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It’s just not enough to have an entire library of anime. Now, Crunchyroll is giving us games too. In a move that feels pretty natural for streaming services nowadays, Crunchyroll Game Vault, a digital gaming perk for subscribers, is officially available. While it’s still in its infancy, the service is offering five mobile games for free to Premium members. Crunchyroll, for those who don’t know, is a streaming platform that offers an absolute ton of anime for viewing. Owned by Sony, it recently started (crunchy) rolling the now Sony-owned Funimation into its fold as well, adding even more content in the acquisition. Anime isn’t the only thing that Crunchyroll offers though. Subscribers have a pretty vast library of digital manga that they can read, translated for your viewing pleasure. Crunchyroll Game Vault is a natural next step. Since Netflix, their competitor in the streaming wars, offers games for Netflix subscribers, it was only a matter of time before Crunchyroll followed suit. Crunchyroll Game Vault offers five mobile games to play, entirely free for people subscribed to Crunchyroll Premium: Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions River City Girls Wolfstride Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery Inbento Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions is a cute turn-based tactics game that’d scratch that Fire Emblem or Advance Wars itch you have when you’re on the go. River City Girls is a spinoff of the Kunio-kun franchise. If you are old enough to remember River City Ransom, it’s the same universe. This time, you play Misako and Kyoko, the girlfriends of the series’ usual protagonists. Wolfstride is a hilarious black-and-white visual novel RPG with great pixel art. Take on the role of three scoundrels just looking to survive and getting involved in a mecha tournament. Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery is a beautiful cozy puzzle game that looks right out of a Studio Ghibli film. Take on the role of an artist trying to finish up some art while also recalling memories of the past. Inbento is a cute game about parenthood where you prepare bento boxes for lunch. Make the boxes full and solve the tricky pattern-matching puzzles. Oh, and you play as a cat. All five games in the Crunchyroll Game Vault are for Android devices, with iOS coming soon. If you’re a Crunchyroll Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan, this is automatically included in your subscription now. It’s likely that more games will come to the Game Vault in the future. But, for now, these five give a solid array of different experiences to hold you over.

Nintendo Japan made the announcement that The Legend of Zelda is coming to live action. It’s happening! Nintendo’s official Japanese corporate site has some breaking news about The Legend of Zelda. We’re finally getting a live action adaptation of the classic fantasy game. With the success of the Super Mario Bros. Movie, it was a matter of time before Nintendo started considering what else out of its catalogue could make a lot of sweet Hollywood money. As many out there suspected, The Legend of Zelda is next on the list. Not a ton of information is available just yet, but they confirmed that development has started. The film will be produced by both Nintendo and Arad Productions Inc. Arad Productions Inc. often works with both Marvel and Sony films. It was formed by Avi Arad, who used to be the Chief Creative Officer for Marvel Entertainment and was the Chairman/CEO of Marvel Studios at one point. If you’re a fan of any Spider-Man movie, you’ve likely enjoyed Arad’s work. Wes Ball is set to direct The Legend of Zelda. Ball doesn’t currently have a huge portfolio under his belt. But, he directed all three The Maze Runner films and is currently set to direct both the live-action adaptation of the Mouse Guard book and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. So, he’s got some credentials for adaptations. The Mario maker himself, Shigeru Miyamoto, will co-produce the movie, alongside Arad. Sony Pictures Entertainment will handle the worldwide distribution. No word yet on details like story, actors, or anything else. But, as this is in the very first steps of production, we likely won’t hear anything anytime soon. Though, I wonder who Chris Pratt will play in it. My money’s on Ganondorf. At this point, any of Nintendo’s properties could eventually make their way to the silver screen. Our picks, once Zelda debuts, would include Metroid, Animal Crossing, and Kirby. But, who are we kidding? We’ll probably get Pikmin first, if Miyamoto-San has his way. If you haven’t yet completed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, check out our guides section to get that going.