XINKER - Business and Income Tips - Latest Posts https://xinker.org/rss/latest-posts XINKER - Business and Income Tips - Latest Posts en Copyright 2020-2026 Axiox Media Technology Limited - All Rights Reserved. Forest Escape: Last Train - v0.46 - Hotfix Patch https://xinker.org/forest-escape-last-train-v046-hotfix-patch https://xinker.org/forest-escape-last-train-v046-hotfix-patch Sun, 12 Jul 2026 07:19:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Forest, Escape:, Last, Train, v0.46, Hotfix, Patch v0.46 - Hotfix Patch

Fixes:

  • Fixed connection issues when users tried to join a full lobby.

  • Fixed an issue with the Mask of Anarchy not appearing in the suitcase for players who had previously played the demo.

  • Other fixes and improvements.

Known issues:

  • The train may occasionally derail.

  • Unable to connect to a lobby if your internet connection is unstable or the connection is interrupted while joining.

  • Teammates or enemies may occasionally become invisible.

  • Selecting a dance style may cause you to become stuck on the selection screen, even after pressing ESC.

  • Voice chat may not work properly.

]]> Warframe: Tau Gameplay Demo https://xinker.org/warframe-tau-gameplay-demo https://xinker.org/warframe-tau-gameplay-demo Sun, 12 Jul 2026 07:09:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Warframe:, Tau, Gameplay, Demo

Coming to all platforms later this year, our next major update will begin to answer the question: "What has become of Tau?" While the future will ultimately offer a wider look at this vast binary star system, the path to get there begins in Fornax — a sprawling Sentient metropolis consisting of Slums, Docks, and seedy gambling dens. The extent of Fornax's corruption is apparent in both the addicts and criminals who populate it, as well as the unending black rain that pours down on them during frequent storms… with horrifying results.


Albrecht Entrati is already here, having enlisted the help of a new, noir-inspired Warframe named Brysko to help him infiltrate the Sentient underworld and reach the Hunra. This fearsome kingpin maintains control of Fornax's many rackets through violence, intimidation and fear, and it will be up to you to reach him in time to avert the breakout of a cataclysmic new conflict.


With the return of old friends, old foes and old wounds gone-but-not-forgotten, Tau will confront you with horrifying consequences from your past, and an incredibly bright new canvas for the evolving future of Warframe.


Learn more by visiting our official webpage for Warframe: Tau here and be sure to watch our upcoming Devstreams at https://www.twitch.tv/warframe for more details on the journey that lies ahead.]]> Mistborn Officially Returns November 18 With New Adventure https://xinker.org/mistborn-officially-returns-november-18-with-new-adventure https://xinker.org/mistborn-officially-returns-november-18-with-new-adventure Sun, 12 Jul 2026 07:06:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Mistborn, Officially, Returns, November, With, New, Adventure When Brandon Sanderson first published Mistborn: The Final Empire in 2006, it quickly established him as one of fantasy's most exciting new voices. The original trilogy, which includes The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages, earned widespread acclaim for its inventive Allomancy magic system, immersive and elaborate world-building, and carefully planned long-form storytelling.

]]> Warframe Reveals New Tau System, Detective Warframes, And More At Tennocon 2026 https://xinker.org/warframe-reveals-new-tau-system-detective-warframes-and-more-at-tennocon-2026 https://xinker.org/warframe-reveals-new-tau-system-detective-warframes-and-more-at-tennocon-2026 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:29:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Warframe, Reveals, New, Tau, System, Detective, Warframes, And, More, Tennocon, 2026
]]> Angels Fall First 1.0 ! https://xinker.org/angels-fall-first-10 https://xinker.org/angels-fall-first-10 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:18:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Angels, Fall, First, 1.0 Hey there AFF Community!

The wait is over, after 10 years of Two Weeks ™

Angels Fall First 1.0 is here!

Ten years ago, we launched Angels Fall First into Early Access with a ridiculously ambitious goal: build the large-scale combined-arms sci-fi shooter we always wanted to play ourselves. Today, that journey reaches its destination!

It all started with the fantastic sci-fi universe and stories created by James Morris-King, to whom we owe our special thanks.

We'd also like to express our gratitude to the entire AFF Community, we wouldn't be here without you!

Is it perfectly polished and bug-free? Nope! Are we going to have to make a good few hotfixes to put the fires out in the coming days? Probably! Is it incredibly full of content and old-school fun and giant exploding spaceships? Absolutely yes!

We haven't increased the base price - we gave it a lot of thought and concluded AFF is exactly at the price point we feel comfortable with for now!

It's also 10% off for 10 days for 10 years for 1.0!

So come check it out! There's also two new maps included, Incursion and Territories version of:

Darsalaam

The partly-built mega resort station Darsalaam is under siege by USN forces, who aim to secure the space surrounding it and the station itself, as there are high priority personnel targets of great interest to the League inside its arms.

There's also many more stability fixes and map improvements in the 1.0 build, which You, the AFF Community, also helped with immensely. It's been a crazy couple weeks of final diagnostics and repairs.

We'll get back to You all with a proper changelog and more to say about the nearest future of AFF in the coming days! But for now:

Enjoy the game, help us spread the word, come talk to us on Discord!

Onwards and upwards!
]]> TennoCon 2026: Everything Announced at the Warframe and Soulframe Fan Event https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026-everything-announced-at-the-warframe-and-soulframe-fan-event https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026-everything-announced-at-the-warframe-and-soulframe-fan-event Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:07:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips TennoCon, 2026:, Everything, Announced, the, Warframe, and, Soulframe, Fan, Event TennoCon 2026 has finally wrapped, and developer Digital Extremes has revealed new content for both Warframe and Soulframe – it's two massive online action RPGs. Throughout the TennoCon live show, we got to see the developers showcase long-anticipated updates that will not only take players to new locations but also introduce new antagonists for the larger stories ahead in both live-service games.

In addition to the long-form reveal of Warframe's Tau expansion, which introduces a new galaxy to explore that's filled with new threats, we saw Soulframe showcase a new fable questline focusing on the reveal of a new weapon and darkside powers to adopt, along with the anticipated arrival of new player mounts and a new fishing mini-game.

Continue below for everything revealed at TennoCon 2026!

Warframe - Tau revealed, Iceblade of Narin, and a new type of Warframe to control
The long-anticipated Tau expansion for Warframe was finally revealed at TennoCon 2026, and according to the developers, it's the biggest shift forward for the long-running action-RPG that the devs have ever made. Continuing the conflict among the Tenno, Albrecht Entradi, and the enigmatic Man in the Wall, players will finally venture to the long-teased Tau system, which houses the mysterious Sentinels and the Orokin-terraformed colonies. The signature location of Tau is the gloomy, alien, cyberpunk-style city known as the Forax, a new Hub zone that blends open exploration with procedurally generated zones. While not an open-world zone in the vein of the Planes of Eidolon or Fortuna, it does feel like a mix between large-scape areas of Warframe and the bite-sized action zones throughout the game.

"Tau is certainly the biggest shift for Warframe ever, we're adding a full second solar system to explore and have new stories coming," said Warframe creative director Rebecca Ford in an early interview with IGN. "When it came to building up Tau, what we basically asked ourselves was, 'How do we keep Warframe going forever?" And the answer to that was to add a second solar system to the game. 13 years later, you can build up all over again, give the players more, and start planet by planet, moon by moon. and object by object. And there's so much more to come."

Another of the signature reveals in the live demo for Warframe was a new type of Warframe known as Brysko (voiced by Matt Mercer of Critical Role fame), a special Chimera Warframe that is a sentient being created within the Tau system. Along with a playable Lotus section, we also got to see Brysko in action, who plays as a gunslinger Warframe in combat sequences that play out similarly to a fast-paced character action game. Warframe has focused heavily on character-first storytelling in recent years, and one of the key focuses of the Tau update is Brysko's story and how the Chimera Warframe will play into the game's future.

