murkoff has a new terrifying ace up his sleeve: The Jaeger.
This powerful, persistent enemy now appears during trials to stalk players. The Jaeger was formerly known as Henrietta Grubbs, a familiar foe transformed into a much bigger threat. I mean that literally; she towers over players with her powerful, muscular frame punctuated by a creepy and intimidating iron mask. Like Jason Voorhees, the Jaeger is slow but extremely powerful and durable. Hitting her with bottles and other projectiles only causes her to flinch slightly. When timed correctly, however, that split second makes the difference between escaping her grasp or suffering one of her clubbing blows. I watched her seize victims, lifting them to her eye level before delivering a rib-shattering gut punch that often downed them in one blow.
I watched the Red Barrels team jump into a trial to demonstrate the Jaeger’s impact on the experience. This new story trial, Liquidate the Union, unfolds in a new level called the Suburbs, a faux town populated by unsettling mannequins. As the team works through this section, solving environmental puzzles like locating scattered symbols tied to a pin pad code, the Jaeger begins to stalk them. She’s not the swiftest foe, so she usually targets a single, random player to hunt with what the developer describes as a "Terminator-like" determination.
The designer currently targeted attempts to lure the Jaeger away from everyone else as they worked to solve a pin pad puzzle to open a door. While this is a smart strategy, she won’t keep her sights on one victim forever. The Jaeger eventually finds a new quarry, and things quickly devolve into chaos as the developers scramble to avoid her without losing track of the task at hand. It doesn't go smoothly for them, and several drop like flies when they can't escape quickly enough.
Red Barrels also used this encounter to demonstrate the new (and much-requested) nudity filter introduced in Project Relapse. Toggling this feature adds a pixeled effect to the naughty bits of naked characters and bodies, including the largely bare Jaeger. While neat to have, especially for content creators, the visual of a largely blurry Jaeger adds a layer of unintentional comedy to the otherwise tense experience that I can’t decide is good or bad.
The team eventually learns the correct code and opens the door to reveal a union boss strapped to a standing bed on a conveyor track moving backward through the stage. This turns the Trial into an escort mission, as the developers must protect the “payload” while fending off attackers. It’s a chaotic scene I don’t get to see the end of, as the developers stop the demo to avoid spoilers.
The Jaeger will be a permanent presence in all trials during the season’s first month, so players will get to know her very well, very quickly. With all of the chaos she wrought, The Jaeger is my favorite addition of several updates coming to Season 3, which also includes a Trial Maker, a new tool-making kit that lets players create custom Trials using unique combinations of Challenges and Variators to share with other players, two new MK-Challenges, a new deluxe catalog, and more. Things may look bleak(er) in the Sinyala Facility, but Season 3 has the potential to be the best chapter for The Outlast Trials yet.
Star Wars Outlaws has a new trailer for its upcoming second story DLC, A Pirate’s Fortune, which arrives on May 15. This new tale sees Kay Vess and Nix team up with pirate Hondo Ohnaka (who fans may remember from the Clone Wars animated show) to plunder the riches of the Khepi Tomb.
However, they’ll have to take on Stinger Tash and her Rokana Raiders. Kay also meets the Miyuki Trade League, who tasks Kay with smuggling goods in exchange for new rewards for the Trailblazer. To access the DLC, players will need to have completed the main story campaign. Check out the trailer below.
A Pirate’s Bay will be automatically available to Season Pass owners and can be purchased standalone. Ubisoft has not listed the à la carte price for the DLC, but the previous story expansion, Wild Card, cost $14.99, so we imagine this is similarly priced. Additionally, a title update arriving alongside A Pirate’s Bay will give all players free cosmetic items inspired by the Disney Plus series Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. You can find these items in the delivery crate inside the Trailblazer.
Furthermore, a free three-hour demo of the game is now available. We also learned that the Switch 2 version of Star Wars Outlaws launches on September 4.
You can read our review of Star Wars Outlaws here. For more Star Wars news, check out the announcement of the upcoming turn-based tactics game Star Wars Zero Company.
