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Team Vitality Wins Intel Extreme Masters Melbourne 2025, Claims $285,000 First Place Prize and Additional $1,000,000 for Completing the ESL Grand Slam

Philip Federico
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Inaugural IEM Melbourne sets milestone as the biggest esports tournament ever held in Australia, breaking all previous attendance and viewership records.

Melbourne, Sunday 27 April — This week, global pro gaming tour Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) made its debut in Melbourne, Australia. 26,000 fans flocked to the sold-out Rod Laver Arena over April 25-27 to cheer on the world’s top Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) teams. After a week of unforgettable esports action, Team Vitality emerged victorious and walked away with their share of the $1,000,000 USD total winnings.

The IEM Melbourne Group Stage kicked off on Monday, April 21, with 16 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for a spot at the Playoffs in Rod Laver Arena. Following three days of intense competition, Team Vitality and MOUZ topped their groups to secure a spot in Playoffs, and were joined by GamerLegion, Team Falcons, The MongolZ, and Team Liquid.

Wins against GamerLegion and MOUZ in the Playoffs saw Team Falcons secure a slot in the Grand Final, where they faced off against Team Vitality who blazed their path to the match with a historic undefeated run. After an incredible five map series, Team Vitality raised the trophy in Rod Laver Arena with a 3-2 win in triple overtime.

On top of their 1st-place total winnings of $285,000 USD, Team Vitality also took home $1,000,000 USD after claiming the ESL Grand Slam. Team Vitality are now the fifth team to win this accolade in history, and team member ropz will be the second player ever to have won this prestigious accolade twice.

Over 1,253,000* people tuned in at once to watch IEM Melbourne across livestreaming platforms, earning the title of the most viewed esports event ever hosted in Australia, and the 2nd highest peak of a non-Major Counter-Strike tournament, of all time.

At the close of the event, ZywOo was announced the DHL MVP of IEM Melbourne 2025 for their role in the finals series, and the tournament as a whole. 

The legendary Caches showmatch also made a return for the 5th time, pitting Team Australia against Team UK in a Counter-Strike spin-off of the famous cricket series. This year, Henry “HenryG” Greer returned to captain Team UK, unsuccessfully facing off against Team Australia captained by Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill, who led his home team to a fifth consecutive win. The IEM Expo made a return, featuring exhibitors including Intel® and DHL showcasing the latest and greatest in games, technology, and more. Within the Expo, attendees also took part in signing and meet-and-greet sessions with attending teams, including hometown heroes FlyQuest.

“As the world’s longest running pro gaming tour, Intel Extreme Masters has been taking place around the world for almost 20 years. This year, we made the decision to bring the tournament into a new city, and one of the world’s most iconic sporting arenas – a decision that was rewarded with a record sell-out crowd,” said Marc Winther, Director Game Ecosystems – Counter-Strike at ESL FACEIT Group. “Australian fans have proven their appetite for the highest tier of competitive Counter-Strike is only growing, and helped make our first trip to Melbourne a truly memorable one.”

IEM Melbourne 2025 results:


Placement  		Team(s)Total Winnings (USD)
1stTeam Vitality
(Includes ESL Grand Slam prize winnings of $1,000,000 USD)		$1,285,000
 
2ndTeam Falcons$150,000
3rd-4thMOUZ, The MongolZ$105,000
5th-6thGamerLegion, Team Liquid$72,500
7th-8thFaZe Clan, Natus Vincere$47,000
9th-12th3DMAX, Complexity, FlyQuest, MIBR$25,000
13th-16thBIG, PaiN Gaming, Virtus.pro, SAW$4,000

*According to escharts.com

“With its Grand Slam, Vitality has elevated France to the top of esports and made our colors shine. Congratulations to the entire team!”

About ESL FACEIT Group

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the world’s largest esports and video game entertainment company, dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become a community. Built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, and DreamHack, EFG provides innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans, and creators around the games they love. In January 2022, EFG was acquired by Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group—a company 100% owned by the country’s Public Investment Fund—for $1.5 billion. As the main official operating partner of the Esports World Cup for the next five years, EFG continues to shape the future of esports on a global scale. Working alongside leading partners, brands, and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms, and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information, visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.

About ESL

ESL creates a world where everybody can be somebody. For more than two decades, we have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation globally across the most popular video games, creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go from zero to hero and for fans to witness the best stories esports has to offer. The ESL portfolio consists of high-profile products such as the ESL Pro Tour, Intel® Extreme Masters, the Snapdragon Pro Series, and many more, ranging from grassroots to global elite competitions. ESL is part of ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company.