Along with a new reveal for Tau, Warframe will also launch several updates in the lead-up to Tau's launch later this year, including a customizable Orokin Vessel that players will acquire. Firstly, the next major update to Warframe is the Iceblade of Narin, a story quest featuring a new location and a new playable Warframe to acquire. Moreover, new deluxe versions of Qorvex and Banshee, a gameplay rework, and new Nightwave missions with the Amir's Shockwave update are also on the way.

Also revealed at TennoCon was Warframe ‘s first-ever card mini-game, Portau, which is based on the mechanics of poker. The Sentient card game iterates on the rules of poker with its own suite of Blooms, Cores, Moons, and Suns.

Soulframe - New fables, a new dark pact, and mounts are on the way
Digital Extremes' Soulframe and its growing high-fantasy universe are still in its alpha stage, and the developers have been gradually defining a more engaging and soulful companion to Warframe. At TennoCon, we got to see the latest updates coming to Soulframe, which focuses on the Envoys encountering their darkest challenges yet with the arrival of a new threat, and a new opportunity to engage with the growing corruption to adopt the first dark powers known as vespers.

Firstly, one of the early reveals is that more players will be able to get access to Soulframe Preludes – the current early access for the action-RPG. Players who sign up for access to Soulframe Preludes on the official site before July 12 11:59 ET will earn access to the game. While invites have steadily gone out, this marks the most significant opportunity to get access to Soulframe.

One of the significant reveals was the new narrative and fable mission called Warsongs – which is set for release this Fall. The questline we saw added more details to the player character's origin story and how their mother came into conflict with Tempest Bayor, who is given more background and drive behind his motivations, setting the events of the game into motion. Furthermore, actors Ben Starr (Final Fantasy XVI, Expedition 33) and Jennifer English (Baldur's Gate 3, Expedition 33) have joined the Soulframe cast as recurring antagonist Tempest Bayor – the red-armed anti-Envory – and supporting player ally Empress of Eldveil, respectively, to further expand on Soulframe's growing narrative.

"We probably announced the game much sooner than we should have, but really, what has come out of it is that we're building this game alongside the community," said senior community manager for Soulframe in a chat with IGN. "When we finally got players in to test the game and play early, it was a great opportunity to really see them take in the world and get into the knitty-gritty of the world we're building. In the last year, especially, we have taken a lot of big swings with the game, and we're just constantly building up towards our next steps. Some really big **** is coming soon."

One of the most exciting moments of the TennoCon demo was the battle between Tempest Bayor and the Envoy's mother, who are both briefly playable during the Warsongs demo. The demo culminates in an encounter where the Envoy gets a brief experience with the Vadagar pact – which introduces the ability to embrace the powers of the dark side.

In the new questline, we get to see the player Envoy come into contact with a corruption that grants them a new Vadagar pact and weapon, which showcase Soulframe's first attempts at offering a dark side of sorts to follow. According to the devs, this questline is Soulframe's darkest storyline so far, and it will offer players – if they are so inclined – the chance to build up their corruption powers. The new weapon shown off during the demo focused on the snake sword known as the Coiled Dawn, which uses large sweeping strikes to cut down multiple enemies.

In addition to the expanded fable, Soulframe will also get a round of new quality-of-life updates to the game this year. In the lead-up to the major new updates coming this year, Soulframe players will also be able to take part in a new combat encounter against the Mendicant Reinbreaker, a shadowy dark knight that can potentially be a new ally upon defeat. One of the most requested features from the community was player mounts, and we got to see players riding atop large wolves during the TennoCon demo. Another new feature coming to Soulframe is fishing – referred to as 'Vegan Fishing' – which lets players relax and capture fish across the Alca to gain intel about the wildlife.

"The community support we have is so critical, and it's also – in my view – a gift," said Asselin."There are so many games and so many things players can do with their time in this attention economy. So why would someone play Soulframe after work versus another game or the latest thing on Netflix? So it's up to us to honor that gift and do it right. That's why we have dev-streams and even have Envoy hours where the team jumps into the game to see how the game feels with the community. We're still very early in development compared to Warframe, so I think it's allowed us to have some time with everyone and to help build this game up."

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

]]> The Best Deals Today: LEGO Technic McLaren P1, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, 4K Blu-rays, and More https://xinker.org/the-best-deals-today-lego-technic-mclaren-p1-trails-in-the-sky-1st-chapter-4k-blu-rays-and-more https://xinker.org/the-best-deals-today-lego-technic-mclaren-p1-trails-in-the-sky-1st-chapter-4k-blu-rays-and-more Sun, 12 Jul 2026 06:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips The, Best, Deals, Today:, LEGO, Technic, McLaren, P1, Trails, the, Sky, 1st, Chapter, Blu-rays, and, More A new weekend has arrived, and today, you can save on select LEGO sets, Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, the Criterion Collection Blu-ray Sale, and more. Check out our top picks for Saturday, July 11, below.

LEGO Technic McLaren P1 for $379.99
The LEGO Technic McLaren P1 is a perfect choice for any car fan, and today, you can save $60 off this impressive set at Woot. As a LEGO Technic set, this 1:8 scale model recreates both the interior and exterior flawlessly. This 3,893-piece set includes the V8 piston engine, the opening doors, 7-speed gearbox, and more.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter for $44.99
Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is the very first entry in the beloved Trails series, and this remake from last year brought new life into the original game. Considering 2nd Chapter is set to release later this year, this is a great time to pick up 1st Chapter if you've never had a chance to check it out.

50% Off Criterion Collection Sale
Barnes & Noble is having its 50% Criterion Collection sale right now, so this weekend is one of the best times of the year to pick up some new 4K Blu-rays. Oftentimes, these 4K transfers are overseen by the original Director, and there's always plenty of great extras included. I continue to buy Blu-rays from this collection, as time is running out to save big.

Ys X: Nordics - Deluxe Edition for $39.99
While Falcom is best known today for the Trails series, the Ys series is another great series made by the company. The Ys series has been running for almost four decades at this point, with 17 entries to date. The latest entry, Ys X: Nordics, is on sale this weekend for $39.99 at GameStop. If you're looking for a new action RPG to discover, look no further than this great game.

Battlefield 6 for $29.99
Battlefield 6 was one of the biggest multiplayer games of 2025, and today, you can pick up a physical copy for $29.99 at Target. In our 8/10 review of the multiplayer, we wrote, "Battlefield 6’s multiplayer action is expertly crafted, wrapped in a wonderful layer of destructibility that both looks great and materially affects the flow of combat. The gunplay is excellent, with weapons that are accurate enough to reward skilled shooting, but have just enough sway to promote a bit of careful thought while you take aim."

Nioh 3 for $47.49
Nioh 3 released in early February, and you can save $20 off a PS5 copy today at Amazon. In our 9/10 review, we wrote, "Nioh 3 delivers best-in-class combat that revitalizes the established formula with a fantastic split between Samurai and Ninja styles, as well as a triumphant move to an open-world structure."

LEGO Ideas Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night for $136
Right now, Amazon has the Lego Ideas Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night set on sale for $136. You can recreate the iconic painting in Lego form, and there's even a Van Gogh minifigure! This 2316 piece set is an excellent way to add some art to any setup or room.

Chainsaw Man Season 1 Blu-ray for $49.84
Chainsaw Man's first season only officially released on Blu-ray as of late last year, so while this release is pretty recent, you can save $35 off today at Amazon. The Limited Edition packs in all twelve episodes of Season 1, featuring both Japanese and English audio. Plus, you'll also get a lenticular slipcase, a 72-page booklet of production material, and on-disc art galleries.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

]]> TennoCon 2026's demo is the "darkest Soulframe has ever been," but perhaps the most intriguing, too https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026s-demo-is-the-darkest-soulframe-has-ever-been-but-perhaps-the-most-intriguing-too https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026s-demo-is-the-darkest-soulframe-has-ever-been-but-perhaps-the-most-intriguing-too Sun, 12 Jul 2026 05:49:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips TennoCon, 2026s, demo, the, darkest, Soulframe, has, ever, been, but, perhaps, the, most, intriguing, too Soulframe finally gets its most-requested feature and a brand new gameplay demo, as Digital Extremes opens the doors to Preludes once more.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: https://www.pcgamesn.com/soulframe/tennocon-2026-demo

]]> New Co-Op Game on Steam is Peak Meets Jurassic Park https://xinker.org/new-co-op-game-on-steam-is-peak-meets-jurassic-park https://xinker.org/new-co-op-game-on-steam-is-peak-meets-jurassic-park Sun, 12 Jul 2026 05:06:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips New, Co-Op, Game, Steam, Peak, Meets, Jurassic, Park The friendslop genre has become increasingly busy since the Overcooked era. Nowadays, there are no shortage of humorous co-op games to enjoy with one's friend group. Steam has a near-endless array of funny horror extraction shooters, party games, and viral hits. And while the talk of the town right now may be Meccha Chameleon, for a long time, gamers couldn’t go anywhere without seeing or hearing about Peak. This game stands out not just due to its potential for tragic falls and betrayals, but also a charming art style that adds humor to the chaos. That latter trait is one that Steam’s Very Safe Dino Park is poised to borrow, as its cute art will pair nicely with players screaming as a T. Rex chases them across their friend’s screen.