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Added missing files for Taunt: The Travel AgentAdded No Hat styles for the Cozy Cover-UpAdded VScript support for HIDEHUD_MATCH_STATUS flag to hide the Match Status panelAdded a borderless window option to video settingsAdded bicubic lightmaps (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)Added radial fog (from Half-Life 2: 20th Anniversary Update)Added support for Steam NetworkingMade the default server name for listen servers include the player's nameMade the game launch in native resolution by default instead of 640x480Client-side prediction fixes (these fix 'jank'/rollback in certain situations)Fixed a prediction bug where if the player was moved on the client, their input-based movement for that tick was not taken into account in non-player actionsImproved prediction for walking on props and other entitiesMade certain client-side entities only trigger local prediction errorse.g. If the viewmodel experiences a prediction error, the player will not experience a prediction errorFixed prediction of viewmodel swayFixed a prediction error regarding weapon idle animationsFixed certain breakable props not gibbing correctlyFixed an issue where certain variables like position would not be updated correctly to match the server in certain situationsFixed the player's base velocity (eg. conveyors, moving items etc.) getting subtly out of sync from client/serverFixed players being able to spam duel cancellation messages for a duel that doesn't existFixed not being able to join community servers via Steam invites or game infoFixed lighting position discrepancies for cosmetic items, weapons, and viewmodels (community fix from ficool2)Fixed Equipped label overlapping attribute icons in the loadout menu (community fix from Lindon)Fixed an issue with props and team colors when taunting with Australium weaponsFixed the Voices from Below effect not working when taunting with the Highland Hound set equippedFixed player voice commands being abruptly ended when the player enters shallow waterFixed incorrect number on the Geneva Contravention achievement iconFixed the Military Style for The Surgeon General to stay properly semi-visible at all anglesFixed some classes missing the BLU team material for That '70s ChapeauFixed the Spanish-Latin America option being displayed as English in the Settings menuFixed the MOTD dialog not working for Spanish-Latin AmericaUpdated attribute descriptions for The Scottish Resistance and the Stickybomb Jumper to use 'stickybomb' instead of 'pipebomb'Updated equip_region settings for The Little Bear, The Heavy-Weight Champ, The Grand Duchess Tutu, and the Combat Slacks to fix unnecessary conflictsUpdated the Spooky Night and Ominous Night Unusual taunt effects to fix a visual bug (Thanks Kiffy!)Updated koth_overcast_final to improve optimizationUpdated ctf_applejackAdded block bullets to some storesUnblocked a window at mid, allowing Snipers to shot across the middle hutRemoved the missing texture in BLU spawnGave a chicken a friend, because friendship is magicUpdated cp_fortezzaNew radio model for spawn roomsChanged sentry shack ammo pack on last to a mediumAdjusted health pickups throughout the mapChanged kill volume on cap A double doors to be more consistent with visualsImproved bot support (Thanks Star Bright)Detail passUpdated pl_patagonia[Stage 1]Fixed some RED bots stuck forever trying to make an impossible jump on the stairs outside spawnFixed the cart not capping the first point on extremely rare occasions[Stage 2]Improved optimizationFixed a nodraw floor near the first BLU spawn train bridge waterfallFixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2[Stage 3]Improved optimizationFixed wrap assassin baubles colliding with a solid func_brush bounding box outside BLU spawnRemoved the platform above the open choke of the last pointAdded an additional path to the window overlooking the open choke of the last pointFixed RED bots getting stuck on a solid fence outside the RED spawnFixed 3D skybox looking pitch black for players using mat_hdr_level 2
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An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed the Battle Balaclava's "No Gloves" style hiding the Heavy's handsFixed broken materials for The Westcoat's "Ugly" styleAdded smoke effect to The Checkered PastUpdate the Buck's Brim's "Bad" styleFixed broken materialsAdded smoke effectUpdated cp_fortezzaDetail improvementsImproved clippingUpdated koth_cachoeiraFixed players being able to get stuck in certain displacementsVarious clipping improvements throughout the mapVarious miscellaneous fixes (Thanks Midnite!) Improved bot navigation (Thanks Katsu!)