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is out today digital, with physical editions coming early December. For those that are big fans of party-style fighting games like Super Smash Bros, Brawlhalla, and Multiversus, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the ever expanding list of Smash clones. The first Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl was okay. It didn’t break any molds, had a lot of bugs, and generally just felt mediocre when sitting next to other fighting games of the same caliber. But, the sequel, on the other hand, came out today on digital platforms and took every ounce of feedback to heart. Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 offers 25 fighters on the roster, which has plenty of returning characters from the first game. But, they brought in quite a few newcomers to the franchise, such as Squidward Tentacles, Jimmy Neutron, the Angry Beavers, Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender, and more. The developers, Fair Play Labs and Ludosity, have been very forthcoming, over the past several months, with information and explanations about how they’re handling all of the feedback that the first game got. They built the entire game from the ground up and it really shows their love and care this time around. They want to make the fans proud. In Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, players can take on a story mode with a single-player campaign, play online with full cross-platform capabilities for up to four players, or hit up various additional modes like arcade or minigames. You can pick up the game digitally right now on any console or Steam PC. The base game is only $49.99. But, if you’re feeling the long-term urge to play Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, there’s a Digital Deluxe version for only $69.99 that includes the season pass with it, as well as the $79.99 Ultimate Edition that includes a new costume for every character. If you need to decide later and just want to get started with the base game, the Season Pass is only $24.99 on its own. But, you’re going to want that Season Pass. It includes future characters Mr. Krabs (Spongebob Squarepants), Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Rocksteady (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and Iroh (Avatar: The Last Airbender). If you prefer a physical copy of the game, you don’t have to wait very long. It’ll be out December 1st, 2023 in retail stores and online. Keep an eye on their X account for more updates as the game rolls out.

While there wasn’t a lot to Blizzard’s first physical outing in four years, at least there were some good game expansions. Blizzcon 2023 took place over the past weekend in Anaheim, and while it felt more simplistic and muted compared to the old physical Blizzcons, Blizzard did drop some good news for fans of Warcraft and Diablo IV. So many expansions. Diablo IV hit the market earlier this year and has done really well for itself. Considering this was the first numbered Diablo game since 2009, Lilith waits for no one. During Blizzcon 2023, the developers announced that Diablo IV is getting its first expansion in late 2024, Vessel of Hatred. While hinted as still being in his Soulstone since Diablo II, the Lord of Hatred, Mephisto, is the focus of this new expansion. Serving as a direct continuation of Diablo IV, not only do you head to a different region, Nahantu (previously called Toraja, if you played Diablo II), you can get a new Class that is entirely new to the franchise, which is yet to be revealed. If you haven’t grabbed it yet, we reviewed Diablo IV earlier this year. It’s good. It also comes in a few options, Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate. Then, get yourself up to speed with our helpful guides. While the more demonic-focused fanbase prepares for their future expansion, World of Warcraft went a little more above and beyond. OK, maybe a lot more beyond. Blizzard announced three (yes, three) new upcoming expansions for the long-running MMORPG. In addition, they confirmed that Cataclysm is coming to WoW Classic. As many expansions over the past two decades make earth-shattering changes to the way that players experience World of Warcraft, The War Within will do the same in 2024. Starting a trilogy of expansions called The Worldsoul Saga, The World Within is set to celebrate the past 20 years of WoW lore and storytelling. The World Within brings players to a new place, deep beneath the surface. The titan-forged Earthen not only serve as a new race to encounter, but the expansion will also let you be one. The additional expansions to the Saga will be called “Midnight” and “The Last Titan.” World of Warcraft: Midnight and The Last Titan serve as direct sequels to The War Within, continuing the story where the first entry left off, bringing you back to the surface of the Old World. Even with a ton of new WoW content, they just weren’t done. As mentioned, Blizzard also hinted at the next expansion for World of Warcraft Classic, Cataclysm. It was expected, as it’s the next one on the historical list to do, but having confirmation is always a good thing. While there were some other hints and announcements during Blizzcon 2023, such as the 39th hero Mauga coming to Overwatch 2, these bubbled up to the top the most. If you do want to get in on that free-to-play Overwatch 2 action, grab yourself some coins to use.

