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Elden Ring Nightreign is getting another patch next week to improve solo play

by admin May 30, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign will receive another patch next week to make improvements for solo players.

FromSoftware’s multiplayer spin-off has already received a day one patch that brought balance adjustments. And there’s more to come.

Next week, patch 1.02 will be released, adding an automatic revival effect once per Nightlord battle for solo expeditions. Further, the amount of runes acquired will be increased.

Elden Ring Nightreign For Dummies: Basics For EVERYTHING You Need to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask)Watch on YouTube

Nightreign released earlier today and has already seen strong numbers of concurrent players on Steam, although it’s received a Mixed reception due to players criticising the lack of duo option and in-game communication features.

Indeed, many players have criticised the studio – known for its single-player games – for creating a multiplayer game, although solo play is an option.

The following improvements for solo expeditions will be added to the game:
– The effect “Automatic Revival Upon Defeat”, which allows revival once per night boss battle, will be added to solo expeditions.
– The amount of runes gained will be increased.
Thank you for your support.

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) May 30, 2025

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As I wrote earlier today, I would not recommend Nightreign as a solo game at this point as it’s clearly not the intended way to play.

However, it seems FromSoftware is aiming to respond to the current backlash to make solo play more feasible.

The studio previously stated it was considering a two-player option post-launch, acknowledging it was “something that was overlooked during development”.

“FromSoftware’s multiplayer spin-off is an exhilarating rush and a celebration of the studio’s prior achievements Souls veterans will devour,” I wrote in our Elden Ring Nightreign review.

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May 30, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

The PS5 Pro is $50 off in Sony’s Days of Play sale

by admin May 30, 2025

The Sony Days of Play sale is underway, and it includes the first official price cut for the PS5 Pro. The console has dropped by $50 to $650 in the US for the sale, which runs from May 28 to June 11.

This is the first time Sony has discounted its Pro-level console. Retail partners like Amazon are matching the discount as well. If you don’t have a PS5 already and can afford the Pro model, it’s definitely the way to go to get the best PlayStation experience. It earned a score of 88 in our review, and it might have scored even higher if not for the price and the lack of a built-in disc drive.

There are other discounts on consoles in the US and Canada as part of the sale. A bundle of either the standard PS5 or Digital Edition with a copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 starts at $400/$510 CAD (for the Digital Edition). Sony says that will save you $120/$160 CAD compared with buying them separately. The PS5 standard and digital versions will be on sale in Europe and Asia too, starting at €400/£340/¥65,980.

It’s worth noting that Sony has considered raising the prices of PS5 hardware to offset the cost of tariffs. Microsoft this month jacked up the prices of Xbox consoles recently for that reason. So if you’ve been on the fence about getting a PS5 or PS5 Pro, now might be the time to snap one up.

Elsewhere in the Days of Play sale, accessories are getting discounts. You can save on the PlayStation VR2 ($50 off), PlayStation VR2 and Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle ($50 off), Pulse Explore earbuds ($30 off), DualSense Edge controller ($30 off), PlayStation Access controller ($20 off) and the DualSense controller ($20 off). Things like PS5 console covers and external storage drives will get price cuts as well.

You will, of course, be able to snap up PS5 games for fewer dollars than usual. MLB The Show 25, the brilliant Astro Bot and Lego Horizon Adventures are among the many first-party games getting discounts. If you haven’t played The Last of Us Part II and don’t want to wait a year or two before finding out where the story of HBO’s adaptation will go after that (somewhat unsatisfying) season finale on Sunday, you might like to snap up the remastered edition of the misery simulator, which will be included in the sale.

Hundreds of other games will be featured. The list includes several Assassin’s Creed titles, Grand Theft Auto V, Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Balatro. On top of that, movies will be on sale through Sony Pictures Core

Elsewhere, some PlayStation Plus plans are 33 percent off for new subscribers. Upgrading to the Extra or Premium tiers may cost you a third less than usual as well. That stinks for long-term PS Plus members who’d like to add another year or two (especially after recent price increases in several regions), but that’s standard practice for plans such as these as companies try to boost subscriber numbers.