About Intel® Extreme Masters

Intel® Extreme Masters is the longest-running global professional esports tournament circuit in the world. Started in 2006 by Intel® and ESL, the competition features the world’s best gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft® II, and other esport titles. Approaching two decades of history and many record-breaking events in terms of viewership and stadium attendance, IEM is widely considered one of the most prestigious and traditional esports tournaments in the world (www.intelextrememasters.com).

About Visit Victoria

Visit Victoria is the state’s tourism, business and major events company, inspiring people to visit Melbourne and Victoria through creative story-telling and enriching events.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate Review

Travis Bruno
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Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate Review

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate

Developer: Rocket Panda Games
Publisher: Rocket Panda Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (Reviewed), PC
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $24.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

When it comes to the Phantom Breaker series and the West, you never really know what to expect. The original release of the fighting game was something we managed to preview only for it to never be released when 7sixty shuttered but not even a year later a brawler featuring roughly half of the roster arrived in the West featuring a follow-up story called Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds. Now not only has Rocket Panda Games managed to bring over the actual fighting game in the form of its enhanced version Phantom Breaker: Omnia, they have now released Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate as well. Featuring a number of enhancements and arriving over a decade after the original’s release, is this anime brawler worth checking out?

Story

The story picks up following the events of Phantom Breaker‘s bad ending for Waka that sees the priestess manage to defeat Phantom’s minions but have her sister Nagi kidnapped as a result. With enough clashes of the character’s battling against one another using Phantom’s provided “fu-mension artifacts,” the barrier between worlds has started to splinter. With Phantom’s mind-controlling powers leaking into the normal world as well as flooding it with his demonic and robotic army, the four warriors find themselves battling against countless enemies and even finding their own powers drained as they are sent to the other realm by one of Phantom’s minions but still striving forward to save Nagi and put a stop to Phantom’s plans.

Although Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate allows players to select from one of four main heroines, Mikoto, Waka, Itsuki, and Yuzuha, the story mostly remains almost the exact same throughout with the only differences being character dialogue between the player’s chosen character and the boss they are about to fight in most instances, and even this is rather minimal as there are barely any interactions in the first place. This is rather unfortunate as not only does it make replaying the story a bit lacking, outside of using it to obtain equipment or level characters, but feels like a missed opportunity, especially in an “enhanced” version like this, not to add extra potential story elements, especially for characters that are given only the briefest of screen time and explanation as to who or what they even are. 

That being said, it is nice to note that unlike the original release, all of the character dialogue is voiced in English this time around should the player choose. It must be said also that without any prior knowledge of playing Phantom Breaker: Omnia, players will likely have no clue as to who certain characters are, their motivations, or even the slightest hint about many plot elements as Ultimate, just like the original, does not spend much time explaining things outside of a quick introduction in the beginning. At least this time around fans of the franchise have access to the fighting game it is based on, though that does make this brawler something of a niche within a niche.

Gameplay

Mechanically Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate still plays very close to the original though things have been smoothed out a bit, enhanced, and given brand new forms. For example, one of the late game stages is no longer an actual maze which makes playing through it a far better experience. For newcomers though, this beat’em up takes advantage of its fighting game roots by giving every character (besides enemies) their own unique attacks depending on button press. This means players can string together light combo attacks, heavy attacks, high combos that can even include juggling an enemy or low attacks as well. Characters, once the skill is unlocked, can also perform special moves just like they could in the fighting game as well, using up part of their “special” meter to do so.

This special meter charges as players dish out damage or pick up food that can either heal them or charge their meter. Alongside executing special moves or finishing attacks players can trigger a powerful “outrage” attack that will vary depending on the type of equipment they have, initially players will only have access to auto-locking lighting balls, but more on that in a bit. Alongside this players will find themselves being able to fight in both the front and back lanes, with upgrades available to unlock attacks that can target the other lane directly. Swapping between lanes can be strategic both for picking up items as well as for getting some breathing room when enemy swarms become too intense, especially on harder difficulties. Speaking of harder difficulties, as mentioned before, once players complete the game once they will obtain the ability to gain rare equipment and “outrage” drops from enemies. These equipment items boost things such as attack, defense, experience, or point gain and the outrage attacks can heal, trigger powerful explosions in pinpoint areas, and more. 

