The biggest new games for 2024 are getting closer as we wade deeper into the year. From upcoming Xbox Series X games such as Avowed and Fable, to the biggest and brightest exclusive upcoming PS5 games, and the best upcoming PC games and upcoming Switch games, there's loads to look forward to in the weeks and months ahead. 

But what about the games that are now firmly in our rearview mirror? We can't quite believe it's been 20 years since the arrival of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Half-Life 2, for example, or a full decade since Alien: Isolation and P.T. scared our socks off. Believe it or not, it's now been a full 30 years since the first Tekken hit our screens; and a quarter of a century since Crazy Taxi took the wheel (and then promptly lost control of it). 

All of which is to say: there are a lot of big video game anniversaries in 2024 – so much so that we've rounded up all of our favorites here. Separated into five-year intervals, we start below with some of the biggest games celebrating their 10th birthday, before working all the way back to the heady days of 1994.

Games turning 10 in 2024

Games launched in 2014

• The Last of Us Left Behind (DLC) – February 14
• Dark Souls 2 – March 11
• Titanfall – March 11
• Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes – March 18
• BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode Two (DLC) – March 25
• Transistor – May 19
• Wolfenstein: The New Order – May 19
• Watch Dogs – May 27
• Divinity: Original Sin – June 30
• Five Nights at Freddy's – August 8
• P.T. – August 12
• The Sims 4 – September 2
• Destiny – September 9
• Bayonetta 2 – September 30
• Middle-Earth Shadow of Mordor – September 30
• Alien: Isolation – October 6
• The Evil Within – October 14
• Sunset Overdrive – October 28
• Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare – November 3
• The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth – November 4
• Assassin's Creed Unity – November 11
• Halo: The Master Chief Collection – November 11
• Far Cry 4 – November 17
• Dragon Age: Inquisition – November 18 
• The Talos Principle – December 11

Games turning 15 in 2024

Games launched in 2009

• Halo Wars – February 26
• Resident Evil 5 – March 5
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars – March 17
• Minecraft (Java Edition; full release launched in 2011) – May 17
• Infamous – May 26
• Wii Sports Resort – June 25
• Batman: Arkham Asylum – August 25
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – September 24 
• Stalker: Call of Pripyat – October 2 
• Brutal Legend – October 13
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – October 13 
• Borderlands – October 20
• League of Legends – October 27
• Bayonetta – October 29
• GTA 4: Episodes from Liberty City (DLC) – October 29
• Dragon Age: Origins – November 3
• Demon's Souls – November 12
• Assassin's Creed 2 – November 17
• Left 4 Dead 2 – November 17
• Final Fantasy 13 – December 17 

Games turning 20 in 2024

Games launched in 2004

• Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance 2 – January 20
• Battlefield: Vietnam – March 14
• Katamari Damacy – March 18
• Far Cry – March 23
• Counter-Strike: Condition Zero – March 23
• Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow – March 23
• Red Dead Revolver – May 4
• Hitman Contracts – April 20
• Silent Hill 4: The Room – June 17
• Driver 3 – June 21
• Doom 3 – August 3
• Burnout 3: Takedown – September 7
• Call of Duty: United Offensive – September 14
• Fable – September 14
• The Sims 2 – September 14
• Pokemon Emerald – September 16
• Star Wars: Battlefront – September 21
• Rome: Total War – September 22
• Tony Hawk's Underground 2 – October 4
• GTA: Advance – October 26
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – October 26
• Counter-Strike: Source – November 1
• Killzone – November 2
• Ratchet and Clank 3 – November 2
• Spyro: A Hero's Tail – November 2
• WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW – November 2
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap – November 4
• Halo 2 – November 9
• Jak 3 – November 9
• Need for Speed: Underground 2 – November 9 
• Half-Life 2 – November 16
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines – November 16
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – November 17 
• Super Mario 64 DS – November 21
• Dragon Quest 8 – November 27
• Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within – November 30
• Garry's Mod – December (Source mod; released standalone in 2006)
• Gran Turismo 4 – December 28

Games turning 25 in 2024

Games launched in 1999

• Super Smash Bros – January 21 
• Syphon Filter – January 31
• Crazy Taxi – February 1
• Final Fantasy 8 – February 11
• Silent Hill – February 23
• GTA London 1969 and 1961 (expansion packs) – April 30 and April 29
• Pokemon Stadium – April 30
• Discworld Noir – June 19
• Crash Team Racing – June 20
• Driver – June 25
• Dungeon Keeper 2 – June 28
• Dino Crisis – July 1
• Tekken Tag Tournament (Arcade) – July 1  
• WWF Attitude – July 9
• System Shock 2 – August 11
• Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – August 16
• Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun – August 26
• Tony Hawk's Pro Skater – September 2
• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis – September 22
• Age of Empires 2 – September 27
• Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions – September 30
• WWF Wrestlemania 2000 – October 12
• Grand Theft Auto 2 – October 22
• FIFA 2000 – October 26
• Medal of Honor – October 31
• Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! – November 2 
• Pokemon Gold & Silver – November 21 
• Donkey Kong 64 – November 22 
• Unreal Tournament – November 22
• Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation – November 24  
• Urban Chaos – November 30 
• Vib Ribbon – December 9
• Planescape: Torment – December 10
• Gran Turismo 2 – December 11
• Shenmue – December 29

Games turning 30 in 2024

Games launched in 1994

• Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – February 2
• Daytona USA – March 2
• Super Metroid – March 19
• Beneath a Steel Sky – March 17
• UFO: Enemy Unknown – March 26
• Final Fantasy 6 – April 2
• Star Wars: TIE Fighter – July 20
• Tekken – September 21
• System Shock – September 23
• Earthworm Jim – October 14
• The Lion King – November 4
• Warcraft: Orcs and Humans – November 15
• Donkey Kong Country – November 18
• Madden 95 – November 18
• The Need for Speed – December 2
• King's Field – December 16
• Marathon – December 21

Had enough of the past? Check out our comprehensive rundown of upcoming video game release dates

The full selection of AEW Fight Forever DLC has now been released, culminating with the arrival of Toni Storm. There's a real mixture of content included here, and while Season 2 brought us new AEW Fight Forever modes, such as Beat The Elite, that are novel, we'd have preferred to receive more fresh characters than just Storm and The Acclaimed – especially as there are still notable exceptions, such as playing as world champion Samoa Joe. For the full details on everything that has been released, we've for it all here in our AEW Fight Forever DLC guide.

How do I get the AEW Fight Forever DLC characters?

Those familiar with WWE 2K23 DLC will be used to the structure here. Season 1 brought seven playable DLC characters in total to expand your AEW Fight Forever roster. The best way to snag them all is with the game’s season pass. It's not cheap, though, costing £24.99/$29.99. That includes almost all of the extra content.

I say ‘almost’, because there’s one notable exception. Matt Hardy was the game’s pre-order bonus and while he’s now widely available, you have to pay extra for him. Hardy costs £3.99/$4.99. You do, however, get two versions of the former WWE star: standard Matt, and his ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy alter-ego. The second of those is a fiddle to get working – check out our AEW Fight Forever Broken Matt Hardy guide for the quick fix. 

What is the AEW Fight Forever DLC release date?

There were three DLC packs in AEW Fight Forever Season 1.

The FTR: Revival Pack was unleashed on Thursday, June 29. It contained Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler, collectively known as FTR – hence the title. These guys were known as The Revival during their WWE days, so there’s also a cunning nod to AEW’s big rival in that name. The pack also includes two mini-games: JoinUs and Deth Race-X.

Next up, we got the Limitless Bunny Bundle. This contains The Bunny and Keith Lee – who narrowly missed out on the WWE 2K23 roster having been released in 2021. Also included here are two more mini-games: MJF Car Thrash and Sloth Sling.

The final Season 1 pack to be announced was the Hookhausen Very Handsome Very Evil Pack. ECW legend Taz isn’t on the roster, but his son Hook makes it as part of this pack – as does camp pugilist Danhausen.

What is AEW Fight Forever Stadium Stampede?

Stadium Stampede Battle Royale is a free additional game mode in which you go to war with 29 other players using golf buggies, horses and anything else you can get your hands on. As the name suggests, it's set in a massive AEW stadium where there's minimal time to take stock of what's going on around you. You can tailor your loadout before each match, and improve your strike, grapple, aerial and weapon skills with every play. Sound like chaos? It is!

Is there an AEW Fight Forever Season 2?

There is indeed! AEW Fight Forever Season 2 got underway when the first piece of DLC added a brand new Dynamite arena, and fresh tag-team: Max Caster and Anthony Bowens, AKA The Acclaimed. Next up was Beat The Elite mode, where you fight nine random characters in sequence and then have to face off with a member of The Elite to score in-game cosmetic items. The final AEW Fight Forever Season 2 DLC release was former WWE favourite Toni Storm.

The AEW Fight Forever Season 2 Pass costs $24.99/£19.99.

Can I see all that as an AEW Fight Forever DLC list?

Sure: here’s a recap of everything that’s been released. More interested in expanding your WWE 2K23 character list? Then venture over to GR’s WWE 2K23 CAWs guide.

AEW Fight Forever Pre-Order Bonus Pack DLC (June 29, 2023)

• Matt Hardy 
• Broken Matt Hardy

AEW Fight Forever DLC FTR: Revival Pack (June 29, 2023)

• Cash Wheeler (FTR) 
• Dax Harwood (FTR) 
• Join Us mini-game 
• Deth Race-X mini-game

AEW Fight Forever DLC Limitless Bunny Bundle (August 31, 2023)

• The Bunny
• Keith Lee
• MJF Car Thrash mini-game 
• Sloth Sling mini-game

AEW Fight Forever DLC Hookhausen Very Handsome Very Evil Pack (September 23, 2023)

• Danhausen
• Hook

AEW Fight Forever DLC Dynamite Featuring The Acclaimed (November 22, 2023)

• Anthony Bowens
• Max Caster
• New Dynamite arena

AEW Fight Forever DLC Beat The Elite (December 13, 2023)

• Beat The Elite game mode

AEW Fight Forever DLC The Storm Is Coming (January 10, 2024)

• Toni Storm
• 10 new music tracks

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

The full WWE 2K23 DLC catalogue is now fully available, and feels all the more poignant following the death of Bray Wyatt. Real name Windham Rotunda, the former world champion passed away in August at the age of 36 – and his last tweet showcased the WWE 2K23 Revel With Wyatt Pack. It heralded a return to the series which had been heavily requested by fans, and hopefully means Wyatt also makes the WWE 2K24 roster in tribute. Below we look back at everything else offered this year, in GR’s WWE 2K23 DLC guide. 

How do I get the WWE 2K23 DLC characters?

There are 25 playable wrestlers in total, not including pre-release content like Bad Bunny. The first arrived one month after the WWE 2K23 release date of Friday, March 17, while the final instalment dropped in mid-August. As well as all those playable stars, we also got Hit Row member B-Fab as a manager.

Individual packs cost £8.99/$9.99. Alternatively you can grab the season pass, covering all five packs, for £32.99/$39.99. As a bonus, it grants you the MyRISE Mega-Boost, which includes an additional 200 Attribute Points, and Supercharger, which unlocks all base game WWE Legends and throwback arenas. 

Who are the WWE 2K23 DLC legends?

Six yesteryear favourites are added to the game as WWE 2K23 DLC as part of the five packs. 

DLC Pack 1, AKA the Steiner Row Pack, lives up to its name. It sees Scott Steiner make his first 2K appearance since WWE 2K14, and delivers Rick Steiner for the first time ever. This isn’t a coincidence: Rick’s son, Bron Breakker, was NXT Champion for most of 2022 and makes his debut on the WWE 2K23 roster.

There’s no DLC legend in Pack 2, but Pack 3 – the Race To NXT pack – saw Harley Race added to the game. (See that they’ve done with that name?) The grizzled grappler had a four-year stint in what was then the WWF, but is best known for his eight NWA World Heavyweight Championship reigns. 

Hulk Hogan’s 1980s rival Zeus was next to land, in the Revel With Wyatt Pack. He was followed up by two more modern retirees: Wade Barrett and Eve Torres. That pair arrived in the final DLC release, which is called the Bad News U pack.

What about the WWE 2K23 DLC current stars?

Eight members of the Raw and Smackdown roster get the nod as DLC – in most cases because they returned to WWE in 2022, but were too late to make the on-disc roster.

The trio of B-Fab, Top Dolla and Ashante Adonis – collectively known as Hit Row – joined the Steiner Brothers in the first DLC pack. However, note that B-Fab is an NPC. Another tag-team, comprising Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, arrived hot on their heels in the following month’s Pretty Sweet Pack.

DLC Pack 4 delivered the words every fan has been entering into search engines for months: WWE 2K23 Bray Wyatt. Joining him is onscreen family member Uncle Howdy, as a surprise bonus. The Viking Raiders’ valet, Valhalla, also arrived as part of same pack – you may recognise her by her former name of Sarah Logan.

Is there any WWE 2K23 NXT DLC?

Third brand NXT is the big winner when it comes to WWE 2K23 DLC. It’s scored no fewer than 12 additional superstars – almost half of the full DLC selection.

First up are Tiffany Stratton, Elton Prince and Kit Wilson as part of the Pretty Sweet Pack. The latter pair are known as Pretty Deadly, and have already captured the NXT and NXT UK tag-team belts during their short time in WWE.

Two ladies and two men landed as part of the following month’s Race To NXT Pack. We got Ivy Nile and Wendy Choo on the female side, and Trick Williams and Tony D’Angelo on the male one. There’s sadly no place for D’Angelo’s long-time sidekick Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo. You’ll need our WWE 2K23 CAWs guide for him.

Blair Davenport and Joe Gacy continued the NXT drops in the Revel With Wyatt Pack. We then got three more newcomers in the final Bad News U Pack: Damon Kemp, Nathan Frazer, and Andre Chase. It’s an impressive selection which neatly fleshes out the roster with young talent.