Speaking of which, Sony is adding an extra few games to the PS Plus Game Catalog for Extra, Premium and Deluxe members. They are:

Another Crab’s Treasure (PS5, May 29)
Skull and Bones (PS5, June 2)
Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (PS5 and PS4, June 4)
Grand Theft Auto III (PS5 and PS4, June 10)

Another Crab’s Treasure is a delightful Soulslike that was one of my favorite games of 2024. One of the best things about it is an accessibility option that gives you a giant pistol that can one-shot any enemy. Skull and Bones landed last year after years of delays and I’d say that “at no extra cost” is the best way to try it. Destiny 2: Legacy Collection includes hundreds of hours of gameplay with all of the expansions from the game’s Light and Darkness Saga, except for the last chapter, The Final Shape.

As it happens, the latest batch of monthly PS Plus games (which all PS Plus subscribers can claim and keep in their libraries as long as they maintain the membership) includes Destiny 2: The Final Shape, which will be available on May 30 for PS4 and PS5. The other titles, which you can claim starting on June 3, are NBA 2K25 (PS5 and PS4), last year’s remake of Alone in the Dark (PS5) and the Jet Set Radio-esque Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (PS5 and PS4). That’s a solid lineup!

In addition, two bona fide all-timers are joining the Classics Catalog on June 5 for PS Plus Premium/Deluxe subscribers. Myst and its sequel Riven will be available to members on PS4 and PS5 at no extra cost. Premium/Deluxe subscribers will have access to two more game trials from May 28: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (PS5) and Sid Meier’s Civilization VII (PS5 and PS4).

Update, May 28, 12:53PM ET: Sony pushed back the date that it’s adding Destiny 2: The Final Shape to the PS Plus Monthly games list from May 28 to May 30. This story has been updated accordingly.

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May 30, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Shuhei Yoshida warns of the dangers of subscription services for video game developers, as I stare soullessly at the five monthly bank charges for games I don’t play

by admin May 29, 2025

Speaking to Game Developer, former head of Sony Interactive Entertainment Shuhei Yoshida has outlined his concern regarding video game subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, especially their potential impact on third party and indie developers alike.

According to Game Developer, who spoke to Yoshida at Gamescom LATAM, he stated that it was “great” for those developers allowed inside what the website called the walled garden, but mused that as these services inevitably expand, it’ll be harder for those outside this in-group to cross over.

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Yoshida stated, “If the only way for people to play games is through subscriptions that’s really dangerous, because what [type] of games can be created will be dictated by the owner of the subscription services […] That’s really, really risky because there always must always be fresh new ideas tried by small developers that create the next wave of development. But if the big companies dictate what games can be created, I don’t think that will advance the industry.”

Yoshida, obviously a tad biased as a former senior member of Team Sony, would go on to say that PlayStation’s approach was “healthier” than what you see on Xbox. This relates to Microsoft’s initial pledge to offer AAA releases day-one on Game Pass, something the company now no longer does for all its biggest releases.

Yoshida continued: “I believe the way Sony approached [subscriptions] is healthier. You know, not to overpromise and to allow people to spend money to buy the new games […] After a couple of years there won’t be many people willing to buy those games at that initial price, so they’ll be added to the subscription service and there’ll be more people to try [those products] in time for the next game in the franchise to come out.”

Speaking purely from my own personal perspective, I do feel that the growth of video game subscription services like Game Pass and PlayStation Plus has devalued big AAA when they come out, especially as the price of those games has increased significantly as of late. I can totally see how a regular consumer would just grab Game Pass and not buy any games full price, which adds merit to Yoshida’s point as this new group of non-buyers wouldn’t be spending on both big AAA releases and third party games outside of these services.

It’s an interesting topic for sure, let us know whether you feel Shuhei Yoshida is on the money down below!

