Cyberpunk 2077 finally released today after numerous delays, with its original launch date set for back in April. COVID-19 has affected nearly every facet of game development this year as studios transitioned to a work-from-home setup. For CD Projekt Red, that seems to have been exceptionally true, as the Cyberpunk 2077 team had to spend far longer on routine tasks compared to when it operated in an office.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, co-CEO Adam Kiciński said that doing something like placing a character or object into the game could take hours because of the reduced communication between team members–it would take minutes when they were sitting next to each other.
Kiciński also mentioned that it was “painful” for the game’s developers to have to crunch–the practice of working extremely long hours for an extended period of time as a game approaches releases– though he hoped players would be understanding after seeing the final product.
That remains to be seen, but crunch doesn’t often translate to better games. In the case of Cyberpunk 2077, it’s still littered with major bugs across the PC and console versions, including full crashes. It was one of our biggest issues with the game in our Cyberpunk 2077 review. That review was conducted on PC, and though the console versions also seem rough, CD Projekt Red said a launch-day patch should help matters.
After initially being scheduled for April, Cyberpunk 2077 was then bumped all the way to September. This was then followed by a delay to November before its final day to December 10. It’s currently available on Xbox One, PS4, PC, and Stadia, with Xbox Series X and PS5 versions coming next year as free upgrades.
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A new set of job listings from BioShock 4 developer Cloud Chamber Games–as spotted by Maruno NL3 on Twitter–has revealed that the next chapter in the series could be a big departure from previous games.
The developer is searching for a systems designer that specializes in “ambitious, narratively-driven project full of character and personality” and other developers who can flesh out the game’s dialogue systems.
Another listing for an applicant who would be responsible for “interactive world systems and non-AI systemic ecology” and “player growth systems” lists experience in RPG games as a requirement for the game that could be BioShock 4, which the studio describes as an “emergent sandbox world” that contains a “meaningful AI urban crowd system.”
These aren’t the first job listings that Cloud Chamber Games have posted since development on BioShock 4 began. In August the studio began searching for a lead environment modeler and gave away some details about the environment that the game will take place in an entirely new world.
Cloud Chamber was also on the hunt for a principle combat designer who liked “pushing boundaries and trying risky experiments that haven’t been seen before,” a cinematic artist with “Wes Anderson like precision and panache,” and a world designer who would help “create a ‘living’ world that offers players variety at every step of the game.”
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Now that 2020 is largely behind us, it’s time to look ahead at what the future holds for each of the game industry’s biggest platforms. While Sony and Microsoft both closed out the year by ushering in next-generation PlayStation and Xbox consoles, the Nintendo Switch is quickly approaching its fourth birthday, and it has quite a few big-name titles lined up for the new year and beyond.
Given how secretive Nintendo traditionally is, often announcing games only a few months before they hit the market, we’ve likely only gotten a small glimpse at Switch’s release calendar for the new year, but there are some exciting first- and third-party exclusives on the way. The first half of 2021 will see the release of Bravely Default II and Monster Hunter Rise, which will no doubt help sustain the system’s sales momentum going into the new year, while marquee blockbusters like Metroid Prime 4 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 are slated to follow at some point in the future.
And that’s to say nothing about any potential hardware revisions coming next year. While Nintendo hasn’t announced any such plans, reports continue to circulate that the company will release a new Switch model in 2021. Whether or not that will prove true remains to be seen, but at the very least, we can take a look at all the biggest games that are coming to Switch in 2021 and beyond.
Bayonetta 3
We’ve heard very little about Bayonetta 3 since it was first announced three years ago during the 2017 Game Awards, but that long stretch of silence hasn’t diminished its standing as one of Switch’s most-anticipated exclusives. Developer Platinum Games has yet to share any concrete details about the title, but the brief announcement trailer that aired during The Game Awards featured the eponymous witch struggling in battle against a mysterious ghost-like creature. Beyond that, we know that Nintendo is once again handling publishing duties, as it did for Bayonetta 2.