]]> July 14 is Officially the End of an Era for GTA Online https://xinker.org/july-14-is-officially-the-end-of-an-era-for-gta-online https://xinker.org/july-14-is-officially-the-end-of-an-era-for-gta-online Sun, 12 Jul 2026 04:37:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips July, Officially, the, End, Era, for, GTA, Online After 13 years, Grand Theft Auto Online might finally be wrapping up its major updates. Grand Theft Auto Online launched in 2013, shortly after the release of Grand Theft Auto 5, serving as that game's online multiplayer component. Many assumed Grand Theft Auto Online would be a big success, but it blew away all expectations and has helped GTA 5 become one of the most profitable entertainment products of all time.

]]> TennoCon 2026 Relay Experience https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026-relay-experience https://xinker.org/tennocon-2026-relay-experience Sun, 12 Jul 2026 04:08:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips TennoCon, 2026, Relay, Experience

Please note: in order to access the Relay you must have completed at least one Mission on the Star Chart. See you there, Tenno!]]> First Details of New Obsidian Fallout Game Leaked Online https://xinker.org/first-details-of-new-obsidian-fallout-game-leaked-online https://xinker.org/first-details-of-new-obsidian-fallout-game-leaked-online Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:48:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips First, Details, New, Obsidian, Fallout, Game, Leaked, Online The first details of Obsidian's new Fallout game have leaked online, coming from a reputable Xbox insider. A recent report by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier claims that Obsidian was shifting its development focus onto a new Fallout game helmed by Fallout: New Vegas director Josh Sawyer. While it's unclear if this game will be Fallout: New Vegas 2, Fallout 5, or a completely standalone Fallout experience, a new leak has revealed some key information on its core gameplay features.

]]> Open-World Horror Game Is Free to Keep on PC for a Very Limited Time https://xinker.org/open-world-horror-game-is-free-to-keep-on-pc-for-a-very-limited-time https://xinker.org/open-world-horror-game-is-free-to-keep-on-pc-for-a-very-limited-time Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:48:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Open-World, Horror, Game, Free, Keep, for, Very, Limited, Time An open-world psychological horror game with PS1-style graphics called Envelope is currently free to keep for PC users, but they will need to act fast because the offer ends soon. PC gamers are used to claiming free-to-keep games from platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store. However, this promotion comes from neither. Instead, Envelope's developer is giving away the game through an independent promotion.

]]> New Official Game of Thrones Release is Bringing Back Jon Snow https://xinker.org/new-official-game-of-thrones-release-is-bringing-back-jon-snow https://xinker.org/new-official-game-of-thrones-release-is-bringing-back-jon-snow Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:35:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips New, Official, Game, Thrones, Release, Bringing, Back, Jon, Snow A brand-new Game of Thrones release coming later in 2026 is set to feature fan-favorite character Jon Snow. Jon Snow was a big part of the original Game of Thrones TV series, but he hasn't been featured in the spin-off shows. That's no surprise, as both House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms take place many years before Snow was even born.

]]> 7 The Boys Characters That Desparately Need Their Own Game https://xinker.org/7-the-boys-characters-that-desparately-need-their-own-game https://xinker.org/7-the-boys-characters-that-desparately-need-their-own-game Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:09:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips The, Boys, Characters, That, Desparately, Need, Their, Own, Game While The Boys has officially ended after a highly successfull 7 year run, the franchise is still far from over, with several new shows and even a video game adaptation with an entirely new story for fans to enjoy. Although the creators of The Boys haven't announced an additional gaming project after the release of The Boys: Trigger Warning, the first outing has already shown just how much potential the series has in video game form.

]]> College Football 27 Announces Plans to Remove Microtransactions, But There's a Catch https://xinker.org/college-football-27-announces-plans-to-remove-microtransactions-but-theres-a-catch https://xinker.org/college-football-27-announces-plans-to-remove-microtransactions-but-theres-a-catch Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:04:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips College, Football, Announces, Plans, Remove, Microtransactions, But, Theres, Catch EA Sports has officially removed some of the controversial new microtransactions added to College Football 27, though the changes will specifically affect offline game modes. The changes follow significant backlash to microtransactions in College Football 27's Road to Glory and Offline Dynasty modes.

]]> Weekly Mobile & Gacha Roundup: Everyone’s Out On A Pokémon Catching Spree https://xinker.org/weekly-mobile-gacha-roundup-everyones-out-on-a-pokemon-catching-spree https://xinker.org/weekly-mobile-gacha-roundup-everyones-out-on-a-pokemon-catching-spree Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:28:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Weekly, Mobile, Gacha, Roundup:, Everyone’s, Out, Pokémon, Catching, Spree
]]> I've found my perfect summer game: A stomach-churning horror story about Czech train conductors built over a bafflingly deep simulation of a fictional subway https://xinker.org/ive-found-my-perfect-summer-game-a-stomach-churning-horror-story-about-czech-train-conductors-built-over-a-bafflingly-deep-simulation-of-a-fictional-subway https://xinker.org/ive-found-my-perfect-summer-game-a-stomach-churning-horror-story-about-czech-train-conductors-built-over-a-bafflingly-deep-simulation-of-a-fictional-subway Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:28:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Ive, found, perfect, summer, game:, stomach-churning, horror, story, about, Czech, train, conductors, built, over, bafflingly, deep, simulation, fictional, subway

I've developed a bit of a reputation among my coworkers for loving niche, lo-fi indie games that make you feel bad and gross and weird on the inside. I'm flattered to stand out in such a way, but I also don't ever want to be typecast. Anyway, Brno Transit is a game about being trapped underground with your nasty, weirdly sexual boss and neurotic coworkers as reality disintegrates around you... Read more.]]> Soulframe Announces Mounts, New Characters, And More At Tennocon 2026 https://xinker.org/soulframe-announces-mounts-new-characters-and-more-at-tennocon-2026 https://xinker.org/soulframe-announces-mounts-new-characters-and-more-at-tennocon-2026 Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:11:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Soulframe, Announces, Mounts, New, Characters, And, More, Tennocon, 2026
]]> Famously buggy Assassin's Creed Unity "is one of the most underestimated games in the series," says lead who admits its "launch was a huge challenge" https://xinker.org/famously-buggy-assassins-creed-unity-is-one-of-the-most-underestimated-games-in-the-series-says-lead-who-admits-its-launch-was-a-huge-challenge https://xinker.org/famously-buggy-assassins-creed-unity-is-one-of-the-most-underestimated-games-in-the-series-says-lead-who-admits-its-launch-was-a-huge-challenge Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Famously, buggy, Assassins, Creed, Unity, is, one, the, most, underestimated, games, the, series, says, lead, who, admits, its, launch, was, huge, challenge Looking back on the infamously buggy Assassin's Creed Unity after 12 years, Ubisoft veteran Jean Guesdon admits "this opus maybe pushed too many things at once."

As part of a new feature about Assassin's Creed in a new issue of Retro Gamer – on sale now, by the way – Guesdon offers a sense that ambition is largely behind the game's tricky release.