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May 29, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

The PS5 Pro Has Received Its First Discount For Days Of Play 2025

by admin May 28, 2025

The PlayStation 5 Pro is discounted for the first time since its release last November. As part of PlayStation’s Days of Play 2025 sale, the high-powered iteration on the PS5 is available for $650. The $50 discount will expire when the sale ends on June 11, unless retailers sell out of consoles before then. If you’re looking to dive into the PlayStation ecosystem for the first time, there are also bundle deals for the PS5 Slim and PS5 Slim Digital.

Note: As of 1 AM ET on May 28, the PS5 Pro deal was only available at PlayStation Direct, but we’d recommend checking your preferred retailer when you read this, as that could change at any moment.

PS5 Pro Store Pages:

$650 (was $700)

Out of the box, the PS5 Pro is a digital-only console, but you can add a disc drive to play your physical PlayStation game library. The console features a larger GPU that allows for 45% faster rendering and support for enhanced visual technology like AI-driven upscaling and advanced ray-tracing.

It comes with a 2TB SSD, double the storage space of all other PS5 models. This is fairly significant when you consider 1TB SSDs with comparable quality can go for $100 or more. So if you wanted a PS5 Slim or Slim Digital console with 2TB storage capacity, you’d often need to spend $600 or $550, respectively, for the console and additional 1TB SSD. Those figures are based on PlayStation console prices, but you can get the PS5 Slim or Slim Digital with Black Ops 6 for $450 or $400, respectively.

The PS5 Pro also features a minimal design refresh with wider “racing stripes” on the side panels. It comes packaged with a white DualSense 5 Controller. Additional controllers can be purchased at $20 discounts during Days of Play. You can also save $30 on PlayStation’s pro-style DualSense Edge Controller in white or Midnight Black.

If you prefer to place your consoles upright, you’ll need to buy the PlayStation Vertical Stand for $30, as the stand isn’t included with the PS5 Pro or PS5 Slim.

$79

As mentioned, the PS5 Pro does not come with an optical drive, so you’ll need to buy PlayStation’s official Disc Drive attachment to play physical PS5 and PS4 games on the high-powered console.

Unfortunately, the Disc Drive isn’t on sale right now, but it is readily available at multiple major retailers–for now at least. The PS5 Pro’s holiday launch made it very challenging to find the Disc Drive in stock for its $80 MSRP. It’s possible that the first discount on the PS5 Pro, combined with the PS5 Slim Call of Duty bundle, will also lead to shortages.

If you get one of the Days of Play console deals and know you want to play physical games, it’d be wise to purchase the the attachment alongside the console.

Just like on the original PS5 and PS5 Slim, the PS5 Pro can be toggled between Performance and Quality modes in PlayStation Studios games as well as many third-party titles. It varies by game, but in general the strengths of each mode are markedly improved on PS5 Pro. Quality mode is capable of hitting true 4K (2160p) for supported games and boasts better lighting, shadows, and ray-tracing. In Performance Mode, the upscaling tech allows games to hit higher refresh rates without as noticeable of a drop in resolution. Some games have dedicated graphical upgrades for PS5 Pro, including Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Baldur’s Gate 3.

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May 28, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

PS5 Slim Days Of Play 2025 Bundle Comes With A Microsoft-Owned Game

by admin May 27, 2025

PlayStation’s annual Days of Play sale returns this week with steep discounts on video games, consoles, and accessories from May 28 until June 11. If you’re still in the market for a console, the PS5 Call of Duty: Black Ops Bundle might be the most enticing Days of Play 2025 offer. Pulling together Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and either a PS5 Slim Digital or PS5 Slim Disc console, the bundles are available for $120 below MSRP. The PS5 Slim Call of Duty Bundle goes for $450, while the PS5 Slim Digital Call of Duty Bundle is $400.