Where can I see the full WWE 2K23 DLC pack list?

Right here. All five packs, and 26 wrestlers, are listed in chronological order below:

WWE 2K23 DLC Steiner Row Pack (April 19)

• Ashante Adonis (Hit Row)
• B-Fab (Hit Row) [NPC]
• Top Dolla (Hit Row)
• Rick Steiner (Steiner Brothers)
• Scott Steiner (Steiner Brothers)

WWE 2K23 DLC Pretty Sweet Pack (May 17)

• Karl Anderson (The OC)
• Luke Gallows (The OC)
• Elton Prince (Pretty Deadly)
• Kit Wilson (Pretty Deadly)
• Tiffany Stratton

WWE 2K23 DLC Race To NXT Pack (June 14)

• Ivy Nile (Diamond Mine)
• Harley Race
• Tony D’Angelo
• Trick Williams
• Wendy Choo

WWE 2K23 Revel With Wyatt Pack (July 19)

• Valhalla (Viking Raiders)
• Blair Davenport
• Bray Wyatt
• Uncle Howdy
• Joe Gacy
• Zeus

WWE 2K23 Bad News U Pack (August 16)

• Andre Chase (Chase U)
• Damon Kemp (Diamond Mine)
• Eve Torres
• Nathan Frazer
• Wade Barrett

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth doesn't launch until February 2024, but it's guaranteed to be one of the biggest games of the year ahead. Building on the success of 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake – yes, it really is almost four years since we last visited Cloud and company – and with anticipation for the upcoming sequel now at fever pitch, you'd be forgiven for thinking producer Yoshinori Kitase and director Naoki Hamaguchi's recent appearance at Paris Games Week was already something of a victory lap. 

"We've done a number of fan events and signings here," Kitase-san tells GamesRadar at the end of the French games expo. "I think you really can feel that respect towards game creators [here]. A lot of people stay behind afterwards, and they really want to express how much they respect us and what we've made, and that's a bit of a different thing; we don't get that so much in Japan."

The next chapter

It's perhaps little surprise that the pair are getting a rapturous welcome. They're helming the eagerly anticipated next chapter of a planned trilogy of games; remaking what, for many players across Europe, will have been the first Final Fantasy game they ever played. It's a legacy that Kitase, who directed the original, is all too aware of. 

"The fact that it was their very first Final Fantasy really did leave a strong impression on people," Kitase says. "They've had those memories, and really cherished them, for over 20 years. There's a lot of expectation and we really can't disappoint or betray those fans with those expectations." Yet while Kitase and Hamaguchi agree on the importance of keeping the tone and the feel of 1997's Final Fantasy 7 intact, there was never any intention to do a straight remake of the original – suggesting recreating the original's most memorable moments would need to be done so in a "slightly different way".

Anyone who played Remake knows that those differences might not be so "slight" though. Without spoilers, the fates of certain characters have seemingly changed already, which could conceivably shift the direction of the entire story going forwards. Or at least, that's what many players expect – but the recent revelation that everything is still heading towards Advent Children throws everything up in the air. Just how much can the Remake trilogy change things if everything still has to ultimately line up with a movie from 2005? 

"We are finally going to link up with Advent Children, that is going to be part of canon," Kitase confirms. "The overall storyline, the developments, will not go wildly out in a way that will not add up to Advent Children in the end. I don't think anyone wanted that, that's not what we're looking to create here. [But] to make sure it doesn't become stale and people know exactly where it's going, [that it] doesn't just follow the original word for word, we add in extra elements which add that little bit of doubt. Getting the right balance of that is so key. Ultimately, we're not trying to change the Final Fantasy 7 story into something really different. The overall balance wouldn't really allow for that anyway."

Advent Children isn't the only movie influencing Rebirth, though. Trilogies often face the 'middle chapter problem', where the second installment must build on the first, lead into the third, and somehow stand as a satisfying piece of entertainment in its own right. It's a notoriously difficult balance to strike, but one film in particular serves as almost a textbook example of how to do it right: The Empire Strikes Back. 

"There is a lot you can learn from that film in terms of how to do a second part of a trilogy well," says Kitase. "You've got the setup, the setting, the characters, who they are, all explained in the first part. The real role of a second part of a trilogy is to deepen that, explore it further, go into the relationships between the characters and how they relate to each other a lot more, which is very much what we focused on here." 

"Also, linking through to the third part, the climax of the trilogy, obviously you have to have the big twists, the unexpected aspects, the things that will throw people a little bit, get them motivated to want to see what happens in the end of the story. Like I say, there's a lot you can learn from that film. It's very good to bear in mind in terms of the right way of going about the second part." 

Much as Irvin Kershner took over from George Lucas to direct Empire, so too is Hamaguchi stepping up to 'full' director on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, after co-directing Remake with Tetsuya Nomura. You might think that would be daunting, but Hamaguchi dismisses the suggestion. "In terms of pressure, I don't really think there's a lot of that," he says. "In certain ways, it actually feels the same." Talk about confidence. 

Explaining his own stance on the middle chapter problem, Hamaguchi says: "I think the way I'm approaching this game may be slightly different to Mr Kitase and his perceptions and ideas about the second part of a trilogy. I think unless there is that twist, that change, that step up over the first game, the big trap here is that people … get expectations of what the third part is going to be like. You don't want that [expectation] to become lower." 

"If we don't add in those changes and ramp everything up and make it that bigger and wider experience, then people just think they know what's coming. I want to avoid that. We want people to keep wondering. That's very much how we have approached the change from Remake through to Rebirth, just making everything bigger, more expansive, deeper. I feel that's my mission as the director now, to really ensure that that's where the game goes. In terms of the change in my approach to it, I think that's what I'm very focused on for this second one."

Second coming

Some of the biggest changes players will experience in Rebirth will affect the combat system, with the introduction of newly playable characters Red XIII and Cait Sith. While Red XIII debuted towards the end of Remake, he joined the party as a guest character, and couldn't be directly controlled. 

Cait Sith, meanwhile, had only a cameo role in Remake, and now joins the team for the first time in Rebirth. Both will feature unique play styles that will impact how players approach the game, such as Red XIII's revenge gauge, which charges by guarding against enemy damage before retaliating with punishing counter-attacks. 

Given the playable characters in Remake – Cloud, Aerith, Barret, and Tifa – each had their own unique battle styles, expanding the roster with party members boasting even more distinctive control schemes was a challenge. Have them feel too similar to each other, and they almost become redundant; too different, and switching between heroes might almost feel like switching between games with unrelated systems. On top of all that, the game needs to maintain the feel of the original cast. 

"That's a really difficult thing to do," admits Hamaguchi. "We had to put a lot of effort into it, but was definitely something we had to do right. The core of this is, the characters from the first game [have] very much got fixed roles in combat. Cloud has to be a close combat character. Aerith has to be a magic character – and more of a ranged magic character, at that. Barrett, again, is another ranged combatant but also more like a tank and has to feel different from Aerith." 

"People… got attached to those combat styles. We couldn't do anything to really mix them up or change them too much because otherwise people would say 'why do they feel wrong?' For example, we could never make Aerith a close combat character in this one. And then we've got to add in all of the new characters there, and make sure that they don't change that overall balance either and upset that. For Cait Sith and Red XIII, they had to be fitted in and made to work in their own way too. That was difficult – the more variables you use, the harder it gets." 

Hamaguchi praises battle director Teruki Endo for getting everything working smoothly in Rebirth. "He was really good at that," he says, "and ultimately I think we did get a great balance there, so [Red XIII and Cait Sith] feel like they belong in this system. They don't feel out of place even though they are unique. They slot in really well."

That's not to say the returning Remake cast don't get any love here. Hamaguchi explains: "We don't have to keep them exactly the same – we can, for example, within Cloud or Aerith, give them new mechanics, some new combat abilities, change them around slightly, as long as they still fit within that role as a close combat character or as a ranged character. If they feel like they still perform the same role, then even if they change a little bit, players will accept that." 

Perhaps the biggest twist to Rebirth's combat is the introduction of 'Synergy Abilities', team-up attacks where any two characters can combine their skills for incredibly powerful assaults. It's an evolution of the system introduced in Final Fantasy 7 Episode INTERmission, the Remake DLC that introduced ninja spy Yuffie Kisaragi, ahead of her meeting the core cast in Rebirth. However, its origins were rooted in story and character development, more than a desire for a flashy new mechanic. 

"The idea for the Synergy system came about when we completed Remake, before we went on to do Intergrade and INTERmission," Hamaguchi says. "Mr Nojima's first draft for the script, plotting out the second game for Rebirth, had already been produced. We were looking over that and seeing [that] in order to get to that scene with Aerith in the Forgotten Capital and make it dramatic and really work as a scene, we [need to] see the characters bonding with each other and growing to know each other [throughout the game]."

"I really thought we wanted to show that [bond] not just in the story sections and the other gameplay, but in the battles as well," Hamaguchi continues. "The idea for the synergy system is something which can reflect the overall theme of the storytelling in the battles."

Catalyst

Players can expect the battle system to continue to evolve in the still-untitled third game in the Remake trilogy, too. Not only will the cast expand further, with the addition of Vincent and Cid Highwind (who appear in Rebirth as guest characters much as Red XIII did in Remake; Hamaguchi says "we have to work out how they fit into that overall matrix now and work as combat characters – that's something we've started scratching our heads on recently!") but the creators will have to factor in response to Rebirth itself. 

"Talking specifics about the battle system for the third game is something that we'll be talking about quite a way into the future - a lot of that is undecided," Hamaguchi says. "But the way I see my mission for the ongoing series is [that] I definitely want to add extra dimensions, evolve it, give it a new fresh feel, a new gameplay experience which isn't in this game. I really want to take everything to another level." 

While Hamaguchi and Kitase alike remain tight-lipped on what to expect from the remainder of the Remake trilogy, there is, tragically, one important character who won't be returning: Hamaguchi's cat Musashi, who was snuck into Remake. "This is only in my head canon here," he says, "but personally I'd like to think that he was caught up in the Sector 7 plate fall with Jessie and that lot – he's probably not gonna turn up!" 

Brutal – but unlikely to deter fans from rejoining Cloud and his allies' continuing journey when Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth arrives on PS5 on 29 February 2024. 

Check out our list of the best RPGs you can (and should) play right now

Baldur's Gate 3 rules, the best game of this year by a pretty comfortable margin. It's got heart, brains, and no shortage of genitals, at least going by the exhaustively-feral horniness of the fanbase. It's broad and deep and adventurous in all the right ways, and could arguably claim the title of being the best fantasy game of the last decade. For me, it's particularly fantastic – I've been playing D&D regularly and somewhat obsessively for over a decade – something that, despite my initial resistance, has resulted in my osmosising quite a lot of D&D lore along the way.

In earlier years I was dismissive about the core Forgotten Realms setting that D&D usually takes place in, something that appeared to me to be little more than baseline generic fantasy and what I occasionally think of as "Tolkan't". But while that might be how D&D's world appears at first glance, once you peel back the layers you realise that there's a lot of weird shit at play – it just tends to hover around the fringes so as not to freak people out. And the weird shit is exactly what a theoretical Baldur's Gate 3 DLC needs to focus on.

To the one place that hasn't been ruined by Gortash… SPAAYCE!

For me, the big two setting elements I've always wanted to see done justice are Spelljammers and the Blood War – both of which we have teased in the very first five minutes of Baldur's Gate 3. 

Spelljammers is certainly the stranger option, a whole realm of magically-powered space travel on enchanted airships, but it's not so out of character for BG3: the Nautiloid that the Mind Flayers snatch you onto in the game's tutorial is an eldritch form of "Spelljammer" ship. Just a shame it crashes before you can hit level two and you're pretty much landlocked from that point on.

Meanwhile, the strange reality your created Guardian speaks to you from is actually the Astral Sea, the cosmic in-betweeny space that Spelljammers fly through. As much soft sci-fi as much as it is fantasy, Spelljamming would admittedly be a bit of a tricky pitch considering you could end up pretty much anywhere, but the phrase "magical flying pirate ships" should be its own justification for the attempt.

Hell? Yes!

Then there's the Blood War, which BG3 also has hanging notably in the background, but never quite engages with directly. Long story short: hordes of destructive Demons and armies of tyrannical Devils have been killing each other in Avernus, the top layer of Hell, for the right to ruin everything in their preferred way since time immemorial, escalating into the longest and most brutal war in all of D&D lore. Beloved barbarian buddy Karlach is an escapee from the Blood War, and the Nautiloid sails over one of its many battlefields in the aforementioned tutorial, allowing us to view it from a distance – but it doesn't quite do justice to the full thing.

And that's because the Blood War is basically where Dungeons and Dragons goes full "heavy metal album cover": think smoke-belching war machines and spiky Mad Max vehicles sporting glowing pentagrams, all manned by snarling, blood-drenched rejects from Doom Eternal. You've got the devil god Asmodeus ruling one team, a deity so cunning he makes Raphael look like a concussed toddler, and opposite him the literal avatars of carnage and corruption known as the Demon Lords, who range from tentacled, two-headed chimps to snobby fungus to just piles of omniscient ooze.

I don't pitch this without good reason: I ran a three-year campaign of "Descent into Avernus", a D&D adventure all centred around the Blood War and machinations of Hell, not to mention the event that makes Zevlor and the Tieflings into refugees in the BG3's first act. It's genuinely one of the best experiences in D&D I've ever had – in part because of the clear joie de vivre of the setting.