"Sadly, Unity's launch was a huge challenge because of several reasons," he says. "Like AC3 with AnvilNext, Unity's development was impacted by the incredible new tech allowing for 1:1 scale, interiors, massive crowds, a brand-new parkour system and an integrated multiplayer component. Pushing content and tech at the same time is always very demanding, and this opus maybe pushed too many things at once."

"[AC Unity] is one of the most underestimated games in the series," he says.

If you care for a history lesson, one of the big pitches behind Assassin's Creed Unity was the ability to play co-op with three of your friends online. Sounds neat, doesn't it? Four players sneaking around to assassinate targets and work together to achieve a common objective attracted the interest of many.

As you might have figured by now, though, Assassin's Creed Unity wasn't really able to handle it, among other things. Not long after launch, the interest was awash with clips of various graphical issues and bugs, leading to an apology from Ubisoft and a free expansion to make up for the bother.

Despite the bumps, Assassin's Creed Unity ultimately sold well, but Ubisoft certainly had to learn a lesson or two about matching ambition to what's deliverable.

"This is not how I imagined it would end": Ubisoft to lay off Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced devs at its Barcelona studio, with one calling the remake's release "bittersweet."

[/url]]]> All Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced players can now claim free rewards https://xinker.org/all-assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-players-can-now-claim-free-rewards https://xinker.org/all-assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-players-can-now-claim-free-rewards Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:44:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips All, Assassins, Creed, Black, Flag, Resynced, players, can, now, claim, free, rewards You can get free Jackdaw Crimson Storm sails and 1,500 Animus keys for Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, as both thanks and an apology.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: All Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced players can now claim free rewards

]]> Santa Monica Confirms God Of War Laufey Physical Edition, Pointing To An Earlier Release Window https://xinker.org/santa-monica-confirms-god-of-war-laufey-physical-edition-pointing-to-an-earlier-release-window https://xinker.org/santa-monica-confirms-god-of-war-laufey-physical-edition-pointing-to-an-earlier-release-window Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:09:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Santa, Monica, Confirms, God, War, Laufey, Physical, Edition, Pointing, Earlier, Release, Window
]]> Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs were told that "no one" would like one of the RPG's best systems before it launched, lead says: "We didn't care" https://xinker.org/clair-obscur-expedition-33-devs-were-told-that-no-one-would-like-one-of-the-rpgs-best-systems-before-it-launched-lead-says-we-didnt-care https://xinker.org/clair-obscur-expedition-33-devs-were-told-that-no-one-would-like-one-of-the-rpgs-best-systems-before-it-launched-lead-says-we-didnt-care Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:06:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Clair, Obscur:, Expedition, devs, were, told, that, no, one, would, like, one, the, RPGs, best, systems, before, launched, lead, says:, We, didnt, care Over a year on from its monumental launch, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 creative director Guillaume Broche has been looking back on what he and his fellow devs at Sandfall Interactive were told before their RPG's release – namely, that "no one's going to like" it.

The mere concept of that seems completely impossible now that the game is out – Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became the second ever game after Baldur's Gate 3 to collect all five major Game of the Year awards last year, after all. But speaking to Konbini in a new episode of Video Game Club on YouTube (below), Broche says the devs were warned about their plans for the RPG's combat.

"With Clair Obscur, there are plenty of design decisions that are fundamentally flawed," Broche begins. "What we heard a lot before we released the game was: 'You're making a game that mixes the challenging aspects of an action game – with dodging and parrying – with turn-based gameplay. No one's going to like it. Turn-based players like turn-based games, and action players like action games.'"

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/i5x2hm7Epdc?start=1200 Of course, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 wasn't the first game to experiment with mechanics like this. Look at 1996's Super Mario RPG, which blended real-time action with its turn-based system – perfectly timed button presses make your attacks hit harder or blocks absorb more damage. A lot of players love this blend, and the Clair Obscur devs were no different when they were making their own game.

"We didn't care," Broche says of the warning Sandfall had received. "We think it's cool, we play it, and it's fun. We combined the two, and it worked. But fundamentally, there are a lot of design decisions that, from an outside or business perspective, make no sense at all."

In the same video, Broche explains that he thinks "imperfections" in games add to their charm, while "games that try to be perfect, that try to fix all their flaws – they're usually just really boring." By his own admission, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn't perfect, either – just look at its "unbearable" minigames.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director thinks devs will eventually "be able to churn out a game in 5 seconds with a prompt," but he hopes they're not any good.

[/url]]]> Reminder from Pops https://xinker.org/reminder-from-pops https://xinker.org/reminder-from-pops Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:06:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Reminder, from, Pops

Reminder from Pops

Pops reminds you that you can receive only 10 Pops' coins for completing Triumphs.

The coins are distributed as follows:

· 1 coin for completing the mandatory Triumph;
· 4 coins for completing 4 advanced Triumphs;
· 5 coins for completing 5 simple Triumphs.

You can receive 1 additional coin for participating in the Faction Race. To do so, you need to complete 3 Triumphs and be a member of the Northern faction.

The promo code STALZONE2026 grants you as many Pops' coins as the number of years your account has existed.

]]> Tate Multimedia 2026 Publisher Summer Sale https://xinker.org/tate-multimedia-2026-publisher-summer-sale https://xinker.org/tate-multimedia-2026-publisher-summer-sale Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:01:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Tate, Multimedia, 2026, Publisher, Summer, Sale Hey there!

The Tate Multimedia Annual Publisher Sale has officially begun! For a limited time, you can explore our entire catalog and enjoy discounts of up to 90% off across all available titles.

Whether you're looking for platforming adventures, high-speed challenges, action RPG combat, or unique rhythm experiences, there's never been a better time to discover what Tate Multimedia has to offer.

Featured Games

Kao the Kangaroo Franchise

Join Kao on his colorful adventures through vibrant worlds filled with action, exploration, and family-friendly fun. Whether you're new to the series or a longtime fan, now is the perfect opportunity to experience the beloved kangaroo's journey.

Urban Trial Series

Perform incredible stunts, conquer challenging tracks, and push your skills to the limit in the fast-paced Urban Trial games.

Deathbound

Experience a unique party-based soulslike RPG where fallen warriors become part of your collective. Master brutal combat and uncover the secrets of a dark and unforgiving world.

Oxytone

Immerse yourself in a mesmerizing fusion of rhythm-based gameplay, atmospheric visuals, and electronic music.

Coming Soon

While you're browsing the sale, don't forget to wishlist our upcoming releases:

Monolith: Rogue TD

A fresh blend of roguelite progression and tower defense strategy, challenging players to adapt, survive, and build powerful defenses against relentless enemies.

Vegelypse

A quirky and chaotic action experience where vegetables fight for survival in a world unlike any other.

Don't Miss Out!

The Tate Multimedia Annual Publisher Sale is available for a limited time only. Take advantage of discounts of up to 90%, discover new favorites, complete your collection, and add our upcoming games to your wishlist today.

Thank you for being part of our community!

]]> Dune: Conspiracy Gets Official Fall 2026 Release https://xinker.org/dune-conspiracy-gets-official-fall-2026-release https://xinker.org/dune-conspiracy-gets-official-fall-2026-release Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:07:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Dune:, Conspiracy, Gets, Official, Fall, 2026, Release After the most recent trailer for Dune: Part Three, fans of the franchise are as hyped as they've ever been for the epic finale to launch later this year. Part Three will officially see Paul Atreides take on the role of a "villain" of sorts, as Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Dune: Messiah brings Frank Herbert's iconic novel to the big screen.