$450 | Valued at $570

This bundle comes with the PS5 Slim with a Disc Drive and a voucher to redeem a digital copy of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 from the PlayStation Store. You’ll also get one white DualSense Controller and three cables: USB-C charging cable, HDMI, and the power cord. If you want to display the PS5 vertically, as shown above, you’ll need to buy the Vertical Stand for $30.

Considering the PS5 Slim normally goes for $500 on its own, the $450 bundle is worth checking out even if you have no interest in Call of Duty.

Earlier this year, PlayStation released a PS5 Slim bundle with Astro Bot for the same price. It’s sold out at most retailers, but you can still get it for $450 at PS Direct.

$400 | Valued at $520

The PS5 Slim Digital version of this bundle saves you an additional $50, but you’ll miss out on the optical drive, meaning you will only be able to play games downloaded from the PlayStation Store.

If you opt for the Slim Digital and decide later on you want to play physical games, you can purchase the Disc Drive separately for $80. Once again, the Vertical Stand is sold separately.

Beyond these enticing Black Ops bundles, the Days of Play event offers tons of other great deals. PS5 Pro consoles are $50 off, dropping the price of PlayStation’s high-end console to $650. This is the first discount on the PS5 Pro since its launch last holiday. You can pair your new console with discounted controllers, as DualSense Edge Controllers are $30 off, and standard DualSense Controllers are $20 off. And if you’re interested in diving into virtual reality, the PlayStation VR 2 headset is dropping its price by $50.

Days of Play also includes deals on PS5 games published by PlayStation Studios. PlayStation hasn’t revealed prices yet–or the full list–but we know a handful of titles that will be included: Astro Bot, MLB The Show 25, The Last of Us Part II Remastered, and Lego Horizon Adventures. Be sure to check back when the sale goes live for the full catalog of game deals.

As mentioned, PlayStation Direct has the PS5 Slim Astro Bot Bundle for $450, but it’s the only retailer with units in stock. The PS5 Slim Digital Astro Bot Bundle is sold out everywhere. The Astro Bot bundles released in March.

Here’s a look at some of the standout hardware and accessory deals for PlayStation Days of Play 2025.

More PlayStation Days of Play 2025 Deals

Note: The prices listed below are only available from May 28 to June 11

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May 27, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Marshall’s latest Bluetooth speaker can play for two days straight

by admin May 27, 2025

The perfect Bluetooth speaker for park hangs is here. Marshall upgraded its portable speaker lineup with the Kilburn III, which notably has an impressive playtime of at least 50 hours. Not only does it double the battery life of Marshall’s previous model, the Kilburn III will far outlast the competition, like the Beats Pill or the Bang & Olufsen A1 and their 24-hour playback limits.

Marshall’s third iteration of the Kilburn comes roughly seven years after the Kilburn II was introduced. Beyond the massive jump in battery life, the company improved the water and dust resistance to IP54, meaning it can handle some dirt and splashes of water. Marshall preserved the signature guitar amp look of the Bluetooth speaker, while also keeping the tactile control knobs that make adjusting volume, bass and treble much easier.

Marshall

You’ll still get Marshall’s True Stereophonic sound that makes the music sound the same no matter where you’re sitting or standing. Even if you crank the speaker to 10, Marshall promises that the bass, mids and trebles will remain balanced. The Kilburn III weighs 6.7 lbs for an easier time bringing to get-togethers and can even charge your phone.

The Kilburn III’s upgrades are going to cost you, though, since it retails for $379.99 now. Marshall kept the black and brass colorway that comes with a velvet-lined carrying strap, but added a cream colorway for the refresh. The Kilburn III is currently available on Marshall’s website, but will arrive at its retail partners on June 10.

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May 27, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Japanese government releases free Minecraft map you can play right now

by admin May 26, 2025

Japan’s government has uploaded a free Minecraft map, which features the world’s largest underground flooding diversion facility, and you can check it out right now.

As spotted by Automaton, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has uploaded a free Minecraft map. The ambitious level features Japan’s Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel, the world’s largest underground floodwater diversion facility.