Plus it helps that it's an idea deeply tied to Karlach, and to a lesser extent, Wyll. Zariel, the wrath-filled fallen angel associated with both characters, is the high general ruling Avernus and controlling Asmodeus' forces in the Blood War, and a character I was deeply disappointed never made an appearance in BG3. Speaking of which, when the Soul Coins that trigger Karlach's mechanical heart started appearing, I gave an ignoble squeal of excitement – because in D&D lore those coins are usually used to fuel the rumbling War Machines of The Nine Hells, all of which look like drivable versions of the House Robots from Robot Wars. 

I love Karlach and her powers, but even now I feel a bit cheated that Larian teased me with the chance to pilot some massive armoured tank dripping with mounted weaponry across the fiery pits of Avernus, only to snatch that hope away when it turned out the Soul Coins were just a way to (consensually) set a friend on fire. A DLC set in Avernus would at least have a chance to correct that injustice, and if nothing else, I'd really like to knock down Auntie Ethel with a Satan-powered monster truck.

We love all things BG3 here at GamesRadar: for more, check out our interview with Orin the Red actress Maggie Robertson, or see how the voice of the Dark Urge came to be!

Cindy the mechanic looks like a Victoria's Secret model and speaks like an old-timer of the Gold Rush era. As the first NPC you meet out in the world of Final Fantasy 15, she sets the tone for a game of mismatches. Indeed, it's a surprise to encounter a 'Cindy' in a world where the main cast have names such as Noctis Lucis Caelum, Gladiolus Amicitia, and Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. Sure, Noctis is a prince and Lunafreya a princess and oracle, but it's not as though the game ever explores this disparity in syllables as a marker of status. 

Rather, by the time you meet another NPC, Dave, a little later, it's more as though the support character designers ran out of enthusiasm once they'd finished rounding off Cindy's cleavage. Not that 'Dave' isn't a fine name, naturally, but it's hard to shake the sense that nobody gave much thought to him, or his moniker. 

Forgettable as Dave might be, though, like Cindy he symbolises so much about Final Fantasy 15. As much as protagonist Noctis and his trio of chums – Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto – represent everything in the game that's detailed and polished, Dave stands for all the bits that are under-designed, if not plain unfinished. The presence of Dave exemplifies an experience that's often good and bad simultaneously, and not in a way that evens out to average. Dave embodies the truth that Final Fantasy 15 will forever exist in a state of internal contradiction. 

Final chance

To an extent, this was inevitable, given the game's difficult gestation. Originally conceived as Final Fantasy Versus 13 some ten years before it saw the light of day, during development it expanded, mutated, became a mainline series entry, outgrew PS3, changed engine, and had a change of director. Trailers for Versus 13 before the rebrand reveal many of the components that appeared in 15: Noctis and his entourage, a mix of 'real-world' architecture and techno-fantasy, the invasion of Noctis' kingdom and his cross-country road trip to unite with his betrothed, Lunafreya. But the project would be trimmed down – including the axing of an opening act which depicted this precipitating invasion – in an effort to prevent an even later birth. 

While careful, surgical cuts can certainly lead to a tighter final product, in this case the operation to save Final Fantasy 15 left large, visible scars. Your journey across the land of Lucis and beyond ping-pongs from varnished shine to placeholder coarseness, occasionally even within the same scene. The quality is mainly front-loaded into an open-world adventure which culminates in the spectacular water city of Altissia, where Lunafreya awaits. The first half of the game makes hay with the act of cruising quiet highways in the Bentley-like Regalia, gasping at sights – a huge arching rock bridge that brushes across the horizon, for example – then hopping from the car to explore on foot. 

Yet even here this 'fantasy based on reality' doesn't fit together. The opening area, with its strained rural southern US overtones, presents a caricature of a culture, spaces filled with classic booth diners and twanging country tunes, with no sense that they gel with a wider geography or technology. The same might be said of Lestallum, the country's largest town, where an idyllic tropical tourist spot chokes under a smoke-spewing power plant. Lucis is full of holiday-snap views, but they don't add up to a complete picture. 

The charm of the principal cast thus has to act as a binding agent. At first it seems fool-hardy that Square Enix would throw all its eggs in one basket, introducing its full playable cast from the start as a static party, with no new faces to mix things up down the line. It's a very one-dimensional group, too, with its quartet of young white men certainly not offering something for everyone, other than a range of broad personality archetypes: mopey hero, goofy sidekick, beefy guardian, nerdy strategist. 

But serving up a gang of already firm (and likeable) friends turns out to be Final Fantasy 15's smartest narrative stroke, tossing aside the stale conceit of disparate strangers combing for a common cause to centre on existing bonds. The tone is set in an opening full of boyish excitement, wrapped in a cover version of Ben E King's Stand By Me that can't help but remind you of the film of the same name. While Noctis and co may be older than the kids in Rob Reiner's coming-of-age drama, they're similarly naïve and awestruck by the world. 

With the initial aim of travelling to Noctis' wedding, what follows is a long stag weekend of camping, hunting, fishing and chocobo riding. Sure, there are things you must do in order to move the plot forward: battling through tombs to retrieve magic weapons, and infiltrating Niflheim Empire strongholds. But it's the little moments – such as angling at the edge of a lake patrolled by dinosaurs – that hold firm in the memory. And no game has made setting up camp for the night such a vital experience. Gladiolus hammers the tent pegs in. Ignis gets dinner ready. Prompto shares his latest photos. Given the advancing threat of the Empire, it's absurd that there's room for this, but it captures the essence of a bunch of kids enjoying a last carefree fling as they're propelled towards grave responsibility. 

Then again, this downtime only gets so much attention because the major events that would normally punctuate a grand RPG have been so conspicuously amputated. For instance, the gang only learns of the fall of their city, Insomnia, and the assassination of the king, when they read the morning papers. Rather than a postmodern subversion of RPG storytelling, though, this feels like a cost-cutting exercise. A cutscene tinged with shock and sadness segues into a detour mission to return to the city to verify what's happened, then it's back to the holiday. Subsequent chapters then interrupt your fun with the appearances of politicians and army commanders that you don't know from Dave. 

Yes, you could watch Kingsglaive, the CGI movie released ahead of the game that details the background to the invasion and gives more screen time to these players. Yet that too feels like a desperate measure to catch the spillover from the main game. Kingsglaive doesn't so much add texture and context to the story (which the animated series Brotherhood, another 15 multimedia spin-off, does more successfully) as it does fill in gaping holes. It's especially incongruous since every time you load up the game, a message appears claiming this is 'A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers'. Because nothing says 'for first-timers' more than having to track down separate films and TV shows to complete the plot. 

The hole thing

The biggest hole is still to come, though, after you reach Altissia in chapter nine (of 15) and Noctis' love story with Lunafreya is brutally pruned before it's had a chance to bloom. From here, the great adventure turns into a three-chapter train ride – from open world to the very definition of linearity. You do make a few stops along the way, to wade around a swamp and scuffle with Niflheim soldiers and daemons. But as vast expanses of open country roll past the carriage windows, it's clear that you're being pushed through a series of stapled-together snippets from an original vision that would surely have had you out there exploring at your leisure. 

By this point in the tale, the world is succumbing to darkness, and it seems as though the game is collapsing in on itself. Not only is it dull, it's a betrayal of what has gone before – the reward of any open-world adventure is surely an opening up, rather than a contraction, as you progress. Indeed, there's a sense of sheepish recognition as a contrived mechanism involving Lunafreya's dog lets you return to Lucis before the devastation. But the holiday spirit has gone, and no amount of nostalgia can claw back what's been abandoned. There's some irony as you sit on the train contemplating how the game has gone off the rails. 

Still, this sequence of chapters has been redeemed somewhat after the fact, thanks to the DLC episodes. Again, it's the entourage that comes to the rescue, plastering over the cracks with solo excursions that branch off from Noctis' story. Jarring gaps in the original version – not least the event of Ignis going blind in Altissia, which profoundly affects the group dynamic – are now filled with content. In fact, the episodes show us what we've been missing: focus on key events and backstory for our crew, and welcome variety during more linear sequences. Well, not so much in Gladiolus' episode, which is largely an extended dungeon romp, but both Prompto and Ignis are given plenty to do and generous slices of plot to chew through. In particular, Prompto's snow-bike chases and third-person shooter combat show how the game may have gotten away with narrowing down if it had made more of each character's abilities. 

What these episodes and other additions in 2018's Royal Edition can't do, however, is complete the game. Nor can they rescue what is ultimately a dreary plot arc about royal bloodlines and prophecies. When it comes to its world-ending threat, you may even conclude that Final Fantasy 15 could have been trimmed down further. Perhaps the tale would have worked better if Noctis and friends really did simply go on a stag holiday, maybe stirring up resentment among the country folk, and getting caught up in some local conspiracy. Perhaps Dave could have been the villain of the piece. Then again, perhaps we should cherish what we did get, warts and all. How often nowadays does a game of this stature feel so improvised, so unusual, and so impossible to repeat?

This feature originally appeared in Edge magazine issue 384. For more fantastic features, you can subscribe to Edge right here or pick up a single issue today. 

Dredge, a horror fishing game that has no right to be as good as it is, is getting its first expansion on November 16. The Pale Reach update will add an icy biome for daring fishermen to explore, a bunch of new fish to catch, and quality of life updates.

Developer Black Salt Games has been releasing a steady drip of Dredge updates since the game launched in March, but it's been comparatively little stuff like map markers, a photo mode, and boat customization options. The Pale Reach will be the surprise indie darling's biggest update yet by a significant margin.

The DLC will take you on another journey that's chill and terrifying in equal parts, this time through icy canyons as you retrace the path of a long-forgotten expedition and search for the undoubtedly ominous fate of previous travelers. At some point, you'll need to upgrade your ship with special gear so that you can smash through the floes in the freezing water.

"Doing an icy biome was something we had considered when we were first designing Dredge, but the other biomes felt better for the story we wanted to tell and the time we had to make the game," says producer Nadia Thorne. "After launch, it became the most requested new biome from players, with the community wondering what it could be like and even creating fan art inspired by it. We’re delighted to be bringing this idea to life for players."

Alongside the new biome and story content, the Pale Reach will add 11 new fish and crab species - not to mention their horrific counterparts - as well as a whole new and unspecified fish type. Finally, there will be a new item that keeps your fish fresher for longer no matter the climate.

The Pale Reach will be followed by another big expansion, titled The Iron Rig, at some point in the future. Black Salt says we'll learn more about that DLC "soon."

Setting sail on a replay? Check out our guide on Dredge endings explained and how to get them.

In possibly the most confusing move to ever come from the increasingly confusing Call of Duty franchise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 will "Carry Forward" basically all the guns, cosmetics, and progression from Modern Warfare 2 in a one-way upgrade that sure smacks of DLC to me. 

A new blog post outlined the scope of the Carry Forward feature earlier today, several days ahead of the Warzone-set reveal which will hopefully tell us what the game with the three on it will actually bring to the table. For now, we know that it contains a sizable majority of Modern Warfare 2 content. 

Carry Forward has been packaged as a way to, "for the first time in Call of Duty's history," have "a massive repository of armaments ready to use on day one," sort of like a quick-start button. OK, that gets a tentative but optimistic 'cool.' Here's how this Carry Forward business works:

• In Season 1 of MW3, you'll have access to almost all "Operators, Weapons, Blueprints, and cosmetic equipment accessible" based on your unlocks in MW2.
• If an Operator appears in both games, they are "regarded as the same character."
• For skins and cosmetics, if you didn't unlock limited-time MW2 skins when they were available, or MW3 doesn't include, say, the exact vehicle that a skin is for, those won't transfer over.
• There are also plans for "integrating Player Level, Battle Pass access, and Weapon progression among these games," which is perhaps the biggest red flag, because how do you do that between meaningfully different games? 
• Attachments, weapon charms, and most Tactical and Lethal equipment will transfer as well. 
• However, you'll have to re-unlock MW2 guns in MW3 via specific challenges, and you can of course get these guns even if you didn't get them in MW2 first. 
• However, "weapon progression will continuously update between games" once you get them, which implies there will indeed be plenty of reasons to go back to MW2 post-MW3.
• Triple however: there is no "Carry Back" system for MW3; the new content won't be usable in MW2. 

Throughout its history, Call of Duty has repeatedly been accused of rehashing the same game without significant updates or additions, and I don't know if MW3 is going to beat the allegations by reusing a ton of stuff from MW2, touting it as a good thing for player progression, and presumably charging more than the price of the season pass that this looks like. It might be good, great even, but it's sounding like a campaign DLC right now. 

I appreciate the granular detail, but the fact that 19 chunky questions were necessary for the blog post to explain this feature doesn't bode well. It even asks: "Is there a reason to purchase Modern Warfare II if all the weapons are available in Modern Warfare III?" Here's the official answer: 

"Yes. You would be able to have some or all of your Modern Warfare 2 weaponry arsenal fully leveled up and unlocked, along with their associated Camos, ready for Modern Warfare 3 launch, provided you put in the appropriate time to unlock and level up this content in MW2, prior to – or even after – playing MW3."

I want to reiterate that Modern Warfare 3 has not yet been properly revealed, so maybe it will shoot straight past expectations with heaps of new content. That being said, is this not exactly how DLC works? Buy the game now and play it so you're ready for the new content? That's what you tell people interested in trying Destiny 2 or Final Fantasy 14's next expansion, or the Elden Ring DLC, or the possible-but-not-confirmed Baldur's Gate 3 DLC. 

The feature itself actually sounds like a good idea, if only because it spares you the grind to regain guns you already have. But I also expect the actual new content of MW3 to now be under extra pressure to justify whatever the price tag ends up being. Call of Duty fans were already worried that such a short release cycle would lead to glorified DLC, and after this news, I reckon this MW3 reveal is really going to have to bring the heat. 

Activision has been pushing back against reports that Call of Duty 2023 would be a smaller, expansion-style entry for some time, repeatedly insisting that it will be a "full premium release" as if that means anything.

The Callisto Protocol's long-promised story DLC, Final Transmission, is coming at the end of June.