]]> The Elder Scrolls Online's developer deserved better than to get sucker-punched by Microsoft twice in two years https://xinker.org/the-elder-scrolls-onlines-developer-deserved-better-than-to-get-sucker-punched-by-microsoft-twice-in-two-years https://xinker.org/the-elder-scrolls-onlines-developer-deserved-better-than-to-get-sucker-punched-by-microsoft-twice-in-two-years Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips The, Elder, Scrolls, Onlines, developer, deserved, better, than, get, sucker-punched, Microsoft, twice, two, years

I'm somewhat prone to pessimism in this column, though that's not without cause. MMOs aren't exactly a dying breed, per se—we've got Guild Wars 3 to look forward to, and most of the old guard, while a little grey in the beard, have respectable playerbases and are thrumming with things to do... Read more.]]> Spyro: A Realm Beyond devs didn't want their platformer to be a "flight simulator," so you can't leave your favorite dragon on "autopilot" https://xinker.org/spyro-a-realm-beyond-devs-didnt-want-their-platformer-to-be-a-flight-simulator-so-you-cant-leave-your-favorite-dragon-on-autopilot https://xinker.org/spyro-a-realm-beyond-devs-didnt-want-their-platformer-to-be-a-flight-simulator-so-you-cant-leave-your-favorite-dragon-on-autopilot Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Spyro:, Realm, Beyond, devs, didnt, want, their, platformer, flight, simulator, you, cant, leave, your, favorite, dragon, autopilot Spyro: A Realm Beyond introduces the ability to fly around freely as the titular purple dragon, but the devs at Toys for Bob want you to know that they've not made a "flight simulator," because "we want active decision-making."

Speaking on a new episode of the Kinda Funny Games podcast, associate creative director Louis "Lou" Studdert confirms that flying isn't just some sort of passive ability that you can use with zero thought – you'll have to put the effort in, pushing buttons, to guide Spyro around the sky.

"We wanted to make sure that it is active. It is decision-making. It is pressing buttons. It is almost, you know, that platforming feel of evaluating a play space and figuring out how to continue," Studdert says.

Pointing to some gameplay footage, Studdert explains that Spyro can dive downwards "to pick up speed," as well as "use his flame breath, spit a fireball at distance to ignite a campfire to create a wind updraft to give him quicker lift," before the player presses a button "to flap his wings to push on his momentum and keep his speed up." Spyro can also activate "sky rings" for a boost in the air.

"It's really about evaluating the play space," he continues. "It's looking [at] what you can interact with and connecting all of those to sustain your momentum and to keep going."

Toys for Bob studio head Paul Yan chimes in: "It's super important for us that the player is able to say, 'Look at that thing off in the distance. How do I get there? And then how do I leverage the environments around me and my abilities in order to do that?' Because what we don't want is for it to be a flight simulator where we say, 'OK, here's the destination, hit in the GPS, we're going to coast and get there.' There's no fun in that."

Yan reiterates that there's "no autopilot" option for Spyro's flight because "we want active decision-making." He explains: "Platforming as a term in this flight space is a little bit different than platforming like jumping on the ground, but similarly, we want that kind of decision-making to happen in that space."

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set to release early next year, and Yan previously told us that the devs "want not just one new game, but many new games. We hope that this is the first of many." With that in mind, hopefully we won't be waiting another 18 years for the next all-new one.

"Going independent meant taking a massive, massive risk": How Toys for Bob split off from Activision and Xbox to help guide Spyro to A Realm Beyond.

[/url]]]> New Diablo 4 patch notes make Mythics easier to get, so hold your turn-ins for now https://xinker.org/new-diablo-4-patch-notes-make-mythics-easier-to-get-so-hold-your-turn-ins-for-now https://xinker.org/new-diablo-4-patch-notes-make-mythics-easier-to-get-so-hold-your-turn-ins-for-now Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:45:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips New, Diablo, patch, notes, make, Mythics, easier, get, hold, your, turn-ins, for, now Diablo 4 patch 3.1.1 will increase seasonal payouts and make Mythic Uniques easier to attain, but is otherwise a slightly shallow update.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: New Diablo 4 patch notes make Mythics easier to get, so hold your turn-ins for now

]]> Dungeons & Dragons opens pre-orders for expansion Arcana Unleashed https://xinker.org/dungeons-dragons-opens-pre-orders-for-expansion-arcana-unleashed https://xinker.org/dungeons-dragons-opens-pre-orders-for-expansion-arcana-unleashed Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:28:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Dungeons, Dragons, opens, pre-orders, for, expansion, Arcana, Unleashed Arcana Unleashed, a new high-magic expansion for players and Dungeon Masters. The expansion releases on September 15.

Arcana Unleashed is built around spellcasting, offering new options for powerful magic-users along with evolving magic items, arcane factions and world-altering magical threats for campaigns. The core book serves as a guide for players and DMs looking to build campaigns around high-level spellcasters.

For a fuller high-magic package, D&D is also offering an Arcana Unleashed Ultimate Bundle, which combines the core book with two additional products in both digital and physical formats: Arcana Unleashed: Deadfall, a wizard-war adventure that sends high-level heroes into the fractured magocracy of Thay to stop the lich Szass Tam, and the Arcana Unleashed Magical Map Pack, a set of 10 illustrated tactical maps designed for spellcasting duels and faction conflict, complete with monster tokens, magical constructs, traps and arcane terrain pieces.

The pre-order launch coincides with the start of Campaign 2 of Dungeon Masters, Wizards of the Coast’s official actual-play series on YouTube. The new campaign is set in the Forgotten Realms and inspired by the magic within Arcana Unleashed, with player characters cast as magical agents of the Order of the Ninth Quill navigating the Anauroch Desert, a wasteland still radiating catastrophic magic from Netheril’s fall. The season pits players against the Bringers of the Cosmic Dawn, who want to tear down a failing magical barrier, and the Red Wizards of Thay, who are maneuvering to seize the arcane power trapped behind it, tying the show directly into the Thay setting featured in the new Deadfall adventure.https://investor.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/wizards-coast-announces-dungeon-masters-official-dungeons

The cast returning for Campaign 2 includes Jasmine Bhullar (DesiQuest, Dimension 20) as Dungeon Master, alongside Devora Wilde (Baldur’s Gate 3), Neil Newbon (Baldur’s Gate 3), Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why, Forgotten Realms: Tears of Selune), and Mayanna Berrin (Dispatch, The Dungeon Run).

Dungeon Masters debuted in April with a first campaign, “Ashes of the Black Rose,” set in Ravenloft and tied to the Ravenloft: The Horrors Within sourcebook. Wizards of the Coast built the series around the same appeal that made fan-run shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 popular, but with an added hook: episodes feature official, unreleased D&D content, letting viewers see new subclasses, monsters and lore before the corresponding books hit shelves. Each week, D&D Beyond also releases a Play-Along Pack tied to that episode, giving fans at home ready-to-run encounters and quickplay maps based on what just aired. YouTube

In a statement from April 16th, Dan Ayoub, senior vice president and head of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast, described the show as an attempt to crystallize what’s great about actual play while showcasing new official material. The series airs new episodes weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. PT on D&D’s YouTube channel, free to watch.

Arcana Unleashed is available to pre-order now on D&D Beyond, with visual assets available through the publisher.

The post Dungeons & Dragons opens pre-orders for expansion Arcana Unleashed appeared first on GamesBeat.

]]> Mesa Heirloom Collection Available Now https://xinker.org/mesa-heirloom-collection-available-now https://xinker.org/mesa-heirloom-collection-available-now Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:21:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Mesa, Heirloom, Collection, Available, Now Mesa Heirloom Collection, featuring her signature brimmed Signa and travel-worn Duster attachments to further adjust the loadout to your liking.

Heirloom Skins signify the passage of time and the dedication of the Tenno, honoring the community and legacy of Warframes.

You can choose to either purchase the Collection via the in-game Market for Platinum, or choose to pay in your local currency (and receive an additional 425 Platinum).




The Mesa Heirloom Collection includes:
  • Mesa Heirloom Skina
  • Mesa Heirloom Signa
  • Mesa Heirloom Color Palette
  • Mesa Heirloom Glyph
  • Mesa Heirloom Sigil
  • Mesa Heirloom Prex Card

--

Don't delay, partner. Get your Mesa Heirloom Collection today!
]]> Invincible Officially Returns With Brand-New Release This September https://xinker.org/invincible-officially-returns-with-brand-new-release-this-september https://xinker.org/invincible-officially-returns-with-brand-new-release-this-september Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:06:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Invincible, Officially, Returns, With, Brand-New, Release, This, September Invincible fans are gearing up for the exciting launch of Season 5 next year, and despite no official release date being available just yet, there's no shortage of speculation about what's in store. Perhaps one of the biggest burning questions surrounding Invincible Season 5 center on whether Mark Grayson will continue drifting toward a darker, more ruthless version of himself, how Thragg and the remaining Viltrumites will launch their next assault, and what role Dinosaurus will play in reshaping the story.