Bravely Default 2
Originally slated to launch in 2020, Bravely Default II is now set to arrive on February 26, making it one of the first marquee releases to hit the Switch in 2021. Much like the original Bravely Default and its follow-up, Bravely Second, Bravely Default II is a retro-styled RPG featuring stylized visuals and a turn-based battle system. What sets combat apart from other classical RPGs is the unique Brave/Default mechanic, which lets characters skip a turn to build up Brave Points and unleash multiple attacks in one go. And despite the number in its title, Bravely Default II features an entirely new cast and setting, so you don’t need experience with the previous entries to dive in.
Hitman 3
The third entry in IO Interactive’s rebooted Hitman series is coming in 2021, and thanks to cloud streaming, Switch owners will have a chance to take part in the assassinations as well. This installment is said to be darker and more serious in tone than its predecessors, as Agent 47 travels to various locations around the globe in pursuit of his targets. Hitman 3 launches on January 20.
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2
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The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Sequel Presentation | Nintendo Direct E3 2019
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It’s rare to see a Zelda game receive a direct follow-up, which made the announcement of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel such a genuine surprise back at E3 2019. The foreboding announcement trailer featured Link and Zelda exploring a cavernous dungeon where the pair discover what appears to be the mummified remains of Ganondorf, setting a dark tone for the story. Of course, Nintendo has been very tight-lipped about the title since its reveal, so we don’t yet know what direction the game will take or even when it will release, but it’s one of the most exciting exclusives on the horizon for Switch.
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Traveller’s Tales’ Lego Star Wars titles have always offered a charming, lighthearted way to re-experience the beloved Star Wars movies, and the latest entry in the game franchise encapsulates the entire Skywalker saga, taking players through events from all nine mainline Star Wars films (depicted with the Lego series’ signature humor). Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga launches for all major platforms in Spring 2021.
Metroid Prime 4
It’s been more than three years since Nintendo first announced Metroid Prime 4 back at E3 2017, and we’ve learned very little about the title since then. The only update we’ve received came in January 2019, when Nintendo announced that it was rebooting development entirely, with Retro Studios–the team behind the original Metroid Prime trilogy–now helming the project. Since then, Retro has been quietly at work on the game, but given the studio’s sterling track record, Metroid Prime 4 remains one of the system’s most anticipated titles.
Monster Hunter Rise
Although Switch missed out on Monster Hunter: World, the hybrid system is receiving its own new Monster Hunter game next year in the form of Monster Hunter Rise. Set to launch on March 26, Rise is a traditional Monster Hunter title that introduces some unique twists to the beloved formula. Chief among these are the Palamutes, brand-new canine companions that you can ride and hunt alongside. Rise also features a new item called the Wirebug, a lasso-like creature that lets players grapple around the environment and adds a new acrobatic flair to combat.
Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin
Rise isn’t the only Monster Hunter game coming to Switch in 2021; the hybrid console is also receiving a sequel to Monster Hunter Stories, the cel-shaded RPG spin-off that was originally released for 3DS back in 2017. Rather than casting players in the role of a hunter, Monster Hunter Stories 2 places them in the role of a young Monster Rider, who can tame and form bonds with monsters. Unlike Rise, Stories 2 does not yet have a firm release date, but it’s slated to arrive sometime during the summer.
No More Heroes 3
After a brief stint inside an evil video game system, Travis Touchdown makes his triumphant return in No More Heroes 3, the next proper entry in Suda 51’s cult-favorite series. We still know very little about the title, but it’s coming exclusively to Nintendo Switch sometime in 2021.
Ruined King: A League Of Legends Story
The League of Legends universe is expanding in 2021 with the release of Ruined King, a single-player, narrative-driven, turn-based RPG developed by Airship Syndicate, the studio behind Darksiders Genesis. Featuring a cadre of well-known characters from the main game, including Braum, Yasuo, and Ahri, Ruined King promises to offer fans a different perspective on the world of Runeterra.
