As discovered by a sleuth on Reddit, and soon thereafter seemingly confirmed by a (since removed) tshirt store listing, Hideo Kojima is partnering with A24 on a live action Death Stranding film. Details about the adaptation remain undisclosed, but Kojima has previously stated that if this were to ever happen, he would be deeply involved in production. Absolutely no idea how this would work, and not super keen on it given how much of the point of the game - moreso than most, IMO - is… you know, the player interacting with it, but we’ll see! Update: Confirmation and more info has been provided by Kojima Productions.

As previously mentioned, 2023 was rough for game devs, but there’s no denying it was a remarkable year for releases. So given all the amazing new games I played this year, it says even more about how special Baldur’s Gate 3 was - because when it came time to think about GOTY, it was not even close. BG3 is an incredibly special, once in a generation game the likes of which we likely won’t see again for some time.

What I thought would be a quick, relatively low-effort brand collaboration turns out to be a remarkably fleshed out exploration/building/survival game with an incredible level of polish. A bit of Minecraft, a tiny bit of Animal Crossing, and even rolling in combat - sooo, we’re a soulslike now? Fun game, and the fact that Epic remade over 1,200 skins to suit the LEGO-verse is crazy in itself.

Releasing earlier than scheduled to combat an unfortunate leak, the GTA VI trailer is here. Featuring our protagonist Lucia, her partner in crime, the usual fast cars and parties, on a backdrop of Vice City and Floridian madness. Set to release in 2025 (though no mention of PC), it’s looking fantastic - love the apparent Bonnie & Clyde vibe. Wonder how many billions this will make.

Elden Ring’s upcoming expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is “progressing well”, according to producer Yasuhiro Kitao. In a new interview, he hinted at ‘new battles and characters’, drawing comparisons to Bloodborne’s huge and beloved DLC. Despite no confirmed release date, FROMSOFT are assuring smooth development.

Following the announcement last month, Rockstar have confirmed the first trailer for GTA VI will release Tuesday, December 5, 9AM ET. We love announcements of announcements of announcements.

The seminal Half-Life turns 25 this weekend, and Valve are celebrating with a substantial update which restores launch day content, introduces fresh multiplayer maps, and provides insights into the original development team’s work. As part of the festivities, there’s also an excellent documentary produced by the Noclip production crew.

Ten years after the release of GTA V, and in line with their 25th anniversary, Rockstar have confirmed the first look at the next in the franchise will be dropping early next month. In a series of tweets, Rockstar president Sam Houser reflects on the company’s history and speaks to his excitement for “many more years of sharing these experiences”.

Terrific art direction, ghostly music and atmosphere underpinned by a gripping story (by ’60s Polish sci-fi author Stanisław Lem) make for a tantalising but ultimately underwhelming experience. The characters are likeable and acted well, but they can only do so much to make up for what is so bound by its story that it leaves so little room for compelling gameplay… I’m up for walking simulators, but the walking has to be enjoyable. All that said, the story is the hero, which is enough to drive home an admirable adaptation.

Remedy have provided an interesting (and very impressive) look behind the technical curtain of Alan Wake 2 and its engine Northlight in a new blogpost. AW2 has been universally praised for its visual technical achievements (among other things), so it’s great to be able to read about some of the tools and tech they created or utilised.