Though it's a terrible shooter, this still manages to be a good RoboCop game. There's no sugarcoating it: RoboCop: Rogue City is a terrible first-person shooter. But if you're a fan of the movies — and can be forgiving of the character's idiosyncrasies — you'll really enjoy this gun game. Set between the second and third movies, RoboCop: Rogue City finds the titular cyborg cop still patrolling the crime-filled streets of near-future Detroit, Michigan. But when a new crime boss moves in, setting off a gang war, it's up to the officer formerly known as Alex Murphy to clean up the streets. Well, as clean as they can be when you shoot nearly every bad guy you run across. "All licensed games are terrible." As a first-person shooter, RoboCop is just awful. Mostly because of how it's faithful to the films. RoboCop doesn't move very fast in the movies, so he doesn't move fast in this game. He kind of lumbers along, and even when he gets a bit quicker later in the game, you'll still wish he'd pick up the pace. Similarly, like their cinematic counterparts, many of the bad guys in RoboCop: Rogue City are so arrogant — or, more likely, so high on drugs — that they think they can't die. So they often just stand there, shooting at you, when they should be ducking behind cover. Though, maybe they're unaware that RoboCop has enhanced sight, which engages when he brings up his gun to use iron sight. This not only gives him the usual boost in accuracy, it also highlights his enemies in green, even when the air is so full of smoke that a non-robotic cop wouldn't be able to see anyone. All of which makes RoboCop: Rogue City feel like a cross between a shooting gallery and an arcade lightgun arcade game. TimeCop comes to mind. That said, there are just as many times when the bad guys have some semblance of self-preservation, and shoot at you from a second-story window, or from up on some scaffolding. Though certainly not enough for people raised on a steady diet of Call Of Duty, Halo, and Battlefield. You down with OCP (yeah, you know me). But while fans of serious shooters will hate RoboCop: Rogue City, fans of the movies will get a real kick out of it. Especially if they recognize that Robo not moving fast, and the bad guys being idiots, are in line with the movies and the character. They're not the only ways RoboCop: Rogue City is like the movies. It also has the same kind of explosion-rife action, unapologetic gore, social satire, dark humor, and overall gritty look. They even got the original RoboCop, actor Peter Weller, to do his voice. Though he's the only returning cast member, as his castmates are either retired from acting (Nancy Allen, who played his partner, Anne Lewis), or passed away (Dan O'Herlihy, who was "The Old Man" from OCP). That said, there are ways in which RoboCop: Rogue City departs from the films, though always in ways that would've still fit them, and the fiction. For starters, RoboCop can pick up any gun an enemy drops. Which is somewhat unnecessary, given how your service weapon is a machine pistol with unlimited ammo. But when facing off against one of those big ED-209 robots, it helps if you can use a mounted machine gun like a handheld. RoboCop: Rogue City also adds a leveling-up system that lets him improve himself (health, armor, etc.), as well adds new abilities. For example, he can unlock a shockwave, or become capable of using electrical junction boxes to replenish his health. Now, not every mission has you shooting up the place (just most of them). You also have to solve crimes by using your enhanced vision to examine crime scenes, find clues, and even follow someone's footsteps. You also have to run errands for your fellow officers, as well as do community outreach. These include getting your fellow police officers to sign a get-well card for someone, as well as chasing after a cat that's gone missing in someone's basement. Even these can turn bloody. While it's nice that you help someone find a movie, only you could turn a trip to the video store into a bloodbath. "You call this a glitch?" Sadly, even the most devout RoboCop fan will find fault with this game. Especially where the visuals are concerned. While he and the environments look good, many of the people you interact with in RoboCop: Rogue City look like they're from a last-gen game that wasn't a visual powerhouse. There are also times when the dialog doesn't match the way someone's lips are moving. And in one case, they didn't move at all. Though it doesn't help that the dialog often sounds like it was recorded on cheap audio equipment. Similarly, some of the explosions look weird and detached from the thing that's exploding. If you've ever seen something blow up on a TV cop show like NCIS: Hawai'i, where they have a small CGI budget, you'll know what I mean. The thing is, as low rent as this can look sometimes, as slow as RoboCop may move, and as dumb as the bad guys may be, RoboCop: Rogue City still manages to be a fun shooter. Not a great one by any stretch of the imagination, but fun in a mindless way. There's just something satisfying about being the tank-like spawn of Dirty Harry and The Terminator as you methodically plow your way through near-future Detroit's criminal underbelly, splattering anyone and everyone who dares to dent you. Like the movies — well, the first two — this is just big dumb fun. Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on X, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, Instagram, and HIVE Social. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And keep an eye on more from GameCrate!