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Brain Cane to fix problems with the texture and phong valueUpdated The Battle MusicAdded missing Hat styleFixed the models due to clipping on Heavy's ears and misalignment on EngineerImproved and strengthen the Noise CancellationUpdated the materials to fix it not being shinyUpdated the backpack icon to reflect the materials changeUpdated cp_gravelpit_snowyFixed potential incompatibility with external VScript files (thanks Le Codex!)Re-implemented cubemap reflections in ice caveFixed perch spotsUpdated vsh_distillery, vsh_maul, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrockRestored Hale's resistance to knockback back to 75%Reduced bonus flame damage against Hale from 50% to 25%Hale can now do 1 extra Brave Jump before the Jump Fatigue kicks in (thanks Wendy)Weighdown is no longer blocked by the Jump Fatigue (thanks Wendy)Removed area-of-effect of Hale's normal punches (thanks Wendy)Demoman shields now absorb 70% of Saxton Punch! damage (compared to normal 50%) to make the following launch into the stratosphere survivableFixed Hale taking mini-crits from Direct Hit and Reserve Shooter while underwater (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed airborne mini-crits of Direct Hit and Reserve Shooter applying against the wielder (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Hale being able to stomp while underwater (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Sweeping Charge not working against underwater opponentsFixed the bug that prevented Quick-Fix from mirroring a patient's wall climbing (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Hale's faulty ground detection (thanks Bradasparky)Fixed Baby Face's Blaster's loss of boost not applying correctly (thanks Whurr and MilkMaster72)Fixed the voice lines refusing to play sometimesUpdated pl_patagoniaStage 1Fixed the cart going under the elevator in extremely rare occasions (Thanks Shocked) Fixed sometimes hearing outside soundscapes inside blue spawnFixed being able to build in a very high rooftop after point AFixed being able to build in blue spawnCart elevator is no longer the glitchiest thing in the universeFixed cart not rolling back after completing the elevator descent sequenceNow, if the cart is rolling into the elevator in overtime, the round timer will be set to 5 seconds left, to avoid unfair loses for blue. Timer will resume once the cart reaches the bottom (Thanks I. C. Wiener).Stage 2Removed rollback from the train container ramp in last point (Thanks b4nny)Gave blue more high ground for last pointAdded an additional dropdown for blue for last pointFixed being able to be teleported into red spawn as blue after capping point ARemoved long hill rollback before point CFixed bots getting stuck on the closed train doors after cap BFixed being able to leave stickies inside blue last spawnFixed being able to get stuck in the point C shortcut door for red. If you get trapped, it will kill you.Fixed a pop-in issue relating to areaportals below point BFixed being able to enter the last blue spawn as redBirdie (Thanks Explocivo808)Stage 3Added a fenced section for the long wood cover wall in last point (Thanks b4nny)Mirrored the window sniper spot in last point chokeFixed being able to build behind a displacement rock wall in last pointRemoved troll teleport spot in last point ending rampAll StagesSlightly lowered sun brightness and slightly raised skylight brightnessImproved skybox transitionsThe cart no longer tries to defy the law of physicsNinjaneers have more freedom to be ninjasThe bots have learned how to play the mapGave the cart another coronación de gloria
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Updated the Dapper Noel to fix an issue with the meshUpdated vsh_maulFixed broken areaportalsChanged some props in the upper area that could be mistaken for a large ammo pack
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Added missing No Gloves style for the Consigliere's CoverupAdded missing Versus Saxton Hale kill iconsAdded some tournament medalsFixed Taunt: Curtain Call voice lines overlapping with other Spy voice linesFixed the Playful Aurora and Frisky Morning Unusual effects not moving correctlyUpdated Aurora Skies Unusual effect to fix a timing issueUpdated the Necroprancer to fix an issue with the materialsUpdated the Dusk Duster to fix an issue with the materialsUpdated the Dapper NoelRemade normal map to be compatible with OpenGLRe-baked Diffuse & updated backpack icon to reflect above changesRemoved misplaced ambient occlusionFixed problematic face flexesFixed an issue where Engineer's beard was protruding from his gogglesFixed an issue with the jigglebones being disabledRigged Sniper's hat to be compatible with his melee tauntUpdated Scrooge McDocTransparent lenses are rigged to the correct bone (prp_glasses instead of bip_head) so it should now work correctly with taunts that move the glassesImproved scarf rigging and positioning to allow for better compatibility with shirt cosmeticsUpdated the backpack iconUpdated koth_overcast_finalFixed an issue with the models/materialsAdded back snow coverings (now using displacements) to some props that were missing themFixed misaligned textures in various placesFixed weird lighting bug on a wall in blue spawnFixed 'Hotel' sign