Although not explicitly confirmed by developer Striking Distance Studios, it's widely thought that "Final Transmission" is the "story DLC" included in the game's season pass, which promised to allow players to "dig deeper into the horrifying secrets of The Callisto Protocol".

"Prepare for Final Transmission, the heart-pounding final chapter of The Callisto Protocol," developer Striking Distance teased on Twitter. "Play 48 hours early on June 27, exclusively on PlayStation, followed by a wider release on June 29 for all other platforms."

"There's a great sci-fi game here but one marred by its combat system," Leon said in GamesRadar+'s The Callisto Protocol review, which he says is "a fantastic looking game that builds a great sci-fi world only to trash it with an unenjoyable combat challenge".

"I'd honestly recommend playing The Callisto Protocol on 'easy'. Once I'd finished the game on default difficulty, I restarted it on the lower setting, and it's so much more enjoyable," he wrote. 

"There's still some challenge, but it's a much more manageable, and far less crushing journey. There's obviously a whole discourse here to be had on difficulty but I've reviewed the game as presented by the developers, aware that many will resist changing the challenge for one reason or another."

ICYMI, The Callisto Protocol also now has a New Game Plus mode. Users who "previously completed the game will have access to NewGame+", providing they use an active save file from the game's compltion". You'll get all weapons, upgrades, and Callisto Credits can be collected from the first Reforge you encounter. 

The new feature also ushers in a new achievement for players who complete a NG+ run, too, which will hopefully address the ongoing problem some are having getting the "Maximum Security Trophy" to unlock.

The Callisto Protocol has reportedly only sold two of the five million copies its publisher, Krafton, and investors had been expecting. Consequently, several investors have since "lowered their target stock prices of Krafton", with one reportedly saying that it "will not be easy" for the sci-fi horror to hit its five million sales target given the game's mixed reception and poor performance on PC.  

Horror isn't just for Halloween, you know - here are our tips for the very best horror games.

Alan Wake 2 will get two post-launch expansions, both of which will be paid for.

Remedy has debuted a new Alan Wake 2 trailer, announcing the sequel's release date as October 17. The developer has also published a new FAQ to supplement the trailer, revealing that Alan Wake 2 will get two rounds of DLC after launch.

"We will be supporting Alan Wake 2 post-launch with both free content as well as two paid expansions. The expansions are called Night Springs and the Lake House, but that's all we are going to tell you about them. For now," the blog post reads, ending on the promise of a reveal soon.

It's tough to glean anything from the DLC info there, but we can tell that Alan Wake 2 will also get free DLC in addition to the expansions. Look for smaller aspects to be included in this free DLC, like new outfits for characters or even different weapon skins.

Considering there's now less than half a year to go until Alan Wake 2 is out in the wild across, PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S systems, we're betting Remedy will reveal details of the new DLC sooner rather than later.

Elsewhere in the FAQ post, Remedy revealed you don't need to play Alan Wake or Control before Alan Wake 2. Although this is a sequel that expands upon Remedy's shared in-game world, you don't need to be familiar with Wake's past escapades, or Jessie Faden's adventures at the paranormal bureau.

Read up on our full PlayStation Showcase May 2023 guide for a look at all the other announcements and new trailers.

One of this year's sleeper indie darlings, the horror fishing game Dredge, is getting free updates and a paid DLC this year.

Black Salt Games announced Dredge's roadmap with details in a PlayStation blog. The first of three updates will hit the shores sometime in May and introduce a long-requested feature: map markers. These will let you select different colored icons on the map to guide you toward (or away from) dangers, shipwrecks, mysteries, and more. The first Dredge update will also add some bug fixes and unspecified balance changes.

The second free update is a little meatier, bringing with it two all-new modes: the chilled-out Passive Mode, which makes monsters non-aggressive for a "less intense experience," and a very fleshed-out Photo Mode, which adds a whole new character and questline all about unlocking your camera ability and following clues to find marine subjects (some of which are all new) for your photography. This separate mode will sync up with your console or PC's normal screenshot functionality so that you can seamlessly share any shots you take with the world.

The third and final free update before the paid DLC adds boat customization options like paint schemes and flags, which will be unlocked as you chart the moody waters, coastlines, and bayous of Dredge. That's all that's been revealed about the third free update so far, but Black Salt Games says more information will be unveiled about all three free updates "later in the year."

As for the paid DLC, that'll be focused around the mysterious Ironhaven Corporation, which seeks to establish a new and "innovative" drilling operation for unknown and "potentially nefarious" reasons. The expansion will gradually reveal the truth behind the company's operations as you collect materials for new constructions and biomatter to fuel the rig, meet new characters, craft new equipment, and catch new fish.

In case you're gearing up for a replay, here's our guide on all Dredge endings explained and how to get them.

How long is the Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores DLC? The answer to that question really depends on just how involved you want to get, but there's essentially two different answers to "how long to beat Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores DLC" depending on whether you try to tackle all of the optional content in the new DLC or whether you focus on the game's critical path.

According to reports online, Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores takes roughly 8-10 hours to beat the DLC's story or critical path while a full completion will run players 15-20 hours. We are still playing through the game ourselves, so this is just based on reports, and we will updates further with our own findings later.

In general, Horizon Forbidden West's Burning Shores map looks to be about a third of the size of the main game's map, so that amount of time to complete it seems fairly reasonable. The new DLC also includes its own variety of collectibles and secrets in addition to four new machines.

One thing that does complicate the question at the heart of this article is the fact that any players interested in taking on Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores first needs to complete the main storyline of Horizon Forbidden West, which is itself a daunting task. The new DLC is then made accessible through a story mission that begins in Tilda's Mansion. In other words, don't expect to hop into the DLC first thing if you've not quite wrapped up Horizon Forbidden West yet.

To start the Horizon Burning Shores DLC you'll need to have ticked a few boxes first, but you might also have a glitch where it's not downloading. Don't worry though as there's an easy fix. Let me explain how to start the Horizon Forbidden West DLC Burning Shores and what to do if it's not downloading. 

How to start the Burning Shores DLC in Horizon Forbidden West

Before you can start the Burning Shores DLC in Horizon Forbidden West you must have first finished the main quest, and the final mission Singularity. That means if you're halfway through a new game+ run you'll either have to finish the game again, or reload an old save before you restarted from the beginning. 

Assuming you're playing from a completed story save, and the Burning Shores has finished downloading, all you have to do is wait for a call from Sylens. He'll contact Aloy on her Focus and tell her to meet him back at Tilda’s mansion. This will trigger the first DLC quest, To the Burning Shores. 

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission

The Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores DLC pre-load is now live on PS5 - meaning you can prep your console ready for launch on April 19. 

As spotted by Push Square (via PlayStation Size on Twitter), the Horizon Forbidden West DLC Burning Shores can now be downloaded ahead of its release on Wednesday. To start the pre-load, all you need to do is pre-order the DLC via the PlayStation store and it should start downloading automatically. According to the Twitter account, the approximate size of the download is around 17GB, with your region affecting how big it is.

Now that Burning Shores is just a few days away, Horizon Forbidden West developer Guerrilla has been sharing more and more about the exciting extra content. Not only will Aloy have more Machines to go up against, but she'll also be exploring a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles and meeting a new companion, Seyka.

Speaking of Seyka, earlier today Guerrilla released a behind-the-scenes trailer that introduces the character, as well as their actor Kylie Liya Page. In the video, we get to see how Aloy actor Ashly Burch worked with Page during the mocap portion of the DLCs development, as well as got an insight into the two character's upcoming storylines.

If you weren't already excited about the DLC, we suggest you check out this recently released Horizon Forbidden West Burning Shores gameplay footage. Not only does it make the upcoming content look incredibly fun, but it also shows just how much has improved since Guerrilla decided to develop solely for the PS5.

Want to know even more about the upcoming DLC? Guerrilla has revealed that the clouds in the Horizon Forbidden West DLC aren't just pretty, they're "explorable landscapes".

A lot of work has been put into the clouds in Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, so much so that technology has been in development since Horizon Zero Dawn. 

As revealed by Guerrilla community manager Narae Lee via the PlayStation Blog, the artists working on the Horizon Forbidden West DLC have been dedicated to making the clouds in Aloy's world the best they can be for several years now. 

"In video games, clouds can help convey a mood," the post reads, "along with the abundance of green, clear waters and cragged cliffs, the clouds of Horizon punctuate the world with emotion. To achieve this, they had to be more than white wisps far above Aloy's head; they needed movement, variety, and definition."

The post gives a technical insight into how Guerrilla created the Burning Shores skyline and how they built upon what was already developed for Horizon Zero Dawn in 2017. According to the post, in 2015 principal FX artist Andrew Schneider partnered with principal tech programmer at Guerrilla Nathan Vos, and together the pair developed the volumetric cloud system that we're all familiar with in the original game. 

Fast forward to developing Horizon Forbidden West, and the pair needed to build upon the foundation they had established for the first game. "We looked to artists who were part of the luminism movement for inspiration, like 19th-century painter Albert Bierstadt," Schneider explains, "these painters had mastered the interplay between clouds and the land beneath, using light and detail to create space, producing truly dramatic landscape paintings."

"The cloud systems that we developed for Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West were fast because they didn't store clouds as 3D objects, but rather instructions on creating 3D clouds from limited 2D information," Schneider continues in the post. Thanks to the PS5, and its ability to handle larger datasets, the pair were able to write a voxel cloud renderer that could live up to their standards and "actually allow the player to fly through highly detailed cloud formations."

Guerrilla feels it's important to make the experience of Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores fun even outside of the main gameplay, as the post explains: "The clouds are not simply immersive scenery but an explorable landscape in themselves. Among the clouds, players will be able to explore tunnels, caves, and other surprises that make for fun flying."

It seems players have a lot to look forward to when the Burning Shores DLC releases exclusively for PS5 (sorry PS4 players) on April 19, 2023.

Thinking about getting started with Aloy's latest adventure? Take a look at our Horizon Forbidden West tips before you get started. 

I actually quite liked Forspoken (even if our Forspoken review wasn't exactly glowing). Once it actually let you through its interminable first act, its spell-slinging, cliff-scaling gameplay made for a genuinely entertaining way to interact with an open-world which, while pretty sparsely-occupied, at least attempted to let you explore in ways that felt impactful. So while I might be in the minority, I'm actually pretty excited for its DLC, which sounds like it really dials up the chaos of those fights.

This is the first time Square Enix and Luminous have revealed any concrete information about the DLC since revealing its name, In Tanta We Trust. Positioned as a prequel, the expansion is set 25 years before the events of Forspoken, during a time referred to in-game as the Purge of the Rheddig.

We don't know much about that, beyond the fact that it was the climax of a massive conflict between the characters you meet in Forspoken and the people they were at war with. There is, however, an in-game depiction of the Purge - the painting in the image above - which sees the titular Tantas fighting in the midst of a huge army, soldiers breaking against each other like the undulating waves of a tempestuous sea.

Those hordes of soldiers, combined with the official description of the DLC, suggest Luminous is really leaning into the combat. Frey will be granted new abilities, as well as the chance to "unlock new combat strategies and coordinate devastating attack combos." With what sounds like massive crows of opponents and Frey's potent powers, In Tanta We Trust sounds a little like a musou-style spin on Forspoken, something in the style of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

The Forspoken DLC is set to release on May 26, and will likely mark the end of Forspoken's tempestuous journey. The game's dialogue was not particularly well-received, and while there's no such thing as bad publicity, the response to Forspoken's demo probably wasn't what Square Enix was hoping for. "Lacklustre" sales on the back of a budget in excess of $100 million are thought to have been factors in the ousting of Square Enix's president earlier this month, as well as its developers absorption back into its parent company. 

In spite of everything, however, Frey actor Ella Balinska says she's still proud of Forspoken. 

Rumors of Elden Ring DLC are heating up once again after some teases from a prolific Soulsborne insider surfaced online.

A user over on the GamingLeaksAndRumors subreddit posted a "leaked" Discord conversation with dataminer and modder Lance McDonald. McDonald said that "there's a huge DLC coming," and while he doesn't know about any new gameplay mechanics that will be introduced in the expansion, he was willing to say it's "really big".

The bizarre bit of this is that McDonald made these comments way back in December, and while this is being called a "leak", that Discord is not private. There's a link advertising it right on his Twitch page. You can go there and read the conversation for yourself. McDonald also noted that he knows "exactly how big the DLC is compared to the base game", though seemingly not much beyond that.

We've reached out to McDonald for comment and will update if we learn more. For now, though, Elden Ring DLC is effectively an open secret, though any specific details about it have been difficult to pin down. Dataminers have long been uncovering evidence of additional Elden Ring content, but their discoveries have been ripe for misinterpretation. Meanwhile, some people are out there with straight-up fake leaks.

Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has explicitly said there are "several more things" on the way for Elden Ring, and given the game's success, it seems like it's only a matter of time before we see some kind of follow-up for ourselves.

There are plenty of entirely new games for 2023, too.

New Elden Ring DLC leaks circulating online suggest a reveal at the Taipei Game Show next month, but they're probably bull crap.

The leaks, which seem to have originated from 4chan, appear to show new Elden Ring content including a new area and a new axe, but the images look less and less authentic with each passing glance. As pointed out by two fairly prominent Elden Ring fan accounts on Twitter, the leaks seem to have been fabricated using a combination of out-of-bounds locations on the map, cut content, and mods.

"Don't be fooled by the new Elden Ring DLC leaks going around. While I can't prove it's fake, pic1 & 2 is Rico's armor," said Elden Ring dataminer Sekiro Dubi, referring to an NPC that was cut from the game before release. "That's an out of bounds area at the edge of map collision. The axe one? no idea about the wp, but the far away lands is part of today's map."