Now, as players play through either story mode or through local four player co-op mode (that can be done with CPUs) where any of the base game characters can be used, they will obtain experience points that will level up their chosen fighter and give them skill points. These skill points can be used to unlock various skills such as the aforementioned ability to use special attacks or attack the other row, extend combos, or straight up boost a character’s attack, defense, and speed parameters. The side modes are also where players will be able to access most of the side characters available in the game such as Cocoa, M, J, Nagi, and more. This includes the two guest-characters that were added to the original as DLC, Steins;Gate’s Kurisu Makise and Robotics;Note’s Frau Koujiro are also available in this mode. It is worth noting that no matter what character players use, the skill tree and stats are always the same when unlocking and players can reset their build at any time, though with a level cap of 99 it is possible to max it all out eventually.

Arcade Mode allows players to replay through either a stage or even the entire game again at any difficulty aiming for a high score or fastest completion time but it is worth noting that players can also have access to the entire roster of not only playable characters but even the enemies as well. This includes playing as everything from a golf-club swinging businessman to a giant demon or even a big truck. Obviously these gimmick picks are stranger than simply playing as the main fighters but do add some novelty to the game if players really want to try out something different. There is also the “Battlegrounds” mode that is literally pitting the player against four others locally and seeing who will be the last fighter standing. This mode can be done locally with friends or against CPUs as well and once again makes use of the entire roster of characters including enemies.

While local co-op is fun and giving players the option to have CPUs run alongside them to fight makes for some chaotic action even when playing solo, there is even more fun to be had online, or at least on most platforms. Online players can play with up to six total players running co-op through stages with one another or battle against one another in up to eight person brawls with cross-play enabled to make finding rooms easier. Unfortunately for the co-op mode, there is no way to drop-in to battles already started, so joining a group midway is unfortunately impossible. Also, at least at the time of this writing, it is nearly impossible to currently play any form of online on the Xbox Series X. Finding a lobby to join will make things work just fine, but trying to create a lobby either for co-op play or battlegrounds will almost instantly crash to the Home screen every single time. This issue has persisted throughout our time with the game and hopefully will be patched sometime in the future..

Audio & Visuals

Making the jump to Unreal Engine 5 has been an extreme improvement for Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate as the character sprites are as crisp as can be for every character and special move that they unleash. Even the backgrounds have been given significant facelifts which make the few city stages look even better. The frame rate is solidly locked even when four characters are battling against a mass wave of enemies on Nightmare difficulty with no slowdown in sight.

As mentioned earlier, one of the biggest improvements to Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is the fact that the entire game now features complete English voice acting. This doesn’t mean that the story isn’t still rather thin overall, but it is nice to hear characters talking and interacting in English and utilizing their special movies with their signature phrases from the fighting game. The Japanese voice track is still available should players wish to use it. As for the soundtrack players can select from a nicely modified remix version or the original, though the remix does sound quite a bit better.

Overall

As said before, Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is already something of a niche within a niche. Basing a beat’em up off of a fighting game and providing only the bare minimum of story building to help set things up. That being said, the fact that it was able to release at all is already a welcome surprise and between a graphical overhaul, the addition of co-op play both online and locally, even if it is with CPUs, makes for some truly chaotic fun especially on harder difficulty modes. While it may have been nice to see a little more done to add to the game, such as improve upon its story or bring new characters from the core fighting game into the roster beyond simply adding in enemies as playable characters, this enhanced brawler is everything a fan of the franchise could ask for and a colorful good time for fans of the genre in general, even if the story will leave newcomers scratching their heads.

Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.

NETMARBLE GEARS UP FOR SOLO LEVELING: ARISE’S 1-YEAR ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL IN-GAME EVENTS AND GRAND REWARDS

Philip Federico
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LOS ANGELES – APRIL 25, 2025 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, is preparing to celebrate the 1-year anniversary for its action game Solo Leveling: ARISE with fantastic in-game updates and events. 

Pre-registration for the upcoming 1-year anniversary celebration update is currently underway. Players who pre-register in advance of the next update will obtain 10 Custom Draw Tickets. Additional rewards will be unlocked as the number of pre-registrants reaches certain milestones. All players of Solo Leveling: ARISE will be rewarded with special hidden rewards if the total number of pre-registered users reaches 500,000.

This update will launch in early May to mark the game’s 1st anniversary since its release and will feature new story updates about a Knights Guild raid in Busan and a terrifying dungeon break at Sung Jinah’s school. There will also be massive content updates will include a never-before seen hunter type and new raid content.

The Solo Leveling: ARISE team has prepared a series of events to celebrate the anniversary, such as a check-in event that will reward players with valuable gifts, including a Transcendent Blessing Stone [Select], 1-Year Anniversary SSR Hunter Selection Ticket, 1-Year Anniversary SSR Hunter Exclusive Weapon Selection Ticket, and more.