not displaying properlyAdded back indicators under some health and ammo kits that were missing themUpdated cp_fortezzaRemoved sniper window leading into lastFixed Engineer being able to build in some doorsFixed some props being solidSlight art pass updateUpdated vsh_maulPlayers can no longer hide from Saxton in the darkFixed props inside other propsFixed z-fighting brushesFixed missing particle effects for the water featureFixed orientation of water feature particlesMinor lighting changes around the cinemaAdjusted LOD change distances for Cinema signUpdated VSH logicGrounded levitating propsAligned misaligned texturesFixed mis-textured wallsClipped upper metal beamsFixed clip brushes sticking out from walls that could be walked onPlayers will now be pushed off of the fire bellAdjusted cinema sign shadowUsed spell check on Saxton's Package signUpdated how music is activated and deactivatedFixed clipping on the hanging big ornaments
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Happy Smissmas 2024!All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.Featuring 6 new community maps: Overcast, Fortezza, Penguin Peak, Patagonia, Cutter, and MaulAdded the Winter 2024 Cosmetic CaseContains 23 new community-contributed itemsThe Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the caseAdded 3 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. StoreTaunt: Fore-Head SliceTaunt: Peace!Taunt: Curtain CallAdded 18 new community-created Unusual effects9 new effects for Unusual hats9 new effects for Unusual tauntsAll cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Smissmas 2024 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include crates.Mann Co. Store winter sale!Smissmas runs through January 7th, 2025GeneralFixed a client crash when previewing imported items in the Workshop dialogFixed showing an error model when equipping the Scottish ResistanceFixed The Executioner not hiding the Scout's dog tagsUpdated the Mountebank's Masque to fix a problem with the materialsUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated vsh_distillery, vsh_nucleus, vsh_outburst, vsh_skirmish, and vsh_tinyrockGeneralAdded the gamemode intro movie (made by Lacry, thanks)Improved the delivery of VSH-related voice lines for Soldier, Engineer and SniperUpdated some VSH-related voice lines for Saxton, Soldier, Engineer and Sniper (thanks The Rat Man)Added Hale's kill iconsVisual improvements to Hale's Ability HUD (thanks Funicular)Added a visual cue signaling an upcoming Saxton Punch!Minor visual improvements to Saxton Hale and his particle effectsFixed the boss bar sometimes starting invisibleFixed a rare crash caused by seeing blood decals on Hale while playing on low graphics quality settingsFixed a rare bug when Hale's Ability HUD textures become missingBalance Changes - Saxton HaleAdded Brave Jump Fatigue. Each consecutive jump will be less powerful, requiring a short break to restore to full strengthWeightdown ability is disabled during Jump FatigueIncreased Hale's health by ~100HP per opponentAdjusted Hale's health formula against 24+ opponents - Hale now gains 2000HP for every opponent past 23 (thanks Megascatterbomb)Hale's resistance to knockback reduced from 75% to 35%Head Stomp damage now scales with Hale's downward speed, dealing between 64 and 193 damage (previously dealt flat 195 damage)Balance Changes - MercenariesExplosives and fire now deal 50% more damage against HaleThe 40% minigun damage penalty now applies to full crits onlyBroken Demoman shields now retain the charge abilityDemoman shields now absorb only 50% of the incoming damage upon breaking (a would-be-lethal blow will leave the Demo at 1HP)Greatly decreased sticky trap damage reductionRemoved Scottish Resistance's 20% damage penaltyBaby Face's Blaster now loses 20% of its boost upon Wall ClimbingUpdated vsh_tinyrock (additional changes)Improved performanceFixed odd clipping at one of the spawnsUpdated vsh_distillery (additional changes)Improved performanceUpdated vsh_nucleus (additional changes)Fixed setup time ending five seconds too earlyImproved detailing in some areasImproved clipping on staircasesIncreased control point capture time to 15 secondsRemoved collision on some lightsChanged damage model and damage amount of the toxic waste pit and puddlesUpdated vsh_skirmish (additional changes)Fixed setup time ending five seconds too earlyFixed an issue where Engineers could build in the crocodile pitFixed not being able to wall climb certain trees in the main arenaFixed some lighting issues on stalactites and other propsParts of Hale's intro sequence no longer play while waiting for playersImproved optimization and detailing in some areasImproved clipping on spiral stairs (Thanks Aar!)Updated security systemUpdated cp_brewThe shortcut from RED spawn to the "A" point now has a nobuild trigger Added floor indicator for the health kit in the "A" point wooden shackAdjusted "A" point wooden shack to allow more breathing roomFixed getting stuck on the "A" gate's frameFixed teletrap near "A" point ditch routeFixed being able to place buildings inside an out-of-bounds room outside "A" pointFixed some stuck spots near "B" pointFixed being able to shoot through a crack in the BLU forward spawnFixed floating props in the dinerFixed one way door not forcing itself closedCleaned up some