Thanks to a second playable character in Alan Wake II, this third-person survival horror shooter is even scarier. Though nothing beats a good book, video games can be just as effective as movies when it comes to telling a scary story. The trick being that you have to make sure it's also a good game. It's a balance that the third-person survival horror game Alan Wake II (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) does a good job of managing. While it's not as action oriented as its predecessor, it does manage to be almost as engaging and even more frightening. The name is Wake… Alan Wake. For those who missed the original, 2010's Alan Wake was about a Stephen King-like horror writer who takes a vacation with his wife to Bright Falls, Washington. But when his wife goes missing, and it looks like cultists are the culprits, it's up to Wake, and his trigger finger, to save the day. It was kind of like the recent remake of Resident Evil 4 if, instead of being inspired by the movies of George Romero and Hammer Films, it took influence from Twin Peaks, Criminal Minds, and The Wicker Man. What made Alan Wake somewhat different from otherwise similar scary games as the Resident Evil series is that the residents of Bright Falls were infected with a darkness, one that made them harder to kill. But by using light — be it from his flashlight, some flares, or other means — Wake was able to cleanse them, making them ripe for shooting. It's a mechanic that carries over to Alan Wake II. As do many of the game's other basic mechanics, which include having to solve problems to open new areas of exploration; scrounging around for ammo, flashlight batteries, and other helpful resources; and trying not to be freaked out by all the moody, atmospheric music and visual tricks designed to put you on edge. The Saga continues... As for what makes Alan Wake II different from its predecessor, the most noticeable change is how the controls are smoother and more intuitive. Which is good because they felt a little stiff when that game came out in 2010, and feel even more dated now. But the biggest change from Alan Wake to this sequel is that you don't just play as the titular writer. Set 13 years after the first game, Alan Wake II finds Al still trapped in the dark place where we left him. But now you also play as FBI agent Saga Anderson. When playing as Saga, you're searching the woods and abandoned buildings in and around Bright Falls; when playing as Mr. Wake, you're in a dark version of New York City. In addition, where before you mostly shot your way from one gunfight to another with an occasional problem to solve, this has far more mental challenges than physical ones. As Saga, this means solving crimes, kind of like Batman in the Arkham series. Not only does she have to search for clues, and examine evidence, but she also goes to a mental construct, one that looks like a room, where she can set those clues out, or profile the people involved, kind of like an FBI profiler on a TV show. Saga also has to solve situational puzzles so she can unlock new parts of town, as well as things that may contain helpful supplies. To open a cabinet containing a shotgun, for example, Saga has to decipher the combination by looking at a lottery ticket and recognizing the pattern. By doing so, Saga opens up new areas to explore (and people to fight), while moving the story forward. It's also what Alan does. Except in his case, his happy place is where he goes to write. Putting note cards on a board, he can figure out the best plot for the book he's writing (and, well, living through). Though what really makes his parts feel different — aside from midtown Manhattan not being like the Pacific Northwest — is that he has a lamp he uses to capture light, which he can then move to illuminate somewhere else, which changes them. A stairway blocked by boxes, for instance, might become clear when he makes the area well lit. It’s a mechanic that makes for some interesting problem solving, especially since you can only use it in certain places. Mo possibilities, mo problems. Now, all of these elements work well together. And they work well with how the game uses light, shadow, and visual trickery to put you on edge. But there are times when the added attractions work against you. For instance, unless you help Saga solve problems by putting the evidence on her vision board, you can't move forward. Which is something she doesn't usually tell you, so you might end up aimlessly running around the forest for 20 or 30 minutes before you realize you have a clue to put up on the board. Getting around can also be an issue, whether you're Alan or Saga. There's no mini map when you're running around, while spots on the map in your menu cannot be marked, which means there's no on-screen icon or pathway to follow. This is especially frustrating when Saga's in the forest, as the pathways are not always obvious. Also, while it may add challenge as well as tension, it's still irritating that your flashlight batteries don't last long. But the big thing (for me; your mileage may differ) is that because it has way more crime fighting and problem solving, Alan Wake II is much more of a survival horror game than a scary shooter. Which is great if you want to be scared, but if you'd rather be shooting, it's not nearly as exciting as the first game. Or the recent remake of Resident Evil 4. Still, for what it is — and what it's trying to be — Alan Wake II is engaging, clever, and truly frightening. In other words, a horror story worthy of being a book.