Shin Megami Tensei V
We’ve known that a new, mainline entry in Atlus’s Shin Megami Tensei series was coming to the Switch since before the console even launched, but Atlus officially unveiled the title this past July with a cryptic trailer. Like many of the other big Switch exclusives on this list, little is currently known about Shin Megami Tensei V, but it’s slated to launch in 2021, and its reveal trailer ended with the tagline, “The time for Creation has come.”
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
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Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – Official Announcement Trailer
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Much of the Wii U’s catalog has been migrated over to the Switch by this point, and now the system’s best game, Super Mario 3D World, is finally coming to the hybrid console on February 12. Super Mario 3D World was renowned for its boundless creativity and ingenious level design when it first launched back in 2013, and it remains one of the best platformers of the past decade. This Switch port is also complemented by a new batch of content known as Bowser’s Fury, and while Nintendo has revealed little about that, it’s the icing on what is already a delectable cake.
The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum
There have been numerous games based on J.R.R Tolkein’s beloved fantasy series over the years, but The Lord of the Rings: Gollum looks to offer an original take on the familiar story. Little has been revealed about the title, but it pits players in the role of Smeagol/Gollum and features stealth-based gameplay. The game is slated to launch for PC and consoles sometime in 2021.
It’s not hard to get attached to animals, and that’s exactly what happened to Viggo Mortensen during the filming of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Mortensen purchased three of the horses used during filming when they went on sale, and said this week that two of the horses Mortensen adopted have passed away, the actor said in a recent interview.
Speaking to NME about his new film, Falling, Mortensen talked about the steeds when the interview touched on the trilogy.
“There were actually three horses that I bought, they were up for sale once the movies were done. There were the two I’d ridden–a chestnut and then the big bay that Aragorn rides–but I also bought the white horse that Arwen rides in The Fellowship Of The Ring when she’s being chased through the forest by the Black Riders,” Mortensen explained. The first two horses, named Uraeus and Kenny, Mortensen said, have passed away. Uraeus was credited as Brego in the films, and Kenny as Hasufel. The third horse he purchased for the stuntwoman who rode the horse in that scene, and that one is still around.
“The other two have passed away. They were of a certain age already when we were shooting and that’s 20 years ago now,” Mortensen said. Mortensen isn’t the only actor to adopt an animal they worked with; Sophie Turner adopted her Game of Thrones dire wolf, Lady, as well.
With the reveal of Apple’s brand new–and very expensive–headphones, the AirPods Max, you may be wondering if they’d make a good set for your PS5. Unfortunately, Sony’s consoles don’t let you connect Bluetooth audio devices directly. This is frustrating considering the large number of people who want to use their favorite pair of headphones with their brand-spankin’ new console, but thankfully, there is a workaround. If you’ve ever wanted to pass on a gaming headset in favor of Bluetooth headphones, this guide is for you.
How to connect Bluetooth headphones or AirPods to the PS5
First, you’ll need a pair of Bluetooth headphones, such as the AirPods Max or our personal favorite, the Creative SXFI Air. Any will work, so as long as you love them, you’re good to go. Secondly, you’ll need a Bluetooth adapter, either USB-C or the more common USB-A. With the PS5, there’s only one USB-C port, so if you’re using that for something like an external SSD or hard drive, then you’ll want to snag a USB-A adapter. Thankfully, some USB-C adapters like the Creative BT-W3 Bluetooth dongle come with USB-A converters.
Once you’ve got both of these items in order, you can connect your Bluetooth headphones to your PS5. Just insert your selected adapter into one of your PS5’s ports, then hold the sync buttons on your headphones and adapter. It may take some time to get right, but once you’re connected, you’re good to go. The PS5 will recognize the Bluetooth headphones as USB audio, and you’ll have access to the full suite of audio options, including 3D audio.
What about using Bluetooth headphones on Xbox?