collisions and clipping across the mapImproved lighting on all of the archwaysUpdated koth_krampusFixed missing trees in skyboxImproved look of waterfall texture near full health-kitFixed minor visual errorsMinor NPC clipping changesFed krampus some oatsUpdated pl_emergeSwitched on the cart lightFixed RED players being able to sit on the edge of an exit of BLU's starting spawnFixed some doors showing incorrect texturesFixed the final capture point displaying an incorrect stringFixed the map occasionally playing incorrect ambient soundsMinor visual and performance tweaksUpdated cp_carrierThe Carrier now has full crits rather than mini-critsThe Carrier now uses the robot voice linesImproved hearability of the Carrier's voice lines and footstepsFixed visual bugs with the boss barFixed the Carrier sometimes becoming invisible while tauntingFixed animation glitches when a Demoman Carrier holds a Stickybomb LauncherFixed occasional phasing through the elevator platform at BLU spawnDecreased size of the frog
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Improved matchmaking performanceImproved matchmaker behavior for users with less-than-ideal ping levels. The matchmaker should now be quicker to put you in the best available region.Improved matchmaker decision making for cross-region partiesAdded error messages when being ejected from the matchmaking queue due to connectivity or authentication failures, rather than the queue simply silently vanishingFixed the matchmaking settings dialog frequently failing to display any datacentersFixed multiple cases of in-progress casual matches abruptly terminating or failing to be assigned any new players if the game server ever loses connection to SteamUpdated the Mountebank's Masque, Courtier's Collar, and Harlequin's Hooves cosmetic items to fix issues with their paint regionsUpdated cp_gravelpit_snowyFixed a script issueImproved performanceImproved clipping
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed the Guano and Batbelt cosmetic items hiding the Scout's dog tagsFixed The Beacon from Beyond incorrectly hiding a bunch of bodygroupsFixed the Quoth cosmetic item hiding the Scout's headphonesFixed some broken materials for some props_farm gib modelsAdding "Hat" style for the Fuel InjectorUpdated the Clue Hairdo to fix broken smoke effectUpdated koth_synthetic_eventEdited nav mesh to minimize the Toastmaster running diving into the grinder/death pitUpdated pd_farmageddonRevoked scarecrow gym membership which lowered their health from 500 to 350Updated zi_atoll, zi_blazehattan, zi_devastation_final1, zi_murky, zi_sanitarium, and zi_woodsFixed an exploit allowing some players to respawn as a human or play as a human on the Zombie team
An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Reverted BLU Scout pants fix because it conflicts with too many existing cosmeticsUpdated the Fleet Commander again to fix import problems from the previous updateUpdated the Phantom Plague and Haunting Haze Unusual effects to fix sometimes spawning away from the playerUpdated cp_freaky_fairFixed issues related to the gamemode logicReapplied check that was mistakenly removed to check if the player is actively buying upgrades in a station or notImplemented new custom system to refund upgrades to hopefully address inconsistencies both in-round and across roundsImplemented logic to handle mismatches in recorded vs actual currency values when leaving the upgrade trigger and having not accepted de-bought upgradesReverted code to do with Ghosts and Sentry busters to fix bugs related to their effects not de-applyingImplemented a way to force kill players to address edge cases where you could survive as the sentry buster past their explosion (Thanks MilkMaster!)Improved the logic which checks if you can apply a new potion effect to yourself to address bugs where effects can overlapFixed sniper and demo shields not having their upgrades clearedFixed canteens not having their values cleared when refunding whilst not equippedIncreased the height of the skyboxIncreased last point capture time from 6s to 7sChanged some clipping to stop giants from building on roofsSmoothed out a divot (Thanks Midnite!)Updated zi_atoll, zi_blazehattan, zi_devastation_final1, zi_murky, zi_sanitarium, and zi_woodsGeneralRe-encoded all Zombie Infection sound effects as .WAVThis fixes issues with sound effects not playing correctly and spewing errors in the consoleBug fixesFixed a bug that caused Sniper's Spit Pool to deal much more damage than intendedFixed a bug that caused team names to not display correctly when playing on mp_tournament modeFixed a bug where Engineer would sometimes scream like a charging Demoman while throwing an EMP GrenadeZombie ChangesSniper's Spit Pool damage vs Survivors no longer stacks when standing in multiple zonesZombie Heavy is no longer immune to Critical HitsZombie Heavy's max health raised to 525 (from 450)Zombie Pyro's max health raised to 250 (from 175)Zombie Pyro now drops a medium health kit on deathSurvivor ChangesCrossbow weapons no longer have a flat damage multiplier against ZombiesThe B.A.S.E Jumper can no longer be deployed if you are one of the last three survivorsJumper Weapons can no longer store reserve ammunitionUpdated zi_murky (additional changes)Added more respawn room triggers around the new spawn zones