Activision dropped the Campaign news this week, plus a ton of information. Earlier this week, Activision put out a blog detailing exactly when the early access campaign would be live for the fast-approaching Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. It’s today! If you’ve preordered or plan to preorder the digital version of the game, you can go play right now and start earning rewards. The blog post went into more information about challenges, preseason details, and when you can expect to be able to jump into multiplayer. If you’re a hardcore fan of the CoD series, though, you likely know all of this already. But, for those who don’t, the campaign is available for anyone who has the game. That’s great, but what can you get from the campaign mode? The official Call of Duty blog detailed a pretty long list of rewards for completing the 15 missions of the main campaign. Each mission gives different things that can be used across Multiplayer, Zombies, and Warzone. “Breather” Calling Card 30 mins Double Player XP Token & 30 mins Double Weapon XP Token “Corso” Operator “Ghillie Guy” Calling Card 30 mins XP Token and 30m Weapon XP Token “Pathfinder” Operator “Toxic Drip” Calling Card 1 hour Double Player XP Token and 1 hour Double Weapon XP Token “Doc” Operator “Skull Rhapsody” Calling Card 1 hour Double Player XP Token and 1 hour Double Weapon XP Token “Jabber” Operator Campaign Completion Emblem Campaign Completion Weapon Blueprint The full game comes out on November 10th, 2023. But, giving yourself a little single-player “Breather” is always welcome, especially if you can earn cosmetics and Operators while doing it. If you haven’t yet pre-ordered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, you can pick up both the standard and Vault Editions of the game right now and get going on earning before the game officially launches. If you are a fan of first-person shooters, you should probably also know that the classic Counter-Trike: Global Offensive recently became Counter-Strike 2. Check it out here. Disclaimer: GameCrate is published by and is a subsidiary of Newegg Commerce Inc.

If you love repetition, you’ll love Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade. Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade is an adorable title that brings a lot of the beloved Sanrio characters to the rhythm game genre. I’m not the biggest Hello Kitty fan and even I bend the knee to the sweet franchise. So, when I got the opportunity to review Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade, it was a no-brainer. As a cozy gamer, this game was made for a casual player so someone looking for more story or substance probably won’t enjoy this title. Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade Story and Gameplay Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade pops you into this tile-based map where each tile represents a setting and a song. Sometimes those tiles have familiar Sanrio characters that you can unlock by meeting certain requirements. As far as the story goes, there’s nothing too deep to dive into. It’s just a simple concept where you play games and earn coins to either upgrade your characters or buy cosmetic items for them. This style of gameplay offers replayability, but also frustration because it can feel like you’re spinning your wheels with little to no progress. You get three characters to form your team and they each have a unique power to implement. Your team in the beginning is firmly Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Pompompurin. You’ll need to unlock more characters for different teammates and different attacks. This game isn’t linear. As you go through these tiles, you’ll lose health. The opportunity to gain health back is slim and once that character is down to 0, they’re out for the rest of this game run, not just the tile. When all three of your characters die, the game resets. You keep cosmetic items, unlocked characters, and any upgrades you paid for. But, you start back from zero and must play through the tiles again to get back to where you died or beyond. Overall, the art and music felt very faithful to the brand. This style of gameplay offers replayability, but also frustration because it can feel like you’re spinning your wheels with little to no progress. I grew up on classic rhythm game titles like Bust a Groove, Parappa the Rapper, and Guitar Hero. So, I thought I’d pick up the concept fairly easily. I suppose an old dog can learn new tricks with some practice because it took me a couple of songs to really understand how to play the game. There are two modes to play depending on the difficulty level you’re looking for. You can play the first mode which means you need to be tapping a button to the rhythm of every single step or a relaxed mode that lets you simply move your character back and forth. Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade originated as a mobile game, so I can see where these control mechanics were more intuitive on a phone. However, it took a bit to know which buttons needed to be hit. You’re not just tapping one button to a beat, you’re tapping a direction, so the button changes each time, even if you’re going down a straight line. I find that this style of gameplay brings something unique to the genre, but with a tutorial that proved a bit lacking, it can be a bit frustrating at first. Art / Music The set dressing for the game is charming and classic Sanrio. The character design is faithful and the cosmetic items you can put on each character are thought out. There are items that call back to certain art pieces throughout the years that make some items feel like a little Easter egg. The only thing that I wish was different was the ability to either heal between tiles or to play from where you died. As for the music, I don’t know why I didn’t expect J-pop-related music, but in hindsight, it seems the only choice for a Hello Kitty rhythm game. I wasn’t already familiar with any of the musicians that I got to play levels with, but they definitely added a good element to the game. Overall, the art and music felt very faithful to the brand. The only thing that’s worth mentioning is that there are some flashing neon lights that could cause issues if you have sensory needs. Luckily, the developers thought ahead and you can turn those off. Even without issues myself, I turned them off because they were giving me a headache. Verdict Overall, I think that if you love Hello Kitty or rhythm games, then this game should definitely be on your radar. I played it on Switch and I felt that the $19.99 price tag is fair, but may be pushing the ceiling on what is an acceptable price. The only thing that I wish was different is the ability to either heal between tiles or to play from where you died. The forced repetition is where the game takes a huge hit on the score for me. It’s a massive con for anyone looking for more than repetitive gameplay. Luckily, Nintendo is running a sale right now, so you can get Hello Kitty and Friends: Happiness Parade for $16.99 on the Switch Shop until November 10th and I’d say that if you’re a fan of mobile-style rhythm games, you should snag it! (Editor's note: Minor wording/grammatical changes.) Do you have any thoughts about this topic? Tell us in the comments below, or talk about it on X, Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon, Instagram, and HIVE Social. Don’t forget to tag us in the discussion! And don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly Patch Notes!

Xbox’s November 2023 update gives a 0x82d60002 or 0x82d60003 error to those using some off-brand controllers. A new Xbox error is popping up regarding controllers and accessories attached to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles: 0x82d60002. Starting November 12th, 2023, when the update officially hits, Microsoft will be barring unauthorized third-party accessories from use with its console. The underlying reasoning is really simple: unapproved third-party accessories pose a security risk and are more likely to have errors. Over the past several years, Xbox has been more lenient in working with third-party manufacturers to get the official Xbox seal. Buying nearly anything in a store or online, such as a Turtle Beach controller or headset, you’re likely to see a “Designed For Xbox” symbol on the packaging and you have no need to worry about this error. If you lived through the 1980s or 1990s, this seal should seem familiar to Nintendo’s “Official Seal of Quality.” During that time, both games and accessories that had been approved for the Nintendo hardware were marked with an infamous seal by Nintendo. While it’s highly unlikely that you own many peripherals or accessories that weren’t approved by Xbox, here are some details of what you need to know about this new update and error. What does the 0x82d60002 error mean? According to Xbox, the error 0x82d60002 indicates that you’re using an unapproved device, not designated as “Designed For Xbox”. This error puts a roadblock on these specific types of products. The majority of products available in retail stores and online are approved, so you’re unlikely to get this error. But, if you do, here’s what you should understand. The majority of third-party Xbox controllers available on the market are wired directly into a USB port or the Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One console. But, connecting with wireless generally either comes via Bluetooth or directly to Xbox’s built-in wireless. The 0x82d60002 error is being implemented because Xbox is expanding its third-party licensing and it wants to ensure that controllers work for their intended purpose while gaming with no interruptions. They’re just getting ahead of the “My Xbox is broken” mentality before a new slew of unauthorized, cheap controllers and headsets hit the market. The accessibility-focused Xbox Adaptive Controller should