Unfortunately, if you’re looking for a way to use Bluetooth headphones with the Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, you’ll need to seek different options. Microsoft’s consoles don’t support all USB audio devices, which means you won’t be able to use any of these adapters with the console. 3.5mm adapters can work if you plug them into your Xbox controller, but they’re unwieldy, and when you can use most Bluetooth headphones with a 3.5mm cable, you’re better off just doing that.
You can see a few of our picks for the best PS5 Bluetooth adapters and headphones below. We’ve selected a variety of options, but while there are definitely some perks to certain Bluetooth adapters, you’ll be happy with any one of them.
For more audio recommendations, check out our guide to the best PS5 gaming headsets for 2020 and beyond. Bluetooth headphones are excellent when it comes to audio quality, but gaming headsets are made specifically with–you guessed it–gaming in mind. They provide you with a high-quality microphone for chatting with other players as well as dials for mixing your chat and game volume. Both Bluetooth headphones and gaming headsets are great options for the PS5, so make sure to choose the best one for you.
Creative’s USB-C Bluetooth adapter comes with everything you need to have a great audio experience on the PS5. It’s a USB-C adapter, so you can plug it into the PS5’s USB-C port, but it also comes with a USB-A converter, which makes it so you can use a USB-A port instead. It also comes with a 3.5mm microphone attachment that you can plug into the bottom of your PS5’s DualSense controller if you’d rather use this microphone than the controller’s.
If you’re looking to save some money, then the TP-Link USB Bluetooth adapter is both affordable and one of the best USB-A Bluetooth adapters. All you need to do is plug it into your PS5’s USB-A port, then connect your Bluetooth headphones.
Eveo’s Bluetooth adapter feature a small little handle that makes it much easier than its counterparts to take out of the PS5 and plug into another device. This makes it an excellent option for people who are always on the go and need to use their Bluetooth headphones with other devices.
If you’re looking for another option, the Techkey Bluetooth adapter won’t disappoint. It boasts over 11,000 user reviews on Amazon with an average rating of 4.5/5 stars.
Apple recently revealed the next version of its lauded AirPods: the AirPods Max. Ditching the earbud form factor, the AirPods Max are a premium pair of Bluetooth headphones that claim to boast great audio quality and come with a huge price tag: $549. It’s unclear how well the AirPods Max will perform, but if you’re an Apple fan, you’ll likely want to preorder a pair.
Creative’s Super X-Fi technology is among our favorite uses of virtual surround sound, providing a headphones experience that sounds like you’re listening to speakers in a room. The Creative SXFI Air are the best Bluetooth headphones we’ve tested, utilizing this technology capably while also providing incredible sound quality and a comfortable fit.
Razer’s first step into the Bluetooth headphones space is a great one. The Razer Opus are an impressive pair of premium Bluetooth headphones with a number of exciting features like active noise canceling and motion tracking that pauses your music when you take the headphones off. The audio quality is also excellent.
Tribit is one of the best brands on Amazon for products like headphones, earbuds, and speakers, and its line of audio accessories includes one of the best budget Bluetooth headphone pairs we’ve tested. The Tribit XFree Tune heaphones have impressive sound for being less than $50 and are very comfortable to boot.
If you’re looking for active noise canceling, then the Cowin E7 ANC Bluetooth headphones are a great budget option. For only $60, you get a great-sounding pair of cans that can utilize ANC to eliminate the sounds around you.
Watch Dogs: Legion will receive Title Update 2.40 on December 10, and it’ll come with numerous fixes and a few additions. The big change, for Xbox owners, is a fix coming for a save issue. Some players on Xbox Series X/S have had issues getting their games to save, which the patch will address.
Another major change coming for all systems is the option to “retire” Prestige Operatives, meaning that you can, essentially, make them work under permadeath rules. This was previously only possible in permadeath playthroughs, but now it sounds like you’ll be able to activate this option in any playthrough.