]]> You Can Now Play Doom on YouTube https://xinker.org/you-can-now-play-doom-on-youtube https://xinker.org/you-can-now-play-doom-on-youtube Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:06:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips You, Can, Now, Play, Doom, YouTube A dedicated group of content creators has found a way to make the original Doom playable directly through a YouTube video, adding another entry to the long-running "Can it run Doom?" tradition. The original Doom by id Software has become famous for being ported to every sort of unconventional device fans could think of over the past three decades.

]]> Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Code Gets You Two New Freebies https://xinker.org/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-code-gets-you-two-new-freebies https://xinker.org/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-code-gets-you-two-new-freebies Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:15:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Assassins, Creed, Black, Flag, Resynced, Code, Gets, You, Two, New, Freebies Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced players can redeem a brand-new code right now for two bonus freebies. The giveaway takes just seconds to redeem and gives Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resyncedplayers some cool free stuff in the wake of its recent release.

]]> 猛獸爪爪盃：直播中 https://xinker.org/%E7%8C%9B%E7%8D%B8%E7%88%AA%E7%88%AA%E7%9B%83%E7%9B%B4%E6%92%AD%E4%B8%AD https://xinker.org/%E7%8C%9B%E7%8D%B8%E7%88%AA%E7%88%AA%E7%9B%83%E7%9B%B4%E6%92%AD%E4%B8%AD Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:10:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips 猛獸爪爪盃：直播中 以下為比賽時間：

7 月 11 日 18:50－7 月 12 日 00:30

7 月 12 日 18:50－7 月 13 日 00:30

]]> Forest Escape: Last Train Is Out Now in Early Access! https://xinker.org/forest-escape-last-train-is-out-now-in-early-access https://xinker.org/forest-escape-last-train-is-out-now-in-early-access Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:10:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Forest, Escape:, Last, Train, Out, Now, Early, Access The train has departed.

Forest Escape: Last Train is now available in Steam Early Access, and to celebrate we're launching with a 20% discount!

After months of playtests, demos, and invaluable community feedback, we're excited to finally open the gates to the Warden's twisted world. Early Access is just the beginning—we'll continue expanding and improving the game together with your feedback.

Welcome to the Warden's World

Explore a surreal horror adventure where every stop brings a new nightmare.

Venture through 13 unique locations and mini-games, including:

  • ???? A misty forest crawling with wandering teeth and cursed dolls

  • ???? A carousel haunted by a giant clown

  • ????️ A lake watched over by an eye the size of a building

  • ⚽ A football pitch guarded by a mechanical goalkeeper

  • ???? A maze you'll want to escape almost as badly as the forest itself

No two journeys begin the same way thanks to 3 different starting points, and with Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty settings, every crew can find the right challenge.

What You'll Find in Early Access

???? Explore one interconnected world filled with bizarre locations

???? Play solo or with up to 3 friends

???? Unlock collectible skins hidden throughout the world

???? Listen to original music on your locomotive's in-game radio

???? Play in 13 supported languages

????️ Face monsters that are equal parts terrifying and ridiculous

Support the Journey

If you'd like to support the continued development of Forest Escape: Last Train, two optional DLCs are available today:

???? Original Soundtrack Pack – featuring every song from the locomotive radio.

❤️ Supporter Pack – exclusive cosmetic content for players who want to support the project.

This Is Only the Beginning

Early Access gives us the opportunity to build the best version of Forest Escape: Last Train together with you. Every bug report, suggestion, and piece of feedback helps shape future updates, new content, and improvements.

Thank you to everyone who played the demo, joined our playtests, shared feedback, and supported us along the way.

The Warden has more plans for you.

???? Board the Last Train today and start your escape!https://store.steampowered.com/app/4090360/Forest_Escape_Last_Train/

]]> The Witcher 1’s Lead Story Designer Discusses The Game’s Infamous Cards https://xinker.org/the-witcher-1s-lead-story-designer-discusses-the-games-infamous-cards https://xinker.org/the-witcher-1s-lead-story-designer-discusses-the-games-infamous-cards Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:09:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips The, Witcher, 1’s, Lead, Story, Designer, Discusses, The, Game’s, Infamous, Cards
]]> Star Wars Genesis Might Be The Most Exciting Star Wars RPG Ever https://xinker.org/star-wars-genesis-might-be-the-most-exciting-star-wars-rpg-ever https://xinker.org/star-wars-genesis-might-be-the-most-exciting-star-wars-rpg-ever Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:07:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Star, Wars, Genesis, Might, The, Most, Exciting, Star, Wars, RPG, Ever While there's been a bit of a resurgence in Star Wars video game adaptations and original stories over the past few years, it's still a far cry from the wave of high-quality offerings we have been accustomed to. Even with the upcoming releases like the third entry in the Star WarsJedi series, there are a scarce few offerings in the series that scratch the full Star Wars-themed RPG itch.

]]> We interviewed the designer of this metatextual murder mystery TTRPG https://xinker.org/we-interviewed-the-designer-of-this-metatextual-murder-mystery-ttrpg https://xinker.org/we-interviewed-the-designer-of-this-metatextual-murder-mystery-ttrpg Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips interviewed, the, designer, this, metatextual, murder, mystery, TTRPG Il Fantasma del Giallo: The Phantom of the Yellow is a TTRPG about murder, disgraced actors hoping for one last chance, and trends in Italian cinema in the sixties and seventies. Players control actors who take on a variety of archetypal cinematic roles, as the lines between reality and fiction begin to warp and blur together.

Read the full story on Wargamer: We interviewed the designer of this metatextual murder mystery TTRPG

]]> This Seven Deadly Sins themed dice-deduction board game is a nightmare for parties https://xinker.org/this-seven-deadly-sins-themed-dice-deduction-board-game-is-a-nightmare-for-parties https://xinker.org/this-seven-deadly-sins-themed-dice-deduction-board-game-is-a-nightmare-for-parties Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:07:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips This, Seven, Deadly, Sins, themed, dice-deduction, board, game, nightmare, for, parties I adore strong themes in board games, especially when it blends with gameplay. I've always found it an underrated aspect of the tabletop. While rules are the backbone of any board game, much of the hook and enjoyment can also come from its themes. Just look at how Ultimate Werewolf plays on the paranoia of an old-timey village faced with the supernatural. So believe me when I say that this upcoming board game is dripping with sinful themes.

Read the full story on Wargamer: This Seven Deadly Sins themed dice-deduction board game is a nightmare for parties

]]> New Official Stardew Valley Release Confirmed for January 2027 https://xinker.org/new-official-stardew-valley-release-confirmed-for-january-2027 https://xinker.org/new-official-stardew-valley-release-confirmed-for-january-2027 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:04:06 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips New, Official, Stardew, Valley, Release, Confirmed, for, January, 2027 Stardew Valley fans have another official release to look forward to this Winter, but it's probably not what anyone expected. While many players are waiting for the new content and romances in Stardew Valley's 1.7 update, developer ConcernedApe always has multiple projects in the works, and the latest brings Pelican Town into the real world.

]]> Lord Of The Rings: Sieges Of Middle-Earth Officially Releases Winter 2026 https://xinker.org/lord-of-the-rings-sieges-of-middle-earth-officially-releases-winter-2026 https://xinker.org/lord-of-the-rings-sieges-of-middle-earth-officially-releases-winter-2026 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:45:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Lord, The, Rings:, Sieges, Middle-Earth, Officially, Releases, Winter, 2026 Lord of the Rings' newest era is giving fans of Tolkien's work a lot to think about in the months and years ahead, with several highly anticipated releases that are already proving to be divisive among diehards. For starters, Amazon's Rings of Powerseries has already caused a wave of pushback for failing to capture the essence of Tolkien's work, though there's no doubt most LOTR enthusiasts will be tuning in to Season 3 this November to see if that has changed.