work perfectly fine with no additional firmware necessary. Any accessories plugged directly into it, both via USB and 3.5mm port, will work fine due to their nature. Windows Central has been following the story and getting clarifications from Xbox about various parameters. Some of our knowledge about the citation came from their original article. For instance, aside from the Adaptive Controller, generic keyboards and mice should work fine with the Xbox consoles as well. I got the 0x82d60002 error message. How can I fix it? The unfortunate answer to this question is that you’re using a controller, headset, or accessory that hasn’t been approved to be used with official Xbox hardware. The simple answer is that it’s possibly time to upgrade. But, they give you time. If you get the message while using major brands like Turtle Beach, Razer, or Hyperkin, you should try to read your specific product’s manual or download the firmware to your controller. In the possibility that this doesn’t work, contact your product’s brand support for the next steps. This could just be due to firmware or some other factor blocking your way and they’ll have more answers for you. The important thing to note is that licensed “Designed for Xbox” products should all work immediately on all Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, without any additional downloads necessary. Based on what Xbox explained in their support pages, the 0x82d60002 error essentially starts a countdown. Once you receive it, you have two weeks to find a valid replacement before it becomes unusable entirely on the Xbox console. This gives you time to properly return a new controller that you just bought or replace it entirely if it’s too old to return. Once your two weeks are up, 0x82d60003 will be the error that shows when you try to connect that same peripheral or accessory. If you’re looking for a full list of officially approved and licensed “Designed for Xbox” accessories, the official website shows them all in a nice list with their prices and ways to buy them. They’re doing their best to make it easy for you to get around this error. A large majority of those controllers and headsets can easily be found over on Newegg’s store, like the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2. But, there are a lot more that offer the official seal such as GameSir’s G7 controller. Head over there and get yourself an upgrade or replacement today!

Atari sees retro-focused companies the same way Pac-Man sees power pellets. In recent years, Atari has been figuring out what it means to be Atari. They’ve wanted to be the cool older brother to the games industry, but, after their initial success in the 1970s and 80s, have generally stumbled. I can honestly say, at this point, that they’ve found their footing in the modern era. So, nowadays, they’ve embraced that contemporary era with open arms, while keeping alive the spirit of “retro”. Earlier this year, they acquired Nightdive Studios. Now, they’ve picked up retro-collection-developer Digital Eclipse. I’m often wary of more established publishers buying small studios. But, Atari is such a mainstay of the industry known for the old-school vibe that it feels more like a match made in heaven. The deal will amount to an initial consideration of $6.5 million. Then, it can earn up to another $13.5 million over ten years in earn-outs. That puts the deal at around $20 million in total. (Editor's Note: The original article cited GameIndustry.biz for the purchase amount. The article has been revised for the original source, which was the original press release.) Digital Eclipse is a studio name much older than many people realize and has been steeped in retro since day one. They originally started back in 1992, working on and porting, ironically, classic Atari 2600 games. Over the years, they’ve been shuffled around, rebranded as Backbone Entertainment, and eventually came back under their original name. The modern iteration of Digital Eclipse is known for bringing classic games into the modern era as compilations. Do you like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Mega Man? Street Fighter? They’ve done collection titles for them all, among a ton more. Last year, they went back to their roots with Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, another compilation that includes, you guessed it, classic Atari VCS games. This time around, they treated it more like a documentary, as opposed to just a list of games, and both critics and fans widely received it. This year, they opted for a slightly different approach. Last month, we wrote about Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord, also developed by Digital Eclipse, which is out in Early Access. Earlier today, Digital Eclipse dropped a full FAQ on their blog about the acquisition, how it will be “business as usual,” and what it means for both their funding and current projects. You can check it out on their official website.