In addition, players who complete the daily missions will have an opportunity to earn the Pixiv Competition-winning Sung Jinwoo Costume as the final reward. A variety of other events will be held offering 100 Custom Draw Tickets, SSR Jinwoo Weapon Selection Ticket, Special Player Weapon Design, and other generous rewards.

Solo Leveling: ARISE is an action game adaptation of the hit webtoon, Solo Leveling. Taking on the role of Jinwoo, players can experience his journey through the beloved webtoon tale firsthand, leveling up, taking on dynamic battles, and creating their own combat styles by selecting various combinations of skills and weapons. Not only can players team up with hunters from the webtoon, they can summon their own “Army of Shadows” with the iconic phrase: “Arise.”

Please visit the official website, X, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and official YouTube channel to stay up-to-date with the latest information about Solo Leveling: ARISE.

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling: ARISE, Seven Knights Idle Adventure, Tower of God: New World, Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.

Rooftops & Alleys Unveils June 17 Release Date for PC & Consoles with a Groovy New Trailer

Philip Federico
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After selling over 150,000 units in Steam Early Access, the hit 3D platforming parkour game will launch into 1.0 and onto consoles with a load of new content & features

PARIS – April 23, 2025 – Freshly-created indie-publisher Radical Theory has recently partnered with ML MEDIA and Shine Group for the release of Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game. After a successful Steam Early Access period with over 150,000 copies sold, the team is excited to share the 1.0 release of the game is coming on June 17, 2025, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The full release of the game will bring a load of new content and enhancements, including a new online game mode, a brand-new map, new challenges, a full progression system, customization options, a photo mode and more!

In 2024, the one-man studio ML MEDIA (led by Michel Losch) launched Rooftops & Alleys in early access on Steam. Michel’s passion for gaming, creative talent and a strong community connection proved to be the magical recipe making Rooftops & Alleys so special. It only took a few weeks for the game to sell over 100,000 copies, earning an outstanding 96% (!) Steam user score.

ABOUT THE GAME

Rooftops & Alleys is more than just a game about parkour and freerunning. It’s the adrenaline rush of landing an impossible trick combo, defying gravity, and feeling like you’re flying… until you crash face-first into a dark alley 30 meters below.

In solo or with your friends, explore massive, parkour-ready maps with total freedom. Reach every corner of your playground to uncover hidden spots — time trials, trick challenges, and more! In multiplayer, dive into game modes like TAG, Capture the Flag, Trick Battles, or simply freeroam with your friends!

Key Features

  • Explore huge, unique, vertical parkour environments
  • Discover, learn, and master every trick, move, and their endless combo possibilities
  • Call on your pigeon to discover new areas, fast travel, and plan your routes
  • Tons of challenges and game modes — solo or with friends (TAG, Capture the Flag, Trick Battles, and more)
  • Unlock over 100 customization options for yourself and your pigeon

ABOUT Shine Group

Founded in 2012, Shine Research was built around acknowledged technical expertise. They have contributed to the development and porting of thirty titles on PC and game consoles for several AA publishers. Architect Life: A House Design Simulator, published by Nacon, is the first title they have entirely developed in-house. https://www.shine-group.tech

ABOUT Radical Theory

Radical Theory exists somewhere between a global publisher and your usual service providers. Imagine your favorite publisher, offering AAA-Quality Services, funding solutions, worldwide impact – but with full transparency, with fair deal-terms and refreshingly cool attitude. We believe that’s RAD. https://www.radical-theory.com/

ABOUT ML MEDIA

In 2024, the one-man studio ML MEDIA (led by Michel Losch) launched Rooftops & Alleys in early access on Steam. Michel’s passion for gaming, creative talent and a strong community connection proved to be the magical recipe making Rooftops & Alleys so special. It only took a few weeks for the game to sell over 100,000 copies and collect thrice more wishlists, earning an outstanding 96% (!) Steam user score.

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS: GRAND CROSS AND JOIN FORCES FOR COLLABORATION EVENT!

Philip Federico
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LOS ANGELES – APRIL 25, 2025 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality mobile games, announced an epic collaboration with The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross (7DS) and the hit anime series <The Eminence in Shadow>. The latest collaboration with <The Eminence in Shadow> comes in response to one of the long-awaited fan requests for partnerships. To celebrate the tie-up, Netmarble is introducing new updates for collaboration heroes, crossover events and more.