Of course, there's always a small chance these incredibly dodgy looking "leaks" are actually authentic, but it's about as much of a chance as I have at beating Malenia with my hands tied. And for context, I have yet to beat Malenia with my hands untied.

All that said, Elden Ring studio From Software has confirmed its upcoming appearance at the Taipei Game Show, but only to show off Armored Core 6. There's no indication that an Elden Ring update will be included in the studio's presentation, and given that they're apparently scaling back their presence at the show, more Elden Ring info seems unlikely.

Here are the best FromSoftware games you can play right now, from Elden Ring to Otogi 2: Immortal Warriors.

Backlogs. We all have them. Dozens upon dozens of games we've collected over the years that we've never touched, never completed, or never gone back to once new DLC has been released. I'm incredibly guilty of this – especially the latter. I have games I've invested hundreds and hundreds of hours in and yet, when they roll out something new and shiny that should motivate me to jump straight back in that very same day, I never do. 

Not this year, though. This year is going to be different. As money is tighter than ever, DLC provides a great excuse to experience something new in a world I already adore at a lower cost. It's a win-win scenario. On occasion, there are times when I won't even need to spend anything with developers simply rolling out new content for free. 

While 2023 is poised to be a big one, with some of the most anticipated games across PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox expected, it's also set for some major DLC. That's only surrounding the things we know about too. So instead of investing $60 to $70 on a new release that you may or not enjoy, simply kick back and relax with something you already trust. The savings alone could be huge.  

Free DLC  

Ah, yes, the best kind of DLC. Free. Sometimes referred to as expansions or updates, we're going to fall them all under one umbrella here. This type typically arrives shortly after launch providing an incentive to boot the game up once more. It can also be surprisingly sizable. Take Yacht Club Games and how the developer rewarded Shovel Knight fans with three terrific new single-player campaigns. Specter of Torment, for instance, is only a couple of hours away from being the same length as the original game while keeping the same high quality. It's incredibly cheap at $9.99/£8.99 for the standalone version. 

Nintendo is pretty good at constantly rolling out a plethora of new content too, such as for the likes of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and more recently, Splatoon 3. The ink shooter has already added lots of new items, weapons, and two new game modes (X Battle and League Battle) since its September 2022 launch with much more planned for just sticking around. 

It feels impossible to talk about free DLC without mentioning No Man's Sky. Hello Games' consistent flow of new content to keep players happy is now a thing of legend in gaming mythos. As someone that picked up No Man's Sky on launch day and never went back, I imagine I would be amazed by the difference today with over six years of updates to explore, such as vehicles, base building, multiplayer, overhauled environments, new textures, VR support, 4K/60fps support etcetera. The list goes on and on. It's basically a brand-new game, going for under $25/under £20 on average now.  

In the same vein, GTA Online has an equally remarkable reputation – specifically, when it comes to Heists. These multi-layered missions are fantastically cinematic, letting you live out your wildest action fantasies. Serving as the 20th major update, the Doomsday Heist features helicopters, underwater cars, tanks, and jetpacks in a three-part blockbuster adventure to save the planet.  It's the sort of quality you'd be happy to pay for.

Paid DLC  

Paying for downloadable content has become increasingly common over the years, for better or worse. When a game maker holds back content only then to charge for it shortly after release, I can't help but feel a bit cheated. On the other hand, if a developer provides something truly substantial I will throw my wallet across the continent to get my hands on it.

One of the most rewarding I found was Breath of the Wild's Expansion Pass at $19.99, something I didn't really explore until I revisited the game in 2020. Most notable, is The Champions' Ballad story DLC, adding another dozen hours of gorgeous Zelda lore surrounding Revali, Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha, and the princess of Hyrule herself. On top of this, Master Mode (essentially hard mode) and the Trial of the Sword provide better challenge and replayability, keeping me coming back for hours on end. As Tears of the Kingdom is only a few months away, now is a great time for a refresh. This £13.85 UK deal for the expansion is pretty great.

Just the same, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled for late 2023/early 2024, making Final Fantasy 7 Remake's Intermission DLC the perfect way to amp up the excitement for the sequel. At $19.99 /£19.99, the five-hour expansion dives into what the loveable Yuffie has been up to while the main story has been happening, providing plenty of action RPG goodness. Square also released a bundle with the main game and DLC under the name Final Fantasy 7 Remake: Intergrade, which is quite cheap at $39.89 in this Humble Bundle sale, or £33.99 at CDKeys. 

Two more recent entries that I need to get back to are Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, as well as Resident Evil Village: The Winters' Expansion. Cuphead, especially, has gone above and beyond with 12 new bosses to battle across Inkwell Isle while utilizing newcomer Ms. Chalice for a real high-class bout. Its stunning 1930s cartoon style pays for itself but at only $7.99/£6.79, this is a real bargain.

Meanwhile, Resident Evil Village's DLC adds a third-person perspective, Mercenaries mode (where you can control Lady Dimitrescu - be still my heart), alongside a new three-hour story component, Shadows of Rose. Great bang for your buck at an RRP of $19.99/£15.99. This CDKeys deal reduces the price by 20% to $15.99 /18% to £12.99, making it even more palatable. 

DLC in 2023 

Looking ahead, some of 2023's biggest releases are getting DLC for the first time. Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, a new PS5 exclusive expansion due in April, will continue Aloy's journey as the heroine explores the "untamed wilds of Los Angeles". No price has been revealed as of yet but considering Horizon Zero Dawn's DLC, the Frozen Wilds, was $19.99, I think we can expect a similar price for Horizon Forbidden West. 

After being ostracized from his own series, I feel everyone is relieved to witness the return of Rayman in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Making up the final of three DLC packs for the season pass at $29.99, the others will feature a new combat mode (The Tower of Doooom) in early 2023 besides a new mysterious foe encounter in mid-2023. If its predecessor's quality is anything to go by, I think we're in luck. 

Another that I'm particularly enthused about is the roadmap for Sonic Frontiers. Three free (yes, free!) updates will roll out in 2023, including a photo mode, new Koco, jukebox, new challenges, and a story component that will comprise the package. For the first time in over a decade, we'll also finally be able to play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy in one game! If you haven't picked up Sonic Frontiers yet, then do yourself a favor, as it's already more than $20 off its RRP at most retailers.

Last but certainly not least, 2023 looks to be the time to return to Night City as Idris Elba headlines Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty – the first and only DLC for the game. While little is known outside of the Luther actor's appearance, developer CD Projekt Red will be looking to generate more goodwill following the game's dismal launch and subsequent resurgence. Cyberpunk 2077 is now available for around $20/£20. If you've been curious about the open-world action RPG, now looks to be the time to invest, hopefully culminating in the quality of what 2023 DLC will offer. 

Looking for more ways to make your money go further? Check out the latest cheap Nintendo Switch game sales as well as how to upgrade your PS5 storage for under $100. We've also recently rounded up the best Last of Us prices and deals to prepare you for the HBO Max show.

Vampire Survivors was one of the biggest surprise hits of 2022, and it seems the developer intends to keep the momentum rolling with more DLC to come alongside free updates and a mysterious new project.

After its 1.0 launch in October, Vampire Survivors got its first DLC pack in December, priced at an astoundingly reasonable $1.99. The pack added eight new characters, 13 new weapons, and a new stage, and developer poncle says you should expect more DLC with similar types of content in the future.

"If you like this kind of content packs, then there will be more coming," poncle says in a Steam blog. "Please remember that DLCs will only ever add more characters/weapons/stages and that the main game will keep getting updated regularly with main game mechanics and content (think Tiny Bridge-style patches) so that no key feature will ever be gatekept by a paywall."

The Tiny Bridge update introduced the challenge stage of the same name, alongside a new power up, a new secret, and a pair of new achievements. With content releases now set to be coordinated across numerous different platforms, those free updates are going to launch more slowly in the future, but it looks like we already have a pretty good idea of what to expect from them.

We'll be getting a preview of at least one of these updates in the near future, as "something weird and big (in terms of pixels)" will soon be previewed in the Vampire Survivors beta branch on Steam.

The devs have one more teaser for us, too: "There's a lot of stuff, not exclusively related to Vampire Survivors, getting made behind the scenes in poncle."

Vampire Survivors is one of the best games of 2022 - you can find the rest of our GOTY picks at that link.

The Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree DLC is getting ever closer, with the release date just around the corner. As we inch towards the launch, FromSoftware treated us to a new story trailer, which delves into some war-shaped lore, speaking of Miquella and Messmer. As the initial gameplay trailer revealed earlier this year, the upcoming expansion will be taking us to The Land of Shadow, which features its own map where the Tarnished will be following in the footsteps of the aforementioned Miquella. 

As the first and likely only DLC for Elden Ring, it's already shaping up to be a substantial and exciting addition, with open areas and dungeons to explore. Plus, we can of course expect to face some new bosses along the way. As we wait it out for the June release date, read on below as we take you through everything we know so far about Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree DLC. 

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree trailer

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree release date and pre-orders

You can play Shadow of the Erdtree on June 21, 2024. Pre-orders are now live, including a swanky collector's edition that comes with an art book and a massive statue of new character Messmer the Impaler. Shadow of the Erdtree isn't a standalone thing, so you will need to own Elden Ring already to play the expansion, but you can also get a convenient bundle that includes both.

• Shadow of the Erdtree: $39.99/£34.99, expansion only
• Shadow of the Erdtree Premium Bundle: $49.99/£39.99, expansion + Shadow of the Erdtree digital artbook and soundtrack
• Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition: $79.99/£64.99, Elden Ring base game + Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
• Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Deluxe Edition: $99.99/£84.99, Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition + Elden Ring digital artbook and soundtrack + Shadow of the Erdtree digital artbook and soundtrack
• Shadow of the Erdtree Collector's Edition: $249.99/£224.99, expansion + 46cm Messmer the Impaler statue + digital soundtrack + hardcover artbook

What's the story of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

The narrative of Shadow of the Erdtree centers around Miquella, son of Marika and brother of Goddess of Rot, Malenia, and what he's been up to in the Land of Shadow. He's a key figure in the lore of Elden Ring, but he never makes a proper appearance in the game, featuring only in a relatively small, optional section of the game and plenty of item descriptions. 

In case you need a quick recap, Miquella is cursed to eternally have the body of a child and spent many years searching for ways to cure his and Malenia's curses under the beliefs of the Golden Order. With no success, he abandoned the Order and created the Haligtree in an attempt to rival the Erdtree. He then created a cocoon for himself within the Haligtree but was kidnapped by his half-brother, Mohg, Lord of Blood. Mohg wanted to awaken and ascend Miquella to true godhood and become his consort, but the Tarnished player can kill Mohg before any of that is achieved, leaving Miquella in a sort of cocoon coma.

Now in Shadow of the Erdtree, we know that Miquella has actually journeyed to the Land of Shadow but for unknown reasons, and it's up to the player to trace Miquella's steps and journey through this new land too. In fact, as many fans suspected, the art above depicts Miquella making that journey!

We do get some hints about why Miquella is in the Land of Shadow from the description for the trailer, which reads: 

"In the Land of Shadow, Miquella awaits the return of his promised Lord... The Land of Shadow. A place obscured by the Erdtree. Where the goddess Marika first set foot. A land purged in an unsung battle. Set ablaze by Messmer’s flame. It was to this land that Miquella departed. Divesting himself of his flesh, his strength, his lineage. Of all things Golden."

I'm not sure who Miquella's "promised Lord" that he's waiting for could be (it might even be you, the player) but it's clear that Miquella is tracing the footsteps of his mother Marika, who has actually been to the Land of Shadow already and long before she arrived in the Lands Between by the sounds of things. What exactly she did there is also unknown, but it sounds like a great and terrible battle took place in which a character called Messmer (more on him further down) scorched the land.

Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree story trailer

Building on from the above, the latest Elden Ring Shadow of Erdtree story trailer gave us another tantalizing taste of what's to come, with some more hints about the direction of the narrative. The trailer appears to tell the story of Miquella, whose ties to the DLC have  previously been implied, with the narrator saying: "Miquella the Kind spoke of the beginning, the seduction and the betrayal. An affair from which gold arose, and so too was shadow born. What followed was a war unseen. A purge without grace or honor." 

"The tyranny of Messmer" is also mentioned, who's believed to be a new boss we may face in the upcoming DLC - you can find out more on the character below. We also see the above symbol, which could possibly be Miquella's great rune, which others appear to look to - almost in worship. 

As well as following Marika, Miquella's journey to the Land of Shadow also seems to be part of a metamorphosis (hence the cocoon), providing a way for Miquella to leave his physical body in the Lands Between and abandon his lineage and the Golden Order entirely. Although to what end is still a mystery and presumably one that will be unravelled over the course of Shadow of the Erdtree.

In an interview with IGN, Game Director Hidetaka Miyazaki, said that George R.R. Martin has not written any new material for Shadow of the Erdtree, but the story of the expansion is still based on the original mythos he wrote. "...in making the base game and making Elden Ring, we took from that mythos, but we only took one part of it. We took from a part that created the story of Elden Ring and created the world that we wanted to envision, and the Shadow of the Erdtree is yet another part of that original mythos that he wrote and that has inspired us to create the story of this DLC," Miyazaki says.

Where does Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree take place?

As mentioned, Shadow of the Erdtree sees players journey to the Land of Shadow, a place that occupies the same space as the Lands Between in Elden Ring but has somehow been "physically disconnected", according to Miyazaki when speaking to IGN. In-game, this presents itself as a new map at least as big as Limgrave, so while it's not as huge as the Lands Between, it's still pretty hefty.

Miyazaki also explains that the Land of Shadow is going to be structured similarly to the base game's environments with a mix of open fields and classic, twisting dungeons of varying size. Speaking to Eurogamer, he also said that the developers have been experimenting with spaces in-between the fields and dungeons to make the experience more diverse and "bring these types of layout together a little more seamlessly."