Known as G-Cans, the iconic structure was built in 2006 to help mitigate severe flooding during typhoon seasons. As mentioned on the Japan Travel site, G-Cans diverts water from heavy rainstorms about seven times a year and keeps the streets of the northern Tokyo area from becoming rivers.

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Japanese gov uploads free Minecraft map

The structure is most famously known for its colossal concrete tunnel system, which runs 50 meters deep and 6.3 kilometers long. As shown in the video, players can descend into the iconic structure to see how the flood mitigation system works, while marveling at the monolithic pillars that run along the tunnel.

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“We have realistically reproduced the huge shaft, epic-scale pressure-regulating tank, drainage pump equipment, and other features of the Metropolitan Area Outer Underground Discharge Channel,” wrote Japanese government officials.

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As for the reason behind recreating the flooding system, government officials stated that the map was designed so that players can learn about the importance of infrastructure development and the creation of disaster prevention facilities.

“When designing the world data, we based it on actual blueprints and created it for Minecraft, pursuing realism. In addition, the game also includes ways to enjoy Minecraft, such as checking out places and facilities that are normally off-limits.”

If you want to experience the free map for yourself, then you can do so by heading over to the Edogawa River Office homepage. For more amazing maps, be sure to check out our 55 best Minecraft seeds that will completely transform your in-game experience.

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May 26, 2025 0 comments

Esports

USA not in camp to ‘play golf, go for dinner,’ Poch says

by admin May 23, 2025

May 22, 2025, 02:25 PM ET

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino set some expectations ahead of the team’s return to action at this summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup after a disastrous fourth-place finish at the Nations League in March.

One message: Leave the golf clubs at home.

“If you arrive to the camp and you want to spend nice time, play golf, go for a dinner, visit my family, visit my friend, that is the culture that we want to create?” Pochettino asked out loud Thursday during a Zoom news conference after announcing his 27-man roster. “No, no, no, no, no. What we want to do is to go to the national team, arrive and be focused and spend all my focus and energy in the national team.

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“If we want be good in one year time, we need to think that today is the most important day.”

The Americans will be in camp ahead of a busy summer, which includes a pair of friendlies against European heavyweights Turkey and Switzerland in early June and then the Gold Cup, which goes from June 15 to July 7.

Christian Pulisic is among a slew of regular starters who won’t be there. The U.S. captain is getting some needed rest after a busy season with AC Milan. Timothy Weah, Weston McKennie and Giovanni Reyna aren’t in the squad either, as all three will be playing with their teams at the Club World Cup, which runs concurrently with the Gold Cup.

Sixteen of the players picked are from MLS, the most in a FIFA window since the U.S. sent a B team to the 2023 Gold Cup, and Pochettino hopes the absence of some of the team’s star players will give others the chance to convince worried fans a turnaround is ahead.

“It’s our responsibility to send some signal to them,” Pochettino added. “I think our fans need to see our team fighting and playing and performing and playing well, yes, but fighting for the flag and being always in every single game [to] match the aggressivity of the opponent.”

Pulisic, the top American player, asked to be left off the roster for the last competitive matches before the 2026 World Cup in order to rest after playing about 120 games for club and country over two seasons.

Yunus Musah also asked out and Antonee Robinson was dropped because he has been playing with an injury. Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Tanner Tessmann — all of whom just finished their seasons with clubs in Europe — were omitted in what Pochettino called “football decisions.”

Robin Alam/ISI Photos/Getty Images

U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker said Pulisic and his advisers asked for the possibility to be left off because of the number of games he has played in the past two years.

“Many people can say it’s really important for us to be all together for the last time before the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “We decided the best for him, the best of the team, the best for the national team is the decision that we made.”

Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter after the team’s group-stage elimination at the Copa América last summer. After the Gold Cup, he will have just four brief training windows on FIFA international dates before players report ahead of the World Cup.