<The Eminence in Shadow> is an anime adaptation based on the original work, written by Daisuke Aizawa and illustrated by Tōzai. Popular key narratives of “The Strongest MC x Overwhelming Chuunibyou x A Serious Comedy Full of Misunderstandings!?” follows the story of the main protagonist Cid Kagenou, also known as “Shadow,” who secretly heads a powerful shadow organization. 

Players can experience the following content to celebrate this new collaboration:

  • New Collaboration Heroes: Three new collaboration heroes have been added to the roster – [The Eminence in Shadow] Leader Shadow, [Shadow Garden] First Member Alpha and [Shadow Garden] Second Member Beta.
  • 7DS X The Eminence in Shadow Pick-up Draw: SSR hero is guaranteed at 300 mileage with an option to select one of the three collaboration heroes at 600 mileage.
  • 7DS X The Eminence in Shadow Special Missions: Clear missions to earn various rewards including Collab Pick-up Tickets, Super Awakening Coin and SSR Evolution Pendant. An Outfit for [Shadow Garden] Second Member Beta will be granted when clearing all five missions.
  • 7DS X The Eminence in Shadow Event Boss Battle: The main antihero protagonist “Shadow” will appear as the event boss. Various perks such as Collab Pick-up Tickets, Collab Holy Relic Material Box and a Cosmetic item for [Shadow Garden] Second Member Beta are obtainable when clearing the Boss Battle during the event period.
  • 7DS X The Eminence in Shadow Bingo Event: Participate in Bingo Events and use the event currencies earned through gameplay for a chance to win the Collab Holy Relic Material Box and the Weapon Costume for [Shadow Garden] Second Member Beta.
  • 7DS X The Eminence in Shadow Log-in Event: Log into the game for two weeks and earn up to 70 Diamonds and 30 Collab Pick-up Tickets.
  • Tavern Updates: [Shadow Garden] First Member Alpha and [Shadow Garden] Second Member Beta to be showcased on Week 1 and Week 2, respectively.
  • Death Match Updates: A new difficult level has been added to [Death Match] Indura of Retribution  where players will be able to acquire Indura-related artifact sets.
  • New and Returning Player Buff Updates: A 30-day buff will be granted to New and Returning users with aims to tighten the gap with existing users.
  • [Liones Defensive War] Updates: Get ready to form a new deck with Season 2 update for the [Liones Defensive War] PVE mode beginning.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross translates the storytelling and adventures of [The Seven Deadly Sins] into a highly engaging and entertaining mobile gaming experience. The game features stunning, high-resolution 3D graphics, more than 100 dramatic cutscenes, and is brought to life with the cast of the original Japanese voice actors reprising their characters.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross which records over 70 million downloads worldwide is available via App Store and Google Play. For more information, please visit the game’s official website and Instagram.

Based on the manga “The Seven Deadly Sins” by Nakaba Suzuki originally serialized in the weekly SHONEN MAGAZINE published by Kodansha Ltd.

©Nakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of the Commandments Project,MBS. All Rights Reserved.
©Nakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon’s Judgement Production Committee, TX
©Nakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse Production Committee.
©Netmarble Corp. & Netmarble F&C Inc. All Rights Reserved.
©Daisuke Aizawa,KADOKAWA/Shadow Garden

About Netmarble Corporation

Established in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading developer and publisher of top-grossing mobile games worldwide. Through powerful franchises and collaborations with acclaimed IP holders, Netmarble strives to elevate the gaming experience and entertain audiences globally. As a parent company of Kabam and SpinX Games, and a major shareholder of Jam City and HYBE (formerly Big Hit Entertainment), Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling: ARISE, Seven Knights Idle Adventure, Tower of God: New World, Lineage 2: Revolution, MARVEL Future Fight, Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.

Original developer of Atari Jaguar survival horror classic begins work on new game – Codename Xeno

Philip Federico
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Jane Whittaker returns with a new take on a classic formula as Athena Worlds starts work on PC development

London (25/04/2025). Veteran developer and founder of Athena Worlds, Jane Whittaker, has today announced work has begun on a new and exciting survival horror game IP, currently titled Codename Xeno. The game is expected to launch on PC first with consoles later, following fan feedback on an evolving development plan.

After crash landing on planet XL-243, players will quickly find they are not alone and the battle for survival begins. Combining deep character AI, crafting, resource management and stealth mechanics, the game is aimed at being a landmark open-world game of exploration, survival, high stakes tension and combat.