]]> Crimson Desert Releases Brand-New Update You Can Download Right Now https://xinker.org/crimson-desert-releases-brand-new-update-you-can-download-right-now https://xinker.org/crimson-desert-releases-brand-new-update-you-can-download-right-now Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:45:05 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Crimson, Desert, Releases, Brand-New, Update, You, Can, Download, Right, Now Crimson Desert received another new update in July, this time a smaller patch compared to previous releases focused on improving and stabilizing the experience for players. Since the launch of Crimson Desert back in March, Pearl Abyss has seemingly been a very busy studio, releasing rapid-fire updates for the game that brought fixes, improvements, and more content to the popular open world Action-RPG.

]]> The Minecraft Movie votes are in and, despite controversy, everyone's a winner https://xinker.org/the-minecraft-movie-votes-are-in-and-despite-controversy-everyones-a-winner https://xinker.org/the-minecraft-movie-votes-are-in-and-despite-controversy-everyones-a-winner Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:45:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips The, Minecraft, Movie, votes, are, and, despite, controversy, everyones, winner Mojang confirms the winner of its Minecraft Movie Squared build challenge, choosing to include more entrants despite a rule infringement.

Read the full story on PCGamesN: The Minecraft Movie votes are in and, despite controversy, everyone's a winner

]]> Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Sells 2 Million Copies In 24 Hours https://xinker.org/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-sells-2-million-copies-in-24-hours https://xinker.org/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-sells-2-million-copies-in-24-hours Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:45:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Assassin’s, Creed, Black, Flag, Resynced, Sells, Million, Copies, Hours
]]> League Classic might sound fun, but as a 15-year League of Legends veteran, I'm here to tell you: You want this less than you think https://xinker.org/league-classic-might-sound-fun-but-as-a-15-year-league-of-legends-veteran-im-here-to-tell-you-you-want-this-less-than-you-think https://xinker.org/league-classic-might-sound-fun-but-as-a-15-year-league-of-legends-veteran-im-here-to-tell-you-you-want-this-less-than-you-think Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:45:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips League, Classic, might, sound, fun, but, 15-year, League, Legends, veteran, Im, here, tell, you:, You, want, this, less, than, you, think Riot has finally unveiled League of Legends Classic, a return to what many seem to think was a kinder, more simple era of its world-spanning MOBA. Its announcement, with more details to come next month, has been met with curious optimism by much of the community, keen to see exactly which of LoL's many eras the Classic experience will attempt to recreate. But as someone who was there for most of those eras, I'm here to tell you this: you do not know what you are asking.

I started playing League of Legends at the end of Season 1, in the summer of 2011. Now, in my early 30s, that 15-year span means the part of my life that includes this game will soon be longer than the part of my life from which it was absent. And in that time, I've seen an awful lot that makes me keen to stay firmly in League of Legends' present rather than its past.

AP Master Yi. Garen with six Sunfire Capes. AP Sion with an on-click stun. The old Runes system. The old Summoner's Rift. Taric with an on-click stun. Old Urgot. Old Skarner. Old Ryze. The other old Ryze. Old Jungle. Old Dragon. AP Tristana. Launch Syndra. Launch Darius. Launch Zyra. Dodge chance (that you could pay to increase). AP Warwick. Gold generation attached to in-game items (but that you could also pay to increase). Lane assignments decided by who could shout the loudest in champ select. Dozens more design choices and misadventures lost to history but that certainly didn't make for a better game experience. Old League was a Wild West that was pulled into shape one frontier at a time.



(Image credit: Riot Games) Clearly, this era of League wasn't a complete disaster. The core experience was still good enough to turn it into one of the biggest games in the world, with an enormous esports scene and millions of monthly players, and it does still hold advantages over some aspects of the modern game. The item and rune systems, which have chased optimization in recent years, used to focus more on unique strategy than the current push for statistical dominance allows. A smaller roster allowed new characters to hold court; at 173 champions, the roster is now so stacked that the only way a new arrival can feel unique is to have ability tooltips that stretch into multiple paragraphs of explainer text.

In this older era, there were more ways to bend League of Legends to your will. A huge part of its early charm was that Wild West feel, which for my friends led to ridiculous strategies that we gave even more ridiculous names; 'Vastly Enhanced' used the lane-pushing power of Banner of Command and ZZ'Rot Portal in tandem to out-macro enemy teams; 'Heimer's Hairy Heroes' focused on pillaging the enemy jungle with a squad of animal characters all attempting to keep a solo Heimerdinger safe in the botlane. Elsewhere, the influencer scene was full of innovators pushing silly ideas because the game let them in a way it no longer does.

Modern League is not without its problems. Power and complexity creep run rampant, monetization has been pushed further and further, individual expression has been squashed. But for those faults, League of Legends is undeniably a better game than it used to be. Champions might be more complex, but they look and play better, with far more opportunity for counterplay than the age of on-click stuns and three-hit passives ever allowed. The entire game looks better, with the modern Summoner's Rift such a dramatic improvement over the original that I can scarcely believe what I used to play on. Arena and ARAM have been established as excellent additions that go a long way towards replacing the creativity stripped from the core experience. Onboarding still has a long way to go, but it's far better than it used to be, with gradual QoL improvements that help newcomers but don't hinder veterans. And that's to say nothing of a wider ecosystem that has been hugely improved by the arrival of adjacent experiences like Arcane and TFT.



(Image credit: Riot) Balance is better, game design more confident, player experience improved at almost every level. Riot's even worked hard to bring League of Legends' notoriously toxic community into line, and the amount of genuinely bad behavior I now see is vanishingly rare. Modern League is better than League Classic is likely to be at almost every turn. But the real issue that this vision of the past faces isn't even in the quality of the game – it's in the attitude of its players and the reality of the experience they're searching for.

An obvious comparison to League Classic is WoW Classic. Blizzard rewound the clock on World of Warcraft, and in doing so returned players to a version of the game's world that was otherwise lost to time. Both Azeroth's narrative and geography, and the promise the launch version offered of a new kind of MMO experience were things that could be recaptured and re-experienced. League of Legends is not that kind of game. Endlessly repeating, and driven in part by player skill but more importantly by an extraordinary amount of player data, it's shaped by overlays and stat websites that have optimized the games and its players in a way that I don't think League Classic can shake.

Nostalgia is a powerful draw. But when you discover that your favorite old champion is just a badly-designed version of their current form, and you're up against an AP Master Yi enhanced by modern players' ability and game knowledge, all while your teammates grief each other over who got dibs on playing midlane, you might find that this isn't quite the same kind of Classic experience that's breathed new life into other games.

[/url]]]> Avalanche Studios Game is Permanently Shutting Down on November 11 https://xinker.org/avalanche-studios-game-is-permanently-shutting-down-on-november-11 https://xinker.org/avalanche-studios-game-is-permanently-shutting-down-on-november-11 Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:26:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Avalanche, Studios, Game, Permanently, Shutting, Down, November Avalanche Studios has officially confirmed plans to shut down the online servers of one of its classic free-to-play games. In the modern games industry, it's becoming increasingly common to see the servers for older titles shut down completely, and unfortunately, Avalanche Studios is not an exception to the rule.

]]> Ryse: Son of Rome Had Plans To Be Xbox’s Assassin’s Creed https://xinker.org/ryse-son-of-rome-had-plans-to-be-xboxs-assassins-creed https://xinker.org/ryse-son-of-rome-had-plans-to-be-xboxs-assassins-creed Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:08:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Ryse:, Son, Rome, Had, Plans, Xbox’s, Assassin’s, Creed What are some of the best-looking games of all time? Many examples that come to my mind are not from this generation, but rather the early 2010s: Metal Gear Solid 5, The Witcher 3, and Batman: Arkham Knight all looked stunning upon release, and still do today.

To this list I would also add Ryse: Son of Rome, German developer Crytek’s ill-fated Xbox One launch title in which you play as a Roman centurion seeking to avenge his dead family. It is gloriously, mouth-wateringly cinematic, more so than many actual works of cinema.