Prestige Operatives are offered as paid DLC, so it might be important to some players to be able to protect them for an entire run to get their money’s worth. If you opt to let them “retire”, though, they’ll join your team again immediately if you start a new game. This will give these unique characters some higher stakes, and possibly prevent players from relying on them too heavily.
PC players with a ray tracing capable AMD GPU will now find that they can turn on ray tracing and get some nicer effects going, too. There aren’t any other major gameplay overhauls in this update, which is focused on fixes.
You can check out the full patch notes below.
Watch Dogs Legion Title Update 2.40
All Systems
We have added the ability to retire Prestige Operatives, which will function like their Permadeath behavior: They will be gone for the remainder of the playthrough. Starting a new game will add the Operatives in that playthrough.
Fixed the Unequip button in the store not unequipping equipped items.
Fixed an issue where skipping a cutscene could cause the cutscene to continue to play while the player regained control over their operative.
Fixed an issue that caused the Welcome Page settings to not correctly reset when choosing the Reset to Default option.
Fixed an issue that caused clothes to not show up on a character after having saved or loaded the game while wearing an outfit. This fix is going live for Xbox One and PC and will follow shortly for PlayStation 4.
Fixed an issue that could cause reflections to judder and pop in with Raytracing enabled.
Fixed incorrectly applying low resolution textures on the Outwear Hoodie item in the “Synthetic Error” clothing pack.
Fixed an issue that caused the paint from paint grenades and paint guns to not show up when hitting enemies.
Xbox Series X/S
Fixed an issue causing the game to not properly save progress.
Xbox One
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash while driving.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash during gameplay.
PC
Enabled Ray Tracing for Ray Tracing capable AMD GPUs.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when using DirectX12.
Fixed shimmering artifacts behind particle effects when DLSS was enabled.
Fixed an issue that caused the game to not launch with Korean localization despite selecting Korean localization.
Fixed an issue that caused double clicking on the Back button in any Tutorial menu to return to the same submenu they attempted to leave.
Fixed several issues that could cause the game to crash due to a UI bug.
Fixed missing highlight when hovering over buttons in any Clothing Shops in-game.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash after interacting with the Walkie Talkie during the Initiation mission.
Reordered the DLS options to correctly reflect which are available when playing on an NVIDIA GPU.
Fixed an issue that caused prompts to not correctly reflect a key binding change.
Fixed an issue that could crash the game when switching from DX12 to DX11, and then back to DX12 again.
Fixed an issue that could cause a crash when force closing the Ubisoft Connect overlay, while the game is launching.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when controlling a drone.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash during a Spiderbot takedown sequence.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash if an NPC died.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash if it was minimized for more than 5 minutes.
Fixed an issue that prevented Photomode pictures to be locally saved after uploading to the cloud.
Fixed an issue that prevented players to map Parkour and Aimed fire to the same keybinding.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when loading into the Open World or starting a new game.
PlayStation 4
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when the game was launching.
Additional memory optimizations to improve game stability.
Fixed an issue that could cause the error message “Upload failed” to be shown when uploading saves to the cloud while the upload was actually successful.
Added an additional fix for an issue that could cause the game to crash when quitting to the Main menu.
Fixed an issue that could cause the game to crash when leaving the game idle for more than 15 minutes.
PlayStation 5
Fixed an issue that could cause a crash to occur during the HUMAN ERROR mission.
Fixed very bright reflections to appear during daytime in New Scotland Yard.
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It recently came to light that Cyberpunk 2077 has some sections that could trigger epileptic seizures, and now developer CD Projekt Red has followed through on a promise to add a warning to the game about this. Reporter Elise Favis wrote on Twitter that the game now boots up with a warning regarding a risk of seizures.
The text states that Cyberpunk 2077 features a “variety of visual effects,” some of which can provoke seizures or a loss of consciousness for some people. “If you or someone in your family has ever displayed symptoms of epilepsy in the presence of flashing lights, please consult your physician before playing CYberpunk 2077,” reads the message. “If you or someone you know experiences any of the above symptoms while playing, stop and seek medical attention immediately.”