Helmed by one of Alien vs Predator’s (1994) original developers and programmer, Jane Whittaker, Codename Xeno has been gestating for more than 30 years, and under the steady hand of Athena Worlds, a studio specialising in open world games, will soon be ready to share more information.

Athena Worlds founder and CEO, Jane Whittaker, said, “Alien Vs Predator for Atari defined my career. It defined a genre, often regarded as the first true survival game, with over 100 awards and recently honoured with number 3 in the top 10 scariest games of all time awards. It spawned an enduring franchise. Whittaker, one of the two programmers of AvP (gameplay and AI programmer) added, “It is no exaggeration to say we changed the face of gaming and 30 years later, I still receive messages from fans asking if I’ll return to that genre with a new franchise.

I can now announce that Athena Worlds, thanks to support of a soon to be named key publisher, will be returning to a genre that I hold very dear to my heart with a whole new survival horror IP, Codename Xeno.

We have brought together the perfect team to realise this dream project. Development is being led by Athena Worlds’ co-founder Mike Meaden (producer Star Citizen, Squadron 42 and Forza Horizon), with original character designs by Blizzard scholarship award winner Blaire Wathen.

AVAILABILITY: In Development, for PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5

ABOUT ATHENA WORLDS

Athena Worlds is the coming together of some of the world’s finest minds and most experienced developers in the creation of open world gaming, character AI and 3D graphics. The company focuses on simulation via its Athena Simulations brand in addition to RPG, open-world, strategy and exploration games under the Athena Worlds label and commercial simulation under the Luminaries brand.

Genshin Impact Announces Version 5.6 “Paralogism” and Global Collaboration with Charlotte Tilbury

Philip Federico
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SHANGHAI – HoYoverse has officially announced that Genshin Impact Version 5.6, titled “Paralogism,” will launch on May 7, 2025, bringing players back to Mondstadt for a major new Archon Quest chapter, alongside a seasonal event in Fontaine, two new playable characters, and a series of limited-time event wishes. Additionally, Genshin Impact has unveiled its first collaboration with an international beauty brand—Charlotte Tilbury—with limited-edition products launching globally on April 30.

Version 5.6 “Paralogism” – Highlights

New Archon Quest – Return to Mondstadt in a new interlude chapter where Albedo is put on trial and the city faces a looming monstrous invasion. Key characters including Venti, Lady Alice, and Dahlia will take the stage in this dramatic continuation of the Archon storyline.

Fontaine Management Event – Players will run a whimsical amusement park in Fontaine with sim-style management gameplay, unlocking special rewards and engaging minigames across the festival grounds.

New Playable Characters
• Escoffier (5-star) – A battlefield tactician who wields her culinary prowess as a weapon.
• Ifa (4-star) – A daring saurian vet who partners with his dinosaur-like companion Cacucu to dive headfirst into danger.

Event Wishes
• Phase 1: Escoffier, Navia, and Ifa
• Phase 2: Kinich and Raiden Shogun
• A special Chronicled Wish featuring Inazuma characters will also be available.

Charlotte Tilbury x Genshin Impact Collaboration

Launching on April 30, Genshin Impact’s first-ever global beauty brand collaboration introduces a limited-edition partnership with Charlotte Tilbury, offering two exclusive beauty boxes themed around the beloved astrologer Mona. Available in over 35 countries and regions, the Travel-Ready and Adventure-Ready Sets include some of Charlotte Tilbury’s most popular products such as the Magic Cream, alongside collectible Genshin Impact merchandise.

Elena Dances Her Way into Street Fighter 6 as Series’ Final Year 2 Character Starting on June 5!

Philip Federico
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Pre-orders for Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 also available!

London (April 25, 2025) Let’s welcome the lighthearted, nature-loving capoeira fighter Elena, as she joins the Street Fighter™ 6 roster on June 5, 2025, across PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam! As a returning fan favourite of the series, players’ spirits will rise for Elena as she brings her unique moveset inspired by capoeira, a Brazilian martial art and dance form that blends martial arts, dance, music and acrobatics combined with the modern touches of Street Fighter 6 mechanics. Elena also brings a brand new stage, Reniala Remains, which showcases the plains of Africa at night as wildlife roam in the background, all lit by the glowing moon above. Players will need to keep up with Elena as she dances across all three game modes including World Tour, Fighting Ground, and Battle Hub.

Check out the capoeira master Elena’s Gameplay Trailer here on YouTube.