Nintendo sure does like dual screens, doesn’t it? We’ve been covering all of the potential futures for Nintendo’s consoles in recent months here on GameCrate, like some knock-off version of Doctor Strange. But, apparently, Nintendo recently filed a patent that could bring the thought process in an entirely new direction. The patent, found by Game Rant, appears to show off a device that looks similar to a Nintendo 3DS. This device has dual screens when the clamshell is opened that can detach from each other. But, they detach from one another so that two players can play a game together on a single system. Also, it appears the device has an additional touch screen on the outside that can still be used when the device is both open and closed. That’s a lot to process. Throughout the past several months, rumors, leaks, and patents have popped up with bits and details that could all culminate in a single device, or possibly multiple. Game Rant sees the system as two systems for people to play simultaneously. But, what happens when three people want to play and so on? There is a lot of patent information to unpack here. Since Game Rant didn’t have any links to the original source of the images, Hexa, a member of the Resetera forums dug out all the patents that were related. And boy, there were a ton. While Game Rant’s article detailed a lot of what’s mentioned in the patents, GameCrate took a microscope to all of the patents, six in total. It’s hard to parse a lot of information because much of it is in Japanese. But, they’re all definitely filed by Nintendo Co., Ltd. Interesting to note that while the official publication date for the international patents is October 26th, 2023, the original filing date was back in November of last year. Japanese patents and copyright trademarks tend to take a while, so this isn’t surprising. But, what’s interesting is that Game Rant’s images only tell part of the story when looked at closer. A lot of the images across the patents involved focus on how certain buttons work within a console, such as triggers, internal components, and possible button placements. But, the images seem to use already-known systems for their examples. For instance, the image that looks a lot like a Nintendo 3DS is literally a 3DS. And some others look identical to a current Nintendo Switch Lite. These are likely placeholders to show what the technology is for as opposed to any specific unannounced hardware. Of note, one of the patents (the one that uses the Switch Lite in the images), shows off a magnetic cover for a device that clips directly onto the front, not unlike an iPad case. This could be for an unknown model of the current Switch lineup with more magnetized edges, or it could be a portability system they’re developing for a future console altogether. One really interesting image that shows off the aforementioned detachability to turn one console into two has a system that looks similar to a Sony PlayStation Portable attached to a second identical device. It seemingly has a big screen on the outside of the pairing and matches a lot closer to Game Rant’s initial descriptions. A lot more than meets the eye Just speculating here, but I could easily see this magnetic system working between the two sides of the console connecting together via the noticeable port to open up like a clamshell, with that magnetic cover going over the outer screen. I also can see the faceplate working as a magnetic skin system for a future version of the Switch or Switch successor. With Sony working on skins for their PS5s, this could be where that’s going. My primary concern is the weight and chunkiness of this console. A normal Nintendo Switch has a little heft to it. If the recent rumors about the power and capabilities of the Switch 2 are to be believed, you’re packing a ton of juice into this system. Now, here’s the catch. None of these patents are filed within the US Patents Office. They’re filed internationally via Japan, which could mean they’re in the early stages of development. In fact, there was a US patent filed on the same day, which is completely separate and different from the other listings. This patent is for a “Game Controller” and nearly perfectly describes a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con, complete with slider attachment. This could be in relation to a Joy-Con-related patent filed back last September that we covered which seemed to help alleviate the dreaded Joy-Con Drift found in nearly all Switch controllers. In any case, we’ve looked into over 14 million futures for the Switch and, well, Nintendo, we’ve come to bargain.

The FNAF movie is campy fun with mild scares that heavily wears its namesake on its blood-soaked sleeve. I went into watching the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie as a fringe fan of the franchise. I’m generally a wuss when it comes to playing horror games. Instead, I watch horror streamers scream at various spooky games on a regular basis. I often watch theorists trying to figure out the convoluted, confusing lore that nearly rivals Kingdom Hearts in complication. The Five Nights at Freddy’s game series has been around for around nine years at this point, with over a dozen games (bear)ing its namesake, tons of books, and so much more mixed media about dead kids and haunted animatronics. You’d be forgiven for not having read or played it all. In the original games, you play as a night security guard at a run-down old pizzeria. All you have to do is survive the night as the Chuck E. Cheese-style animatronics come to life and try to murder you throughout the shift. In the first game, just like the movie, there are five main animatronics walking around: Freddy the bear, Bonnie the bunny, Chica the chicken, Foxy the fox, and