In the team’s first significant test under Pochettino, the Americans lost to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March. Without saying players had been complacent, Pochettino said “we learned a lot in the last few camps, for sure in March, and it’s about to be — maybe use a different way to approach these opportunities.”

Outside back Sergiño Dest returns to the national team for the first time since March 2024 after recovering from a torn ACL. Forward Folarin Balogun is with the team for the first time since last September following his recuperation from shoulder surgery.

Pochettino’s roster included Alex Freeman, a son of former NFL All-Pro receiver Antonio Freeman. The 20-year-old right back made his MLS debut for Orlando City SC in April 2023 — his only league match that season. He had two MLS appearances last year and has become a regular this season.

Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, a 24-year-old son of the former coach, also was picked for the first time along with 20-year-old forward Damion Downs and 21-year-old defender Quinn Sullivan, the older brother of and teammate of Philadelphia Union teen prodigy Cavan Sullivan.

Downs has played on youth teams of Germany and the U.S., and helped Cologne gain promotion to the Bundesliga for 2025-26 after a one-season absence.

Goalkeeper Matt Freese, who has attended national team camp previously but not played in a game, also was selected.

Players will start reporting June 1 for training in Chicago, and the 26-man Gold Cup roster is due June 4. The U.S. plays Turkey on June 7 in East Hartford, Connecticut, and Switzerland three days later at Nashville, Tennessee, then meets Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti in the group stage of the Gold Cup.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this story.

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May 23, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 23-25)

by admin May 22, 2025

There’s nothing better than an extended weekend to treat yourself to some guilt-free gaming time. Memorial Day means a ton of us get a whole extra day to chill out and explore the best games on PlayStation Plus, which just so happen to have added a huge chunk of titles. We’ve got multiple dangerous open world games, RPGs, and more to pick from, making this one of the hardest weeks I’ve had in narrowing down my recommendations to just three. That’s a great problem to have and only means you will easily find a game that clicks with you. Even though we’ve got a three-day weekend, there’s no time to waste, so here are the three best new PlayStation Plus games you need to be playing.

Sand Land

Akira Toriyama is most famous for creating the Dragon Ball universe, but that wasn’t his only creation. Sand Land was one of his last projects, but has that trademark Toriyama look and feel. This is an open world RPG where you play as the Fiend Prince Beelzebub on a big adventure in search of the Legendary Spring in the desert world of Sand Land. Don’t expect huge energy beams and cosmic-level clashes here. The majority of your time will be spent piloting and fighting inside all sorts of charming and creative vehicles. You can even collect resources to build and customize your own vehicles to suit your needs. Plus, since this game covers the relatively short story, you can jump right in and understand exactly what’s going on.

Sand Land is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition

All of us PlayStation fans still can’t get our hands on Stalker 2 just yet, but we can at least be prepared when it eventually does come to PS5 with the brand new bundle of the first three games fully remastered. If you’re unfamiliar with the franchise, you’re exactly who this package is made for. The Stalker games invite you to investigate the deadly Zone, an alternate version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. These games are meant to be hardcore and incredibly unforgiving. At the same time, the systems and AI are such that every situation is unique. You won’t hear any two people’s experiences mirror each other in this game. If you can put yourselves into your character’s shoes and really roleplay, this survival FPS trilogy will easily become your next obsession.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Battle Engine Aquila

Anyone who has been reading these recommendations regularly knows I can’t help but include a classic game whenever possible. This week, there was only one to pick from, but I was instantly intrigued because it has to be one of the very few remaining PS2 games I’d never heard of. Battle Engine Aquila is a vehicular combat game where you pilot the titular mech in massive battles. Your Battle Engine can swap between an airborne and land mode to trade off more mobility and speed for stronger weaponry. You can choose between multiple Engine types for each mission, each of which is ranked to encourage you to replay them for a better score. There’s not much story going on in the game itself, so just enjoy this one for the technical combat and novelty.

