Month: March 2021

Rust Finally Gets its Console Launch This Spring

Several years after it was initially announced to be coming to consoles, competitive survival title Rust at last has a clear release window on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One — it’s coming this spring.

Though no specific date has been given, Double Eleven announced today that Rust’s console debut would take place this spring following an ongoing closed beta. It also showed off a new trailer illustrating the experience on console.

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Rust first launched on Steam back in 2013 but has recently seen a new surge in popularity due to numerous content creators picking the game up. It was first announced for consoles at the end of 2019 with a 2020 release window, but was delayed in 2021 due to challenges with remote working last year. It was rated by the ESRB on consoles in January, leading many to rightfully speculate that the console launch was imminent.

Just last month, Rust saw the addition of a new softcore mode to the game to help it appeal to more casual players — possibly a response to Rust’s increased popularity — while the game’s regular survival mode remains ruthless as ever.

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Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Correction: A previous version of this article cited the announcement as coming from original PC developer Facepunch, but the console version is being developed and published by Double Elven.

Rust Is Coming To PS4 And Xbox One This Spring

Rust has been having a breakout moment recently, finding popularity with Twitch streamers who were looking for a different spin on the survival game formula. The game is going to reach an even bigger audience when Rust launches on both Xbox One and PS4 very soon, with a release being announced for Spring 2021 on both platforms. A more specific release date has not yet been shared.

While that launch will span both last-gen PlayStation and Xbox platforms, there’s no word on a native current-gen release. However, backwards compatibility should allow you to play Rust on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Rust is currently undergoing a closed beta for consoles that is expected to last a few weeks. Double Eleven is handling the console versions and previously worked on games like Prison Architect and Minecraft Dungeons. Double Eleven is also publishing the game, unlike the PC version, which is developed and published by Garry’s Mod studio Facepunch.

Rust didn’t exactly set the world on fire when it first launched, seeming to suffer from an identity crisis–for instance, the game originally had zombies before they were removed. We only gave it a 3/10 in our Rust review from 2018.

However, iteration and improvements have turned it into a much stronger game. You can take many different approaches to survival, from killing everyone in your path to working together as a group.

“The title has evolved from its earliest days as a primal-survival game to one that stands out among its competitors–featuring shockingly detailed worlds to explore and build in, filled with a variety of gameplay styles, weapons, crafts, and above all else: combat,” Double Eleven said in its announcement.

Huge streamers like Pokimane and Shroud helped to reignite interest in Rust in early January. It became one of the most-watched games on Twitch and even became one of the most popular games on Steam.

Now Playing: Rust Console Edition – Official Teaser Trailer

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Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin Gets July Release Date

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will launch on July 9, 2021 for Nintendo Switch and PC.

The news was revealed during the Monster Hunter Digital Event, where we also learned that the game will launch simultaneously worldwide.

The RPG spin-off will receive a deluxe edition, which contains special armour and hairstyles for the player character and a set of cute Nergigante and Pukei-Pukei outfits for Navirou, your Felyne companion. Players who pre-order the game will also receive a special Kamura Maiden outfit for Ena, another ally to the player in Wings of Ruin.

A trio of Monster Hunter Stories 2 amiibo is also on the way based on Ena, Razewing Ratha and Tsukino. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a story-led RPG within the Monster Hunter universe, revealed by Capcom during a Nintendo Direct back in September 2020. We scored the first Monster hunter Stories an 8.9 upon its release in 2017, calling it “so much more than just a spin-off.”

The other focus of today’s Monster Hunter Digital Event is Monster Hunter Rise,  which is set to launch on March 26, 2021. Here are 24 things you should know about the game ahead of its launch, and our final preview of the game, calling it “a game that prioritizes enjoyable action above all else.”

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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Microsoft’s Bethesda Purchase Approved By European Commission

The European Commission has approved Microsoft’s purchase of Bethesda, bringing the deal one step closer to being official. The commission approved the merger without conditions, clearing the last hurdle Microsoft needed to overcome to make the $7.5 billion purchase.

The ruling was similar to other Microsoft purchases (including GitHub most recently) with the competition commission finding that the merger “does not raise serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market.” Once the purchase is final Microsoft’s in-house studio tally will jump up to 23, with studios such as Arkane Studios (Prey, Deathloop), iD Software (Doom), MachineGames (Wolfenstein), Bethesda Game Studios (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim), Tango Gameworks (Ghostwire: Tokyo), and more joining the fold.

As part of the new arrangement, Bethesda’s future games will release on Xbox Game Pass for no extra charge the same day they launch elsewhere. It’s unclear if Microsoft will move toward making future Bethesda games purely Xbox and PC titles, though it’s honoring the agreement between Bethesda and Sony to make Deathloop a timed PlayStation exclusive. A new subsidiary called Vault has also been created to handle Bethesda properties in the future.

Microsoft is rumored to be hosting an event later this month, where it could potentially detail some of the plans it has for future Bethesda titles. The question around exclusivity has been a hot topic since the merger was announced in September last year and could be telling for the futures of projects such as Starfield, The Elder Scrolls VI, and more.

Daily Deals: Big Sales on Mario Games as Mar10 Day Approaches

Triple jump your way to great savings over at Amazon, as Mario Day sales have begun early this year. While it’s possible more games and items will be discounted later, there’s already some great sales on several Mario related Nintendo Switch games. If that’s not what you’re looking for today, we’ve also got some handy deals on household items, other games, some Dell PCs and more!

Daily Deals for March 7th 2021

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New Price Drops on Dell RTX 30 Series Gaming PCs

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New Price Drops on Dell and Alienware Gaming Monitors

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More Video Game Deals

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