The pure-spirited Elena showcases her moves with two colourful Outfits. Outfit 1 is themed around her newest look, creating a fresh yet familiar style that emphasises both her grace and physique, while Outfit 2 is an ode to her iconic look in Street Fighter III: New Generation and Ultra Street Fighter IV. Outfit 2 can be acquired by maxing out your bond with her in World Tour or via Fighter Coins.

As seen in the trailer, Elena’s moveset uses her long legs and unpredictable movements to keep her prey in check, including:

  • Rhino Horn: A series of quick, forward-moving kicks that send the opponent flying back
  • Scratch Wheel: Known as Elena’s “dragon-punch,” this move is useful for anti-airs or for keeping opponents away
  • Lynx Song: Where things get wild, Elena spins forward close to the ground while invincible to projectiles and can then use four different techniques out of it, such as Leopard Snap, Harvest Circle, Mallet Smash or Lynx Whirl.
  • Leopard Snap: A long-reaching attack useful for closing distances
  • Harvest Circle: A kick that launches opponents in the air and maintains invincibility to projectiles
  • Mallet Smash: An overhead kick that can low-profile
  • Lynx Whirl: Elena performs an additional spin to extend Lynx Song. If the aforementioned Leopard Snap, Harvest Circle, or Mallet Smash are performed after Lynx Whirl, their properties are “boosted!”
  • Spinning Scythe: As seen in previous iterations, perform a series of spinning kicks that can be cancelled and followed up with Leopard Snap, Harvest Circle, Mallet Smash, and Lynx Whirl, to keep up the pressure on her opponents
  • Moon Glider: An evasive technique where Elena steps back before performing a vertical spinning kick that sends the opponent in the air
  • Meteor Volley: Elena’s Level 1 Super Art that operates as an effective anti-air move and also allows for a follow-up attack.
  • Revival Dance: Elena’s Level 2 Super Art where she launches forward with a flurry of kicks and is invincible to all attacks on start-up. If you hold the down button, rather than dealing extra damage, Elena will do her trademark healing!
  • Song of the Grasslands: Elena’s Level 3 Super Art brings the power of nature to the fight as she delivers kicks with the power of the skies and plains!

Finally, a major balance patch will come to Street Fighter 6 when Elena launches, introducing changes for all of the previous 25 characters along with some broader system changes as well. Keep an eye out for the detailed patch notes as we head toward Elena’s launch!

Get ready to feel the rhythm of the earth and the whispers of the wind from the strongest capoeira master around! Elena is prepared to shake the plains up for players who own or purchase the Year 2 Character Pass, Year 2 Ultimate Pass, or Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition, or for those who purchase her with Fighter Coins. The wicked M. Bison, easygoing Terry and fiery Mai are joined by Elena to round out Year 2 of Street Fighter 6. Stay tuned for more details!

The Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition will be available on June 5, 2025, across all platforms including PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and the new Nintendo Switch 2, with pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 version now available! This edition includes the characters and stages released through Years 1 & 2, making it a total of 26 characters including their Outfit 1, Colours 3-10, and 20 stages.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Street Fighter 6 and Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition will feature new ways to battle with friends like Tabletop Mode, Gyro Battles, and Calorie Contests, plus new modes like Local Wireless One on One and Avatar Matches!

Street Fighter 6 is also discounted across all platforms starting today so there’s no better time to step into the ring with millions of world warriors from around the world! Note that both the Deluxe Edition and Ultimate Edition are no longer available for purchase from digital storefronts.

About Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6, having sold more than four million units since launch, is available now and represents the next evolution of the Street Fighter series with a combo of unique fighting game innovations, brimming with content across three brand new game modes – Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Players around the world can get their hands on all the hard-hitting Street Fighter 6 action now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Additionally, Street Fighter 6 and Street Fighter 6 Years 1-2 Fighters Edition will be available on Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025.

About Capcom

Capcom is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment for game consoles, PCs, handheld and wireless devices. Founded in 1983, the company has created hundreds of games, including groundbreaking franchises Resident Evil™, Monster Hunter™, Street Fighter™, Mega Man™, Devil May Cry™ and Ace Attorney™. Capcom maintains operations in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Tokyo, with corporate headquarters located in Osaka, Japan. More information about Capcom and its products can be found at www.capcom.com  or news.capcomusa.com.

Capcom, and the Capcom logo are registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. in the U.S. or other countries. Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Resident Evil and Street Fighter are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Capcom Co., Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries, in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Bartender Hustle now available on PlayStation 5

Philip Federico
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Bartender Hustle, a unique game simulating a career in the bartending world, is now available on PlayStation 5 as of April 23. The gameplay is based mainly on mixing different types of cocktails and chatting with customers. Bartender Hustle is also available on PC, and will also be coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles on May 7.