Battle Engine Aquila is available now on PS5 and PC.

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May 22, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Boston Legacy to play 1st NWSL season at Gillette Stadium

by admin May 22, 2025

Jeff KassoufMay 21, 2025, 05:17 PM ET
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Boston Legacy FC, a 2026 NWSL expansion franchise, will play its entire first season of home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, due to delays with the redevelopment of its proposed home stadium.

“With the 2026 NWSL season beginning in 10 months, Boston Legacy FC will play its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium before the club moves into its permanent home at White Stadium in 2027,” a Boston Legacy spokesperson told ESPN in a statement on Wednesday.

“White Stadium construction is well underway, but construction will not be finished by March of 2026,” the statement continued.

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Gillette Stadium is the longtime home of MLS’ New England Revolution and the NFL’s New England Patriots. Gillette Stadium will also host seven FIFA Men’s World Cup games next summer. The NWSL plans to play games during next year’s World Cup, commissioner Jessica Berman previously told ESPN.

Boston Legacy FC’s ownership group is renovating the dilapidated White Stadium in Boston’s Franklin Park as part of a unique — and controversial — public-private partnership with Boston Public Schools.

White Stadium was originally supposed to re-open by March 2026, when the NWSL typically begins its regular season, but it has faced several setbacks, including an ongoing lawsuit from a local conservancy group to stop the project. Demolition of the old structures began earlier this year.

The Boston Globe reported on Wednesday that “the soonest” the field at White Stadium will be complete is “the middle of next summer,” and that Boston Legacy FC decided against making a midseason venue switch in its inaugural campaign.

The shift to playing at Gillette Stadium, a 65,000-seat venue with artificial turf that is primarily utilized for American football, is another setback for the Boston franchise originally approved as an NWSL expansion team in early 2023.

Boston Legacy FC will play its opening season at Gillette Stadium. Kirby Lee/Getty Images

Earlier this year, the group announced it was changing its name to Boston Legacy FC. The team originally announced itself as “BOS Nation FC” last October. The name, and the accompanying marketing campaign titled “Too Many Balls,” was widely criticized.

Boston was granted an NWSL expansion team contingent upon the stadium renovation coming to fruition, sources previously told ESPN.

“Expansion is our opportunity to shape the future of the league and to set up not only the contractual requirements for those clubs, but also the league’s oversight of ensuring that particular deadlines are met,” Berman said about Boston in March when asked if White Stadium would be ready. “We have been and are continuing to work very closely and in partnership with the ownership group in Boston.”

Berman and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have lauded the partnership between the city and the NWSL team as a model for other cities to follow.

The price of the project has nearly doubled from its original estimate, to over $200 million. Boston Legacy, led by principal owner Jennifer Epstein — whose family are longtime co-owners of the NBA’s Boston Celtics, which is in the process of being sold — is responsible for half the renovations and costs.

Boston Public Schools athletics will get priority in scheduling events at the stadium. Boston Legacy FC will be allowed to use the stadium for up to 20 games per year, with certain restrictions around the frequency of games.

Gillette Stadium is owned by the Kraft Group, which owns the Revolution and the Patriots.

Josh Kraft, the son of Kraft Group CEO and chairman Robert Kraft, is running for mayor of Boston against Wu. The White Stadium project has been a source of public contention between Josh Kraft and Wu.

The Krafts are attempting to build their own soccer stadium in Everett, just across the river from Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood.

A spokesperson for Kraft Sports and Entertainment issued the following statement to ESPN:

“Gillette Stadium is pleased to welcome Boston Legacy FC for its inaugural season in 2026. After being approached by the club, Gillette Stadium was proud to support the team and provide a world-class venue for Boston Legacy FC and its fans in order to promote the advancement of women’s professional soccer in New England.

“Gillette Stadium and the New England Revolution look forward to sharing the field with Boston Legacy FC as we add to our long history of hosting premier soccer events.”

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May 22, 2025 0 comments