Unfortunately, it’s also rather short, taking only around 6 hours to complete. Former employees say as much as two thirds of planned content had to be cut in the race to make launch day. The crunch was brutal, but many of the game’s creators took comfort in the knowledge they were laying the foundations for not just a sequel, but an entire franchise – one that would take us far beyond Rome.

How Empires Fall
While work on the original game was wrapping up, four concept artists, a historical researcher, and the key leadership team of Ryse: Son of Rome got together to figure out where they could take things moving forward.

Leading this group was Patrick Hanenberger, a production designer who had previously worked at DreamWorks. He’d initially been brought on board as a visual consultant to help make Ryse feel – as Crytek’s then-CEO Cevat Yerli used to say – like a “playable movie.” Later, he tells IGN, “they offered me a job as the franchise’s art director.”

Also set to be involved in some capacity was Todd Papy of Sony’s Santa Monica Studio. Papy joined Crytek in late 2013 after having directed God of War: Ascension to work on what was then reported to be an “unannounced project.” A former Crytek employee who spoke to IGN under condition of anonymity affirmed what was back then just speculation: that he would apply his experience with games set in ancient Greece to a game set in ancient Rome.

A lot of people were super keen on Japan, unsurprisingly. But that’s not like going from Rome to Greece. It would have been a big departure. Whether any of the sequels would in fact be set in Rome was, however, the subject of debate. “Part of the conversations that were happening were about what it was that people were liking about Ryse,” Yannick Boucher, who served as one of the original game’s project managers, tells IGN. “Was it the Roman thing specifically, or history more generally? Do we stay in Rome, or go to some other empire?”

“I was super stoked to do a Viking game,” recalls Peter Gornstein, Ryse’s art director and director of cinematics. For one, the opportunities were endless: a game about Vikings could have taken players on raids along the English and French coasts, the shores of Newfoundland, and even the city of Constantinople, where they served as bodyguards to Byzantine emperors. It was also uncharted territory – at least back then. The History Channel’s Vikings TV show was still on its first season, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla nearly a decade away.

“It would have been great to explore a part of history that a lot of people didn’t yet know about,” says Gornstein.

Other settings that were reportedly considered included feudal Japan – Hanenberger mentions a number of events that interested him, including the failed Mongol invasions led by Kublai Khan, the arrival of European merchants, and the civil wars of the Sengoku period – as well as the Ottoman Empire, which defeated the Byzantines in 1453.

Not everyone was on board with leaving Rome. As Boucher puts it: “Some felt like we had just set the foundations for this IP, and now we were already diverging a bit. A lot of people were super keen on Japan, unsurprisingly. But that’s not like going from Rome to Greece. It would have been a big departure.”

Hanenberger thought of several ways to connect and justify expanding settings. Thematically, for example, the franchise could come to explore the question of “how empires rise and fall – and why.” He also considered tying each installment together narratively, with characters and events in one game linking back to another. Each story could be set in motion by that of the previous installment, like dominos. Or, you know, history itself.

Rhyming With History
Had those planned sequels happened, they would have featured a more open-ended design than the original Ryse. “When we talked about correcting some of that game’s weaknesses,” says Boucher, “changing the levels was among the first things that came up, as most of them were basically just a straight corridor.” The vision at the time was not far off from God of War 2018: not quite open-world, but not completely linear either.

The team also thought about introducing new game mechanics, many of them cut from or left out of the original Ryse due to time constraints, including vehicle navigation and a PVP multiplayer mode (Son of Rome ended up having both solo and co-op PVE where you fought off waves inside the Colosseum).

Microsoft told us it was the most cohesive and well-thought IP pitch they had ever seen. The anonymous employee tells me they would have liked to have made single-player combat more dynamic. In parts of Ryse, when you venture into Britain to crush the rebellion of Queen Boudica, you advance in testudo formation, raising your shield alongside your fellow soldiers to form an impregnable barrier. In the final game, gameplay is limited to shielding yourself from enemy fire and returning fire of your own – all with the press of a button. “Our original plan was that you’d be able to leave and reenter this formation at will,” they say, “fighting enemies on your own and then returning to position when you feel like doing so.”

The sequels could have played around with other real-world military tactics, like the Parthian shot (where cavalry soldiers feign a full-speed retreat, only to turn around and firing arrows) or Kakuyoku (a Sengoku-era formation where a single defensive line turns into a pincer movement, attacking the enemy from both sides).

One area where the sequels would not diverge from the original Ryse was aesthetics. Son of Rome was not historically accurate, but it did aim for a certain emotional or psychological accuracy. As Gornstein puts it, they did not try to present Rome as it was, but as how it might have appeared to someone “who lived in a village somewhere, five hours away. To someone who visited the city for the first and only time in their life, everything must have seemed completely overwhelming.”

“It’s the same sensation as when, in the game, you go to York and Dover,” Hanenberger adds. “Those cliffs are awe-inspiring. That’s what we were trying to capture, and would have wanted to capture going forward.”

The original game wasn’t just larger-than-life, but also veered into the supernatural, with two seemingly mortal characters – Aquilo and Aestas – revealed to be gods, playing a secret game with people as their pawns. This supernatural element, says Gornstein, would have continued in the sequels, mapped onto different religions and mythologies. As in the original, though, their presence would have remained subtle, pushed into the background.

Ides of March
When Hanenberger and Gornstein pitched their franchise plan to Microsoft, the response was enthusiastic. “They told us it was ‘the most cohesive and well-thought IP pitch they had ever seen,’” Hanenberger recalls. “It all seemed to go very well.”

Until it didn’t.

According to the employees who spoke with IGN, the sequels to Ryse were never formally cancelled. Instead, work on the franchise simply stopped after the original game underperformed both critically and commercially – an outcome that perhaps could have been avoided had the developers not been required to finish the game before the launch of the Xbox One.

Ultimately, the reason the Ryse series ended up in limbo is because Crytek refused to sell the IP to Microsoft. The conglomerate no longer wanted to finance the franchise if they couldn’t buy the rights, while Crytek – to this day a privately owned company – wouldn’t work on something that somebody else owned. As a result of this impasse, the two parted ways, and Crytek switched focus to other projects.

For those who worked on the game, feelings towards Ryse are bittersweet. “The last month, I worked 30 days straight,” Boucher remembers. “Then we breathed a sigh of relief, only to get hit with a 60 on Metacritic.”

At the same time, working on Ryse taught them valuable lessons that they took with them as they went on to work on titles like Hitman, Battlefield 1, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

While Ryse didn’t make the impact that Crytek had hoped for, it still sold more than a million copies upon release. Over time, the game also grew a dedicated cult following that loves it for everything the developers got right. As someone who counts himself among this following, I think I speak for many when I say that wherever this franchise would have led, I would have followed.

Tim Brinkhof is a freelance writer specializing in art and history. After studying journalism at NYU, he has gone on to write for Vox, Vulture, Slate, Polygon, GQ, Esquire and more.

]]> Diablo 4 Season 14 Releases New Update Patch Notes https://xinker.org/diablo-4-season-14-releases-new-update-patch-notes https://xinker.org/diablo-4-season-14-releases-new-update-patch-notes Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:39:03 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Diablo, Season, Releases, New, Update, Patch, Notes Blizzard has released the patch notes for the next Diablo 4 Season 14 update, which brings the game up to build 3.1.1. While the patch itself has yet to be released, Diablo 4fans have been quick to express their frustration with the planned changes Blizzard has announced.

]]> PC Gamers Have Until July 13 to Claim Two Horror Games Completely Free of Charge https://xinker.org/pc-gamers-have-until-july-13-to-claim-two-horror-games-completely-free-of-charge https://xinker.org/pc-gamers-have-until-july-13-to-claim-two-horror-games-completely-free-of-charge Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:18:04 +0800 XINKER - Business and Income Tips Gamers, Have, Until, July, Claim, Two, Horror, Games, Completely, Free, Charge PC gamers currently have two excellent horror games to add to their gaming libraries completely free of charge. One of the major benefits of playing on PC is that gamers have access to multiple storefronts, many of which often hand out free titles on a regular basis.

]]>