Behind Bartender Hustle is independent Canadian studio Departure Interactive, which also has Metro Sim Hustle and Denizen games to its credit. The title hit PC first in 2022, and currently has 83 percent positive player reviews on Steam. Ultimate Games S.A. is responsible for developing and releasing the title on consoles.

Become a master bartender

Bartender Hustle is a first-person perspective game that is a relaxing simulator of a bartender’s career. The title allows you to create all kinds of cocktails and drinks and demonstrate your own ingenuity in the process.

PlayStation Store Page – https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10013613

More than 100 different ingredients are at the player’s disposal, including liquors, juices and other additives. In a bartending career, a total of 5 diverse establishments await the player – from a simple bar to a luxurious lounge.

An important part of Bartender Hustle is chatting and interacting with customers. Each guest not only has unique preferences for cocktails and drinks, but also a unique personality.

The gameplay is enhanced by additional game modes – arcade (handling as many customers as possible in a short period of time) and sandbox (unlimited play).

Bartender Hustle – main features:

  • bartending career;
  • mixing cocktails and drinks;
  • conversations and interactions with customers;
  • 100 different ingredients and 5 unique locations;
  • additional game modes (arcade and sandbox).

Bartender Hustle debuted on PlayStation 5 on April 23, 2025, and the game will also hit Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S on May 7.

Solve BOKURA: planet’s Co-op Puzzles and Overcome Hidden Agendas Today on PC

Philip Federico
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0

TOKYO – April 24, 2025 – BOKURA: planet, the collaborative planetary sequel requiring two human players developed by tokoronyori and publisher Kodansha Creators’ Lab, continues BOKURA’s 900,000 download-strong friendship-testing legacy with today’s launch on PC via Steam for $5.49. Start the journey with a 10% launch discount until Monday, May 5th, 2025.

Two inmates sentenced to death row trade their life sentences for a literal journey of a lifetime: lending their remaining years to investigating faraway planets. The mission takes a catastrophic turn when their ship crashlands on an unknown planet and they encounter a mysterious creature, shifting their realities in an instant. 

Can the pair hatch an escape plan and return to Earth in one piece? While both astronauts occupy the same space, each can only interact with certain artifacts around them. Use voice chat to communicate each player’s discrete surroundings. Split up to solve individual pieces of team-based puzzles, and call out mysterious markings to clue in on the path forward. Wait a minute…why is the other convict acting so suspiciously?

Is escaping together the only goal? While the original BOKURA put communication and teamwork to the test, BOKURA: planet throws a monkeywrench into the duo’s escape plans by giving each felon their own agenda, which must be hidden from the other at all costs. 

Successfully escaping the strange planet requires both cooperation and subterfuge. Experience the tension of deception and questionable behaviors as both players aim to accomplish secret objectives. Watch your back as the new “push” action allows players to shove each other off cliffs and into deadly electric barriers. 

To celebrate launch, Koji Kumeta, creator of the manga series “Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei,” has created new key art for the game. The illustration echoes BOKURA: planet’s themes:, each character hides something from the other, yet they’re connected by a single drawn line wrapping all the way around the planet.

“While BOKURA’s gameplay experience was based on trust, BOKURA: planet is based on the complete opposite — a lack of trust,” said tokoronyori, creator of BOKURA: planet. “Confrontational moments exist throughout the experience, and we can’t wait for teams to try their best to get their way through deception…or through brute force!”

BOKURA: planet takes off on PC via Steam today for $5.49 with a special 10% sale until Monday, May 5th, 2025. Language support options include English, Japanese, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Korean, French, Italian, German, and Spanish (Spain). 

For more information, follow Tokoronyori on Twitter and check out the Kodansha Creators’ Lab website.

About tokoronyori

Known for his unusual visual creations, distinctive world-building and deeply emotional stories within his games, tokoronyori first introduced his peculiar style with Farewell Planet, a game filled with mysteries where robots believe they are human. 

Tokoronyori creates memorable gaming experiences by incorporating specific mechanics only gaming can bring. BOKURA is published as part of the Kodansha Game Creator’s Lab project.

About Kodansha Game Creator’s Lab

Established in 2021, Kodansha Game Creator’s Lab is the fourth department of the prestigious entertainment publishing company Kodansha Ltd., founded in 1909. Its motto is “Everything for the creator,” reflecting the company’s goal to support young talents and introduce indie creators to the wider public.

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