So, if it's an entirely new map, how do we get there? In the IGN interview, Miyazaki reveals that it'll take a "warp of sorts" to get there with Miquella's withered arm in Mohg's Palace serving as the entry point. Once you're there, you'll be treated to some visually stunning locations full of ruins and ancient, grand structures much like the base game.

Of course, the central focus of the Land of Shadow is the titular Shadow of the Erdtree. My understanding of Miyazaki's brief explanation is that this is not a literal or figurative shadow of the Erdtree in the Lands Between we all knew and loved and then burned down. Rather, it's its own thing - the Shadow of the Erdtree - and it looks like it veils the land, possibly providing a power of its own like the grace of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay and new features

Surprising no one, Shadow of the Erdtree is going to be tough, just like the rest of Elden Ring. Although not as brutal as some of FromSoftware's previous DLC work for the Dark Souls series and Bloodborne. The massive build variety available in Elden Ring means there should be plenty of ways to beat each combat encounter and boss you face, and you'll have even more options in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Courtesy of Eurogamer, we know that there will be eight new weapon categories to accommodate all the new weapons being added. From the trailer, it looks like there are new swords, throwing knives, armor, weapon skills, and plenty of ridiculous spells and incantations coming with Shadow of the Erdtree. There's even a flying, spinning kick move, a rapid-fire fire crossbow, and a throwable pot of fire. Players can also get the Crucible Knight attack where they summon a pair of wings!

You'll be able to use all this to fight more than 10 bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, with some of those bosses being comparable in difficulty or spectacle to Malenia. One potential boss could be a giant fire pot which briefly appears in the trailer, and was apparently a "really gruesome weapon" used in a war fought in the Land of Shadow, according to Miyazaki. There's also a massive hippopotamus-porcupine thing, a smoke-spewing, lightning-throwing lion-man, and Messmer the Impaler...

Who is Messmer the Impaler in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

Messmer the Impaler is a fiery, new character coming to Elden Ring with Shadow of the Erdtree. There's not much to go off regarding who he is, but he really likes fire, is probably very good at impaling, and definitely seems like the main villain players will face.

Going back to the trailer description, we know that the Land of Shadow was "set ablaze by Messmer's flame" in a massive battle. We also know that Marika made it to the Land of Shadow, but it's not clear if she arrived before or after Messmer's devastation, though she could even be the cause of it if Messmer was an ally to her. 

In fact, during the trailer, a character says: "Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?". Since this is said when Messmer first appears on screen, I assume the "one so bereft of light" is Messmer. That makes me think that the one speaking is Miquella and he's asking why Marika would make an awful person like Messmer a Lord.

Messmer is also once again referenced in the latest story trailer, which speaks of a war and their "tyranny". 

Later on in the trailer, another voice says: "Those stripped of the Grace of Gold shall all meet death. In the embrace of Messmer's flame." It's possible that this is Messmer speaking, but either way, Messmer is clearly out to incinerate those stripped of the Grace of Gold - in other words, Miquella. Perhaps Messmer is some kind of fiery executioner that Marika used to deal with traitors to the Golden Order. And with the red hair and a name starting with M, maybe he's even a secret sibling of Malenia and Miquella - if he was shunned to the Land of Shadow, that might mean Messmer is on a revenge quest to kill Miquella for his treachery.

Regarding Messmer's fire powers, the orange glow of his eyes makes me think of the Frenzied Flame, but his deep red attire and flames reminds me more of the Fire Prelates and enemies found near the Forge of the Giants. We know that Marika fought the Fire Giants in the past, so maybe Messmer was granted that power at some point.

As for the red, winged serpent that coils around him, I've got no idea. Maybe a nice pet!

Elden Ring future DLC

Speaking to IGN, Miyazaki confirmed that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the only planned expansion for Elden Ring and there aren't even plans for an Elden Ring sequel right now. While he says that "there could well be something in the future", it's clear there's nothing on the cards right now. I'd also take that to mean it's highly unlikely there will be any significant updates to Elden Ring after the launch of the expansion on the same level as the free Elden Ring Colosseum update from December, 2022.

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Elden Ring DLC is surely a case of when not if at this stage. What form that takes exactly remains to be seen – FromSoftware and Bandai Namco are keeping their tarot cards close to their chests for now – but the meteoric success the action-RPG has endured since launch in late February makes future added content seem all but inevitable.

As detailed in our Elden Ring DLC roundup, concrete details are scant, but the developer and publisher have both spoken regularly about the game exceeding expectations, and their plans to continue "expanding the brand beyond the game itself, and into everyone's daily life". In June, this saw the launch of a pretty bizarre live-action trailer starring UFC fighter Israel Adesanya; while game director Hidetaka Miyizaki assured players "updates to Elden Ring will continue to be made" into the future. To the latter end, we expect to see more of the technical nips and tucks we've seen applied over the last several months in due course – but what might a fully-fledged premium DLC look like? Here, our DLC wishlist for Elden Ring gathers 10 things we'd love to see rolled out into the Lands Between.

New areas that explore existing lore

As with any of FromSoftware's previous outings, the most exciting thing about each game's DLC is its scope for exploring new locations. Often, these expansions are an extension of their source material's lore and narrative – sometimes tying up loose ends and putting long-standing questions to bed; other times unraveling new ones, leaving us with more unanswered queries than ever before. With Elden Ring, I'd love to see something that explores Miquella's story properly. The cursed brother of Melania plays a pretty integral role to, well, pretty much everything in Elden Ring, yet we actually don't know all that much about him. Unused Miquella dialogue was unearthed by dataminers not long after launch, so this could be something we actually do see. 

Otherwise, I'd love to see something really outlandish. Cosmic horror underpins so much of Elden Ring, and I'd love to see something Lovecraftian – something that blends the most twisted elements of the Lands Between with the final third of Bloodborne. And speaking of twisted, while I do have areas I prefer over others in Elden Ring, I don't have one I absolutely loathe. There isn't an area that kicks my arse every time I set foot in it, one that I love to hate and hate to love. Give me something like Sen's Fortress, an equivalent of Blighttown, or, dare I say it, Dark Souls 2's The Gutter.

A new timeline, perhaps

Maybe the first portion of Elden Ring DLC could exist in the same setting, but explore a different timeline? What would the Lands Between look like before the Tarnished's blood-spilling adventure as we know it, and what sort of enemies might we come against? I'd love to see more on dragons generally, but wouldn't it be cool to face-off against the almighty Gransax – a colossal beast said to be bigger than Placidusax – or to fight Greyoll in her prime, you know, before she could be cheesed by spam-bleed-attacking her tail. Or by simply killing her children and letting her die from the resulting grief.

Cut content locations 

And while we're switching up what already exists, I'd love to see some of Elden Ring's cut content locations restored – chiefly that uber-cool-looking colosseum first uncovered by prolific dataminer and modder, Lance Macdonald, just a few weeks after the game launched. As detailed in a subsequent video by Sekiro Dubi, the Lands Between boasts three inactive (and, at present, inaccessible) colosseums, located in Leyndell, Limgrave, and Caelid. Whether these Roman era-aping arenas are simply cut content or planned future DLC locations remains to be seen, but each one of the amphitheatres look cool in their own right. As with any FromSoftware game, it's difficult to picture distinct open spaces like these without also thinking of the towering beasts that might fill them.

Dedicated PvP arenas

Dark Souls has Darkroot Garden. Dark Souls 2 has the bridge before Iron Keep. Dark Souls 3 has the mezzanine at the rear of Pontiff Sulyvahn's chambers. And while none of these locations were necessarily explicitly designed for PvP, the modestly sized maps of the Dark Souls series has meant players have eventually settled in these areas to lock horns with other folk online. Elden Ring, on the other hand, is so flat and big and sprawling, that there isn't really a dedicated single location for PvP enthusiasts to gather and fight to the death. The best location, for my money, is situated within the end-game locale, Mountaintops of the Giants, but something new and designated by way of DLC would be much welcomed.

A Painted World?

FromSoftware does snow levels well. In fact, FromSoftware does snow levels so well that the Painted World of Ariamis, and the Painted World of Ariandel, are among my favorite locations in any of the developer's meticulously-crafted worlds. The former is an optional area in the original Dark Souls, accessed via the giant painting on the bottom floor of the chapel in Anor Londo; while the latter is the setting for the first slice of paid-for DLC for Dark Souls 3. As realms that exist to house bad folk banished from the normal world as we know it, I reckon a Lands Between-accessed Painted World would fit well with Elden Ring and its overarching narrative. Godfrey would be a prime candidate for Painted World residency, and, truth be told, I genuinely expected one or two of his castle paintings to act as a gateway to an Elden Ring equivalent.

Seamless co-op

Inventive modders have already taken up the mantle here, but something official that extends to console players too would be ideal. Removing multiplayer boundaries as they stand – such as faffing about with Furled Fingers and summoning signs, losing connection should one of you die, and being forced to disconnect once a boss is felled – would make the Elden Ring co-op experience more fluid, more realistic and, crucially, much more enjoyable. PC modder LukeYui's mod lets players join forces from Elden Ring's tutorial right through its final boss – the same here would be a great addition to the existing formula.

Repeat bosses

One of my all-time favorite things about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – FromSoftware's 2019 samurai-themed action-RPG that preceded Elden Ring – is 'Reflections of Strength'. In essence, Reflections of Strength is a game mode that lets players challenge previously defeated bosses for a rematch – an eventuality absent from the likes of Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Demon's Souls. Not only does beating a particularly challenging boss more than once do wonders for your ego, it also helps players improve on the fundamentals that unpin games like Elden Ring, not least timing, rhythm, and movement in attack and defence. Being able to replay bosses would be another welcome addition in any Elden Ring DLC.

Give Torrent some love

Torrent, the player's loyal ethereal steed, is a formidable companion in Elden Ring's early game. Without scope to upgrade, to apply armour, or even cosmetics, Torrent quickly becomes a bit of a whipping boy – the point whereby they're essentially a hindrance by the late game stage. Something expansive with mounts in mind would be great – I'd love to see something PvP-focused; jousting, anyone? – but I'd just as happy settle for the most straightforward of updates that might allow Torrent to hold their own against some of Elden Ring's more capable enemies towards the game's end.

More customisation, please 

And while we're giving Torrent an upgrade, let's look inward too. On the most superficial of terms, I'd love to see more customisation options put forward in any upcoming Elden Ring DLC. At the most basic end, the chance to dye our armour and weapons would be lovely – while at the other end of the spectrum, I would love to be able to create our own Ashes of War in-line with some of the game world's more esoteric characters. Along similar lines, the ability to craft custom followers from the ground-up, using the same character creation model players use to create their own version of the Tarnished would also be wonderful.

Balancing and bug fixes 

In FromSoftware's defence, the developer has been meticulous and consistent with Elden Ring bug fixes and quality of life adjustments since launch. But, as time wears on, and as more and more players push the action-RPG's bounds in new and interesting ways, in New Game+ and beyond, more things worth repairing continue to surface. This is, of course, expected of such a sprawling open-world sandbox with so many moving parts, but with every weapon nerf or magic buff, new knock-on effects appear to pop up like Whack-a-Mole. I still rage at collison placement glitches – when, in attempting to drop-attack an enemy on a lower platform, I'm instead shunted metres forward and dropped into the abyss.

One last Site of Grace...

Consider the following extras a mini slice of DLC for this very article. Here are three additional things that didn't quite make our top 10 Elden Ring DLC wishlist roundup that we'd nonetheless love to see at some point down the line. 

Official survival mode support 

Grimrukh's Elden Ring survival mod for PC is so good that I'd love to see FromSoftware do something similar on an official basis. With hunger, thirst, temperature effects, and being plunged into total darkness at night are among the hurdles players must overcome simply to, like, not die in the Lands Between. It's gruesome but brilliant. 

More pyromancies

I love pyromancy in video games, and am especially fond of how they work across Dark Souls and Dark Souls 3. In Elden Ring, though, they feel a bit basic. I love playing with fire, but would love some more variety in this particular corner of the dark arts. 

Covenants

As it stands, Elden Ring does not have Covenants – or at least not as they exist in the likes of Dark Souls. What Elden Ring has are Accords, which are, in essence, informal NPC factions. By choosing to help out specific groups, the player pledges their allegiance to said group at that moment. And while this helps the player bond with the groups in question, the player can form the same ties with multiple groups simultaneously. As per Dark Souls of old, I'd love to see Covenants that make you popular with one group, while simultaneously being hunted by another rival faction. 

Want more action-role-playing in your life beyond the Lands Between? Check out the best games like Elden Ring out now.   

Future plans for Battlefield 4 DLC are on hold for now, as developer DICE looks to squash the majority of bugs that remain in the game. According to an EA spokesperson, talking to CVG: “the team at DICE is working non-stop to update the game”. Fair enough--it’s a smart move from EA in terms of winning back credibility and trust from players who have experienced problems with the game. However, it’s not an entirely selfless move either.

Personally, I’ve only experienced a single crash during roughly 12 hours of Battlefield 4 on PS4. My game failed to load a map at the start of one session, so I quit out of the application, closed it, and restarted. Took about 30 seconds. No stats lost, no need to unplug my machine and do the restart dance. Hey, maybe I’m just lucky--I know others who claim to have serious problems with the game. If you've had problems, do let me know in the comments. I'll commiserate with you as sincerely as possible.

It’s hardly a surprise. Battlefield games are notoriously buggy during the first few weeks, as the game’s online features go from having 100 or so test players to several million actual players within a couple of days. As I’ve said before, you can't simulate these conditions, so people are always going to find problems. The serious bug issues have persisted longer than most expected--including myself--but I'm an optimist, so I like to think it's because this is the most ambitious game in the series ever. Ok, that’s the background.

EA’s decision to tackle the bugs for good will certainly be welcomed by the vocal elements online; the players who shout loudest about their grievances. Quite rightly so--it shows everyone that the problem is being taken seriously, and not swept under the figurative carpet.

However, if the latest slew of bugs in the new China Rising DLC (which launched for Premium subscribers on Tuesday) are any indication, then EA and DICE desperately need to stabilise Battlefield 4 before releasing any more ‘stuff’ into it. This isn’t just about reputation and player experience--this is about knowing what you can and can’t do within your own gaming environment. All these problems arising from the game’s launch on not only existing consoles, but brand-new hardware too, are clearly showing DICE what does and doesn’t work in Battlefield 4 online. And that will definitely influence the way it approaches future DLC.

There are clearly issues with some of the basic elements of Battlefield 4, which are causing coding conflicts to arise. In other words, some stuff just doesn’t play nicely with other stuff, and the game can’t handle that… and it crashes. Again, it’s totally understandable that this is happening--you can’t stress test most of that stuff, especially when you’re dealing with (as DICE were earlier this year) non-final hardware. Equally, though, you need to address these issues before throwing more potential problems into the mix.

That’s exactly what the guys and girls at DICE are doing, so credit to them. And yes, they get to win a PR battle too. It kills two (Little) Birds with one stone (IGLA). The battle now is to use this time to smash the majority of the bugs quickly. If this drags on, it won’t just make the forum-threads angrier: it’ll delay DLC and / or make it far less satisfying than DICE has planned for. And that would be a huge, huge shame.

Dead Rising 3 will live on after launch in four separate DLC packs, Capcom announced today. The "untold stories of Los Perdidos" will open up to players starting in late December.

The first pack is titled Operation Broken Eagle, from there we head into Fallen Angel, Chaos Rising, and finally The Last Agent. Each is available for $10 individually or as part of the $30 season pass.

The pass also comes with the Nick Ramos Tribute Pack, which includes a custom zombie-slaying muscle car and a battle-hardened Nick costume.

Capcom also released this brief trailer today, which reminds us how Dead Rising's ridiculous costumes, zombies, and gore made it the ultimate Halloween series all along--even without pumpkins. Though to be clear, the trailer does have pumpkins. Weaponized pumpkins.

Saints Row 4's first campaign DLC, Enter the Dominatrix, will hit the U.S. on Oct. 22 and Europe on Oct. 23. But what is the Dominatrix?

It's an alternate take on Saints Row 4's storyline: the crew is still trapped in virtual reality thanks to professional party ruiner Zinyak, but this time he lets the eponymous Dominatrix, an evil AI, and her legions of gimp and prostitute programs assail the Saints in place of his virtual footsoldiers.

Several familiar characters will return (c'mon auto-tuned pimp Zimos) and Enter the Dominatrix will even include behind-the-scenes commentary about the content's unusual progression from standalone expansion pack to Saints Row: The Third, to the basis for Saints Row 4, to DLC episode.

The DLC will be available for $7 on its own or as part of the $10 season pass. Said pass will also include one more campaign expansion coming later this year. You'll have to navigate your eyes slightly downward for this one, because we believe it merits its own paragraph:

How the Saints Saved Christmas.

BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea will star the same Elizabeth and Rapture as always, but neither are the same as before. Elizabeth has changed from the forces she was caught between in Infinite, creator Ken Levine told our friends at CVG, and she's no longer the girl who danced on the beach at Battleship Bay.

It sounds like Levine wants to address criticism that the series uses heavy topics like racism and American exceptionalism as little more than window dressing. BioShock and BioShock Infinite painted their social problems in broad strokes, but Burial at Sea will show their impact.

"It's not enough to say, 'okay, this week we're looking at oligarchy,'" Levine said about the themes players will encounter. "You have to have something to say about it, so in this instance we're looking into the human impact that these philosophies have, specifically on Booker and Elizabeth."

The DLC's story takes place a year before the events of the first BioShock. With the underwater city yet to fall into complete chaos, where will you find splicers, Little Sisters, and Big Daddies running amok? In the sunken Fontaine's Department Store, of course, where Booker and Elizabeth's search for a missing girl will undoubtedly take them.

Levine has said only that the release date for Burial at Sea is "soon to come." Until then, you can enjoy this alternate universe mockumentary of an alternate universe mockumentary.

Batman: Arkham Origins takes the story of the Dark Knight back into his days a hot-headed thug, unworthy of the mantle of the World's Greatest Detective. Arkham Origins Initiation, a set of challenges played as Bruce Wayne, depicts his final test as a student of the martial arts, and it's available as part of the game's season pass.

The $20/£16 pass also includes an all-new story campaign, Warner Bros. Interactive announced today. If the wide world of alternate universe Batmen is your thing, the pass will also come with three sets of skins: the New Millennium Skins pack, the Infinite Earths Skins Pack, and the Gaslight Batman and Brightest Day Batman skins.

The contents of the five packs would cost $30/£28 if bought individually. The game will release on PC, PS3, Wii U, and Xbox 360 on Oct. 25 worldwide. You can check out our preview of Batman: Arkham Origins from earlier this week here.

GTA 5 may still not have a PC version announced, let alone released, but you can get GAT V for free on PC.

It's basically the same thing--just a Johnny Gat-themed costume and weapon pack for Saints Row 4 instead of the next Grand Theft Auto game--and it's available gratis on Steam for one day only.

The misspelled search result waiting to happen includes a Gat costume, .50 cal rifle, and a combat knife launcher (with real sticking knives and bleed damage!) It even includes a bonus Aisha outfit, so you and a co-op buddy can play dress-up as the late R&B star and her sociopathic boo.

GAT V is also available on PS3 and Xbox 360, but you'll have to pay $3 for it there. Still, that's $57 less than that other thing that came out today, right?

The last Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 DLC will arrive on PC and PS3 on Sept. 26. Activision today announced the release date for Apocalypse, which finishes out the season pass (or is available on its own for $15) with four competitive maps and one new zombies level.

Apocalypse released on August 27 on Xbox 360, but PC and PS3 players will have just over a month to enjoy their end-times content before Call of Duty: Ghosts steals the show on Nov. 5. At least they'll be able to go out with style, playing as the original fearsome foursome of zombie fighters from Call of Duty: World at War.

Here's Activision's descriptions of the new maps if you're not sold on this novel "end of the world" idea:

• Pod: A failed utopian community from the 70’s has left stacks of dilapidated residential pods nestled into an abandoned cliff side in Taiwan. Its residents long gone, the modernist compound now hosts frenetic combat as players must run atop the pods, as well as navigate their multi-tiered interiors for a strategic edge.
• Frost: Fresh snow meets explosive gunpowder in this snow-capped European city, where the bridge over a frozen canal separates it into two sides, requiring players to employ multi-level traversal strategies to outsmart and ultimately outshoot their enemies.
• Takeoff: Fans of “Stadium” from the original Call of Duty®: Black Ops First Strike DLC will find themselves at home on “Takeoff.” Marooned in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, this remote launch site is all about close-quarters combat, combining tight corners with open spaces for intense encounters.
• Dig: An adaptation of the fan-favorite “Courtyard” from Call of Duty®: World at War, where two archeological dig sites in Afghanistan become the perfect playground for combatants eager for hectic, unceasing confrontations. Treyarch, has retained the spirit of “Courtyard” with two major chokepoints, a wide open layout and raised platforms, but has provided fans with a fresh take on the multitude of paths.
• Origins: The most horrifying and imaginative Zombies experience to date. Players will be deployed to a Dieselpunk-stylized World War I-era France where they will encounter the return of the four original heroes – Tank, Nikolai, Takeo, and Richtofen – from the very first Zombies map featured in Call of Duty: World at War, as well as hordes of undead that have overrun the French countryside’s trenches and fields, as well as the ruins of an ancient and mysterious location.

Saints Row IV has gone gold! But who cares about retail releases when you have post-launch DLC, right? Volition today announced that two downloadable mission packs are inbound after launch, and you can pre-order both now with a $10 (£8) season pass at participating retailers.

Enter the Dominatrix will lead the charge about 45 days after launch, depicting "a tongue-in-cheek vision of what this content was originally going to be like." A second pack will arrive in late 2013.

Aside from extra missions, Season Pass owners are the only ones who get access to the Rectifier: an anal probe weapon presumably repurposed from the evil aliens who abducted the Saints. If you'd rather your game didn't have an anal probe weapon in it, which we can certainly understand, you can always buy the mission packs individually.

Saints Row IV is set for release on August 20 in North America and August 23 in Europe for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.

More than three quarters of Electronic Art's revenue from April through June came from digital sources. The publisher opened up its books for investors and others today in its first-quarter statement for its 2014 fiscal year.

That digital revenue helped firm up a quarter with relatively few big launches, but where did it all come from? Nearly half was "extra content," or DLC and in-game microtransactions like those found in FIFA Ultimate Team.

Speaking of FIFA Ultimate Team, EA plans to make it easy for dedicated players to transfer their progress from current-gen consoles to next-gen systems. Assuming you buy FIFA 14 on PS3 or Xbox 360 when it launches, then buy it again when it launches for PS4 and Xbox One over the holidays, all Ultimate Team account info and purchased FIFA points can transfer over.

Madden NFL 25's Ultimate Teams will transfer over similarly, though EA said it would reveal more about the process soon.

EA's total revenue for the quarter was $949 million, as compared to $955 million in the same period last year. Its net income grew to $222 million from $201 million.

Saints Row: The Third's Enter the Dominatrix expansion will whip Saints Row IV into shape about 45 days after release. The expansion's strange story--it was conceived as a standalone game planned for release at $30, then its virtual-world-with-superpowers approach was folded into Saints Row IV--will be addressed, Game Informer reports.

Volition didn't say what the content's focus will be at this point, and we're pretty curious about where it will draw the line between the new and the old. Apparently the DLC itself will provide some "behind the scenes" commentary about its development, so perhaps we'll find out from the Saints themselves.

Saint's Row IV will hit PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 on August 20 in North America and August 23 in Europe.

Evo's over, but the next battle is coming in early 2014. Capcom revealed Ultra Street Fighter IV on Sunday, the next update to its flagship fighting game series which adds five new challengers, six new stages, and more balance changes than you can shake a riding crop at.

Speaking of riding crops, Ultra Street Fighter IV will see the first main series appearance of thug-turned-wrestling manager Poison. Her main client-the-giant Hugo, capoeira practitioner Elena, and special forces staff fighter Rolento will also appear. The final character--who will bring the roster up to 44 contenders--remains a secret for now.

Capcom will offer Ultra as a downloadable update for owners of Super Street Fighter IV and Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition for $15. It will also come on a standalone retail disc for $40, along with all currently available DLC costumes and unspecified future content.

Check out this post on Capcom Unity if you want a peek at some of the buffs and nerfs headed for your favorite characters.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2’s Vengeance DLC will be released on PC and PS3 on August 1, Activision has confirmed. The game’s third add-on pack, which debuted on Xbox 360 on July 2, offers four new multiplayer maps and a fresh Zombies level called Buried, which sees players facing off against the undead residents of an abandoned subterranean Old West mining town. It also introduces a new weapon, the Ray Gun Mark II, which becomes available in all other Black Ops 2 Zombies arenas once Vengeance is purchased (check out our Buried guide & walkthrough).

Set on a picturesque island in the Indian Ocean, multiplayer map Cove plays home to the wreckage of a crashed jet and is marked by canyons surrounding a heavily contested central battlefield. Detour takes place on a destroyed suspension bridge above an East Coast waterway, Rush offers frantic close-quarters engagements in a paintball course turned combat arena, while Uplink is an adaptation of the original Black Ops’ popular Summit map. It’s still located on a mountaintop facility, but switches the original’s snow-covered daytime setting for a rain-soaked night one.

343 Industries announced new Halo 4 DLC at the annual Rooster Teeth Expo over the weekend. Featuring fresh maps, a new game mode, plus armour and weapon skins, the content will be purchasable in individual pieces or in a pack dubbed the Champions Bundle from August 20, OXM reports.

The Bullseye pack contains two new maps, Vertigo and Pitfall. The former offers environmental features, allowing players to send an electric shock through parts of the map, while Pitfall is a remake and update of Halo 3’s The Pit, featuring additions like grav-lift at the back of the arena. The Infinity Armour Pack offers three new armour sets called Perfect, Mark V and ODST, while the Steel Skins pack adds a steampunk flavour to weaponry. New mode Ricochet is a five-on-five team-based offering which plays similar to Grifball mode with a few key differences; players can throw the ball into the scoring area for fewer points than they receive for carrying it in, while everyone has access to ranged weapons.

The Bullseye pack will be priced at 480 MSP, the Infinity Armour and Steel Skins packs at 240 MSP each, while the bundle will cost 800 MSP (£6.85 / €9.60 / $10). Ricochet will be exclusive to bundle buyers for two weeks before going on general release. You can watch a replay of the DLC announcement, including footage of the new maps and game type, below or on 343 Industries' Twitch channel.

Microsoft recently said that Halo on Xbox One is a fully-fledged entry in the first-person shooter series, but wouldn’t confirm whether it’s Halo 5. The game, which was first teased at E3, is part of what is now the Reclaimer “saga” rather than a trilogy. It’s set for release in 2014.

Watch live video from 343industries on TwitchTV

The Walking Dead: 400 Days will roll out over the next two weeks, and PlayStation gamers can get started on the interlude episode tomorrow. IGN revealed the official cross-platform schedule for the $5 Season One DLC today:

• Tuesday, July 2nd – PlayStation Network (North America)
• Wednesday, July 3rd – PC/Mac (Steam, Telltale Games Store)
• Friday, July 5th – Xbox Live (Worldwide)
• Wednesday, July 10th – PlayStation Network (Europe)
• Thursday, July 11th – iOS (Worldwide)

400 Days takes place across the first year-and-change of the zombie outbreak, telling five interweaving survivor stories. Decisions made in Season One will influence 400 Days, and decisions made in 400 Days will influence Season Two when it releases in the fall... if you hold on to your save file, that is.