Booted up Cyberpunk 2077 to see a seizure warning come up at the start of the game that wasn’t there before. Really amazing to see how @DirtyEffinHippy helped make meaningful change happen for the safety of players. 👏 pic.twitter.com/ItNwuLOxla
Liana Ruppert of Game Informer was the first to shine a light on this matter. Ruppert said on Twitter that multiple AAA studios have reached out regarding this and what they can do to ensure their own games are inclusive when it comes to neurological accessibility.
“Since this started, I’ve had 4 major AAA studios reach out to me saying this article has caused them to re-evaluate their dev process and more inclusive regarding neurological accessibility,” Ruppert said. “I’ll take all of the abuse and hate if it means gamers can game safely THANK YOU!”
In addition to this in-game warning, CD Projekt Red has said it will develop a “more permanent solution” to address the matter. The developers are currently exploring this and it will be implemented “as soon as possible.”
GameSpot’s review of Cyberpunk 2077 awarded the game a 7/10. “So much of (Cyberpunk 2077) is superficial set dressing, and there’s so much happening all around you–ads going off at all times, gunfights breaking out in the streets, texts coming in about cars you’ll never buy–that a lot of the game feels superfluous,” wrote reviewer Kallie Plagge. “The side quests and the characters they showcase are the shining beacon through the neon-soaked bleakness of Night City, and they give you room to explore the best the core RPG mechanics have to offer. These are what carried me through an otherwise disappointing experience.”
Cyberpunk 2077 only just released, and it’s already crossed 1 million concurrent players on Steam, making it the most popular game on the entire platform.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has received another update, this one fixing some bugs and crash scenarios, and also making some changes to multiplayer playlists.
The Miami map has been added to the Combined Arms playlist, joining Crossroads, Armada, and Cartel as the fourth map in the 12v12 playlist. For the Zombies mode, this new update adds the “Pack-a-Punch” camos for the Ray Gun. Additionally, Nuketown ’84 has been added to the Onslaught map playlist.
In terms of fixes, the update addresses an issue where player-voting for the next map could become disabled. Additionally, the updates fixes scenarios where the game could crash in some cases. You can see the full patch notes below, as posted by Treyarch.
This update doesn’t fix all the ongoing issues with Black Ops Cold War, however. Treyarch said it’s still tracking problems with the Diamond Camo appearing locked for some players, even after they have earned it. Additionally, some Xbox players have reported receiving a “Trial Has Ended” pop-up message on the front menu, but that issue should now be sorted.
Black Ops Cold War and the free-to-play battle royale game Warzone are set to expand in a big way with the launch of the Season 1 update on December 16.
Black Ops Cold War December 9 Patch Notes
MULTIPLAYER
General
Restored map voting in playlists where it was unintentionally disabled.
Game Modes
Combined Arms
Added Miami to Combined Arms map rotation.
Stability
Fixed a rare crash that could occur when the Field Mic was in use.
Fixed a rare crash that could occur in Search and Destroy.
ZOMBIES
Stability
Added general stability fixes.
Die Maschine
Weapons
Added Pack-a-Punch camos for the Ray Gun.
Gameplay
Addressed an issue where zombies could ignore the player after leaving the Dark Aether during certain side quests.
Onslaught (PS4/PS5)
Maps
Added Nuketown ’84 back to the Onslaught map list.
GLOBAL
UI
General
Addressed an issue where breadcrumbs could appear on locked items.
Addressed an issue where menu breadcrumbs could return after going to Campaign.
Addressed an issue where red artifacting could appear under the rewards in the After Action Report.
Addressed an issue where white placeholder boxes could appear in place of the player’s Calling Card and Emblem during player inspection.
Gunsmith
The Hunter icon will no longer appear distorted in the Weapon Mastery tab of the Gunsmith for the M79.