It seems the excruciating wait for information onBioShock Infinite's promised campaign additions might soon be over, with the news that developer Irrational Games will be revealing details before the end of July.

Creative Director Ken Levine recently explained on Twitter that development of the narrative DLC is going well, but pleaded for patience amongst the game's fanbase while offering no indication of a potential release date. Now however, Joystiq is reporting communication from an Irrational Games rep pledging DLC-related information by the end of the month. While no specific details have been mentioned, it's probably a safe bet to expect a run-down of the three-part DLC's content, along with an announcement of its release date. Though theoretically the current statement could just as easily apply to a Skyhook Avatar accessory and a bikini beachwear reskin for Elizabeth.

More details as we get them.

BioShock Infinite has received its first morsel of DLC on Steam, and creator Ken Levine is assuring fans that more Columbia stories are coming. Columbia's Finest costs $5 and combines all the upgrades accessible from the pre-order only Industrial Revolution Pack, and the Ultimate Songbird Edition's Upgrade Pack.

With Columbia's Finest, players start the game with five extra lockpicks, 500 Silver Eagles, six new gear items providing unique passive bonuses, and two upgraded weapons: Comstock's China Broom Shotgun and Comstock's Eagle Eye Sniper Rifle.

Don't worry, Columbia's Finest doesn't count against the three-episode, $30 BioShock Infinite Season Pass. Ken Levine took to Twitter to confirm that development is proceeding on the post-release episodes.

Given how long BioShock Infinite took to escape Irrational Games, we're not surprised by the wait.

2K has announced plans to release a number of narrative-driven DLC packs for The Bureau: XCOM Declassified. In development at BioShock 2 studio 2K Marin, the game centres around a squad of Cold War era Bureau agents dispatched to Rosemont, Georgia on a mission to overcome an unknown threat and keep the incident concealed from the public.

While DLC will be released on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, the first add-on pack will be exclusive to Microsoft’s console. 2K Marin development director Morgan Gray said: “The alternate 1962 universe that we’ve created for The Bureau is vast and there are many more stories to tell about the early days of XCOM. We’re excited that our stories will provide a new perspective on the war effort, much like how our critically acclaimed Minvera’s Den DLC for BioShock 2 allowed us to present a unique perspective of Rapture.”

Those who pre-order The Bureau: XCOM Declassified through participating retailers will receive access to a bonus campaign side-mission called Codebreakers, in which players are sent to investigate a communications facility that has gone dark. Additionally, players who pre-order from GameStop will receive the Light Plasma Pistol as an exclusive in-game item.

2K has confirmed a The Bureau: XCOM Declassified release date of August 20, 2013 in North America and August 23 internationally, matching up with the Splinter Cell Blacklist release date and the Saints Row 4 release date. Get our recent impressions of the game in this The Bureau: XCOM Declassified preview.

The third map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 answers a question that's never far from our thoughts: what is paintball like in the Call of Duty universe?

"Well, that's Rush," Miles Leslie answers in this video preview of Vengeance.

Vengeance features the standard four competitive maps, plus a new Zombies arena. Other than Rush's paint-spattered inflatable arena (we can't imagine it offers too much protection from bullets), Cove is a tropical island marked by canyons which lead to a central battlefield, Detour juxtaposes head-on collisions across a wrecked suspension bridge with multiple vertical levels, and Uplink remixes Black Ops' Summit map.

Treyarch returns to Black Ops 2's non-gangster survivors in Buried; the Western ghost town won't be the only thing pushing up daisies if the four can't escape its creepy, zombie-filled mine tunnels. The Ray Gun Mark II debuts in Buried, but it can be used in all other Zombies maps.

Vengeance will hit Xbox 360 first on July 2 for $15 or as part of the season pass, and will likely hit PC and PS3 about a month later.

Activision has revealed the release date for Uprising, the latest map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and it's May 16, exactly a month after the pack launched on Xbox 360. Almost as if it were predetermined by some kind of exclusivity agreement.

Uprising packs in four new competitive multiplayer maps: a lava scorched Japanese town named Magma, a deserted music festival named Encore, a multi-tiered highrise called Vertigo, and a Firing Range-style soundstage called Studio.

These are all on top of the somewhat-ballyhooed Mob of the Dead, which stars four prohibition-era mobsters fighting to survive undead swarms through the halls and cells of Alcatraz.

Uprising is available as part of the $50 Black Ops 2 Season Pass, or for $15 on its own.

Making downloadable content available on the very same day a game releases--AKA day-one DLC--is one of this console generation's biggest faux pas. Gamers liken it to selling a car then, as the buyer pulls out of the lot, charging extra for the Highway Readiness Pack of a windshield and headlights.

Bethesda VP Pete Hines told OXM UK that attitude often comes from a misunderstanding of game development. Artists and other content creators stop making new stuff a good amount of time before the game ships in most workflows, to allow for plenty of testing and polish. Those people might as well be doing something, Hines argues.

"There's a pretty long gap where your artists and designers are fixing a bug if they get one, or they may be playing the game to find bugs, but they're not making a new anything for a long time, and you have creative people who are used to creating--so why would you make them wait some period of time, months in some cases, to start making new stuff so you can say it was after DLC?"

It may sound odd coming from Bethesda, which releases most of its downloadable content months after its corresponding game--as was the case with Skyrim and its first expansion content, Dawnguard.

"It takes a long time to make a Dawnguard or a Dragonborn--it's not the kind of stuff you can just turn around in two weeks or three weeks," Hines said. "it's not that we're trying to put it out much later, we're willing to do it later, we're willing to continue to support it because we continue to believe there's a demand and an interest in that kind of stuff. We're not stalling for stalling's sake."

A slew of new costumes for Naruto and gang in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 are now available via the recently released Special Costume Pack. This pack, available on PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, costs $2.99 and 240 Microsoft Points, respectively. With it, you'll find receive Cowbow, Matador, Kimono, Lederhosen, Gondorie, and Pirate costumes for Naruto, as well as a special Napoleon skin for Sasuke. Continue on to check out all the costumes in action.

Do you like the DLC costumes on offer? What other ones would you like to see in the future? Let us know in the comments below.

If you want to know how to get all the characters, check out this Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 character unlocks guide. And if you're looking for more, check out the best Naruto games.

What the hell, Ubisoft. You put up this ridiculous teaser website for Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon on April Fool's Day, so everybody who just looks at the headline and teaser video below will think we got duped.

"The year is 2007. It is the future," the website taunts, each syllable humming like a neon No Smoking sign. "Earth has been ravaged by a nuclear war and new paths for peace must be found. A U.S. cyborg army may have found a solution: a powerful bioweapon on a distant island. A Mark IV Cyber Commando, Sergeant Rex Power Colt has been sent over to gather information and figure out what the hell is going on."

But we haven't been duped! Or if we have, the '80s sci-fi action movie riffing parody is one of the most elaborate gaming pranks we've seen, since ratings, art, and achievements for the presumed downloadable content leaked throughout March.

We don't know if Blood Dragon will add on to Far Cry 3 or if it will stand alone. But given this subliminal-speed footage in the trailer, Jason "Turns Out Killing Pirates is Pretty Fun You Guys" Brody can't hold a candle to Sergeant Rex Power Colt.

Gears of War: Judgment's multiplayer got a free boost today with a new map and mode. Series staple Execution returns to the online battlefield with coup-de-graces as the order of the day, and Haven defrosts an icy new battlefield to roadie run around in.

The pack is accompanied by Judgment's first title update, which addresses several minor multiplayer bug fixes and improvements. Haven will only be available for free for a limited time, so hurry up and hop on some of the new bonus-experience playlists while you're at it.

Both maps are presented by Maxim magazine. We prefer to think Maxim held the content ransom after an undercover heist deep within Epic's offices, only releasing the materials when Epic agreed to its terms. Either way.

Gearbox has outlined plans for future Borderlands 2 DLC including the release of a new character class, the raising of the game’s level cap, and the launch of a fourth campaign expansion pack.

On April 2 it will release the Ultimate Vault Hunter Upgrade pack for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. Priced at $5 or 400 MSP (but free for season pass holders), it will increase the game’s level cap from 50 to 61, Joystiq reports. On the same day, a separate free update will add a third game playthrough in the form of the Ultimate Vault Hunter Mode, which can only be accessed once players reach level 50, Eurogamer adds.

In May, the Psycho Pack will introduce a sixth playable character class, Krieg the Psycho Bandit, for $9.99 or 800 MSP. Gearbox says: “Wielding a buzz axe and harnessing his psychotic multiple personalities, Krieg is a badass melee mauler with ranged attack capabilities that can rip foes to shreds with his deadly Buzz Axe Rampage action skill. Players can stack combat bonuses with Krieg's Bloodlust skill tree, live on the edge of insanity with the Mania tree, or engulf both enemies and yourself in flames with the Hellborn tree.”

Additionally, Gearbox has teased the game’s fourth and final campaign expansion, which it simply says is due for release in June.

Dramatic reenactment: "Eighth game in as many years?" "Yep." Offer pre-orders for the season pass?" "Already printing the posters." "Change zombies mode?" "We added a bus." "Damn. What else could we do to make gamers irrationally angry?" "Well, there's one thing we've yet to try..."

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 will get microtransactions later this week on Xbox 360, Activision blogger Dan Amrich revealed today. The small purchases which range from $1 to $5 offer various upgrades, from additional weapon skins to extra create-a-class slots.

Of particular note are the Personalization Packs, which offer up a unique weapon camo, new targeting reticles, and a custom calling card--each for 160 Microsoft points. Ever want to wrap your preferred firearm in your preferred breakfast meat? Invest in the Bacon Personalization Pack. Nation-specific calling cards will also be available in regional packs for 80 MSP.

Treyarch will offer more nuts and bolts microtransactions, such as extra create-a-class slots and media storage for 160 MSP, and Nuketown Zombies for non-limited-edition players for 400 MSP.

Finally, a freebie: the original Nuketown is now unlocked for all Xbox players--these updates are planned for other consoles as well, but Activision has not given any indication of when they'll appear.

Halo 4 DLC the Castle map pack will be released on April 8.

Priced at 800 Microsoft Points (£6.85 / €9.60 / $10.00), Microsoft says the add-on will introduce three medium-to-large maps that “emphasise vehicular warfare and large battles over open spaces, where team strategy is key to successfully conquering the battlefield”.

Releasing just over a month after February's Majestic map pack, the upcoming DLC will also feature a fresh six-versus-six playlist and nine new Achievements worth a total of 250 Gamerscore. An official description of the content follows:

• Daybreak: Two UNSC bases oppose each other in this large asymmetrical map. Teams must split focus between attacking the enemy base while playing close defense to their own. Claim your team’s sniper rifle to cover the central Man Cannon, or grab a Warthog to push through the side channels and flank the enemy base. The Rocket Launcher and Banshee both spawn in positions diagonal to the starting bases; claiming their firepower early is crucial to land the first flag cap or take an early lead in kills.
• Outcast: Controlling vehicle paths is critical in this circular map set in a desert environment. Outcast features frequent Mantis vs. Wraith battles, so teams must keep their drivers informed with constant communication to get the drop on enemy vehicles. While driving the Mantis, you can target fusion coils in tunnels to flush out camping opponents directly into your rain of fire, or cover your flag runner’s dash to a friendly Warthog. If you find yourself without a vehicle, race to the secondary bases to secure a power weapon or drop on enemies for a game-changing hijack.
• Perdition: Blending long sightlines, vehicles, and close-quarters combat, Perdition caters to nearly any gameplay style. Wheelmen and gunners will be right at home in this urban environment as a well-placed Warthog can lock down a quarter of the map, securing valuable ordnances for the team. Learning the interior routes is essential to both escaping danger and finishing off ranged kills. Be sure to look for the Gravity Hammer in Power Station 3 – an ideal revenge weapon against a pesky sniper or a big surprise for an enemy Warthog.
• Castle DLC playlist:: The Castle Map Pack brings a new playlist to the War Games experience called “Castle DLC,” a six-versus-six playlist that focuses on both team play and coordinated objective gameplay.

Konami has announced release dates for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance’s VR Missions DLC, as well as details of two subsequent game add-ons.

The first DLC pack will introduce 30 new VR Missions featuring challenges designed to test your mettle. In the US, the content will launch on March 12 exclusively for PS3 and will be free to download until April 3. In Europe, it will hit PS3 and Xbox 360 the following day priced at £1.99 on Sony’s console and 240 Microsoft Points (£2.06 / €2.88).

"Soon after", Konami will release two “origin stories” as DLC. "Jetstream centres on the side-story of Sam, and features him as a playable character for the first time, while the Blade Wolf pack focuses on Raiden's enigmatic side-kick and its unique story.”

We said in our Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance review: “It's fast, flashy, and fun--and it's easy to excuse Revengeance's hiccups when even the simplest battles rival the best cutscenes in any previous Metal Gear.”

Far Cry 3's lead writer teased Joystiq about something "surprising" in the game's near future. The bengal tiger may have been let out of the bag a bit early, though, with materials emerging from multiple sources for a new release called Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon.

"I'm working on something now that will be surprising, I think, when it's announced," lead writer Jeffrey Yohalem said. "But it definitely is a 'strike while the iron's hot' thing, and we'll see."

Meanwhile, Brazilian ratings have emerged for a first-person shooter titled Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, and a NeoGAF user posted some alleged Xbox Live Arcade box art.

Is Blood Dragon a standalone downloadable expansion to Far Cry 3, in the vein of Red Dead Redemption's Undead Nightmare? And what's with that '80s-chic neon wireframe?

We'll hopefully find out soon, but Ubisoft told IGN it has no official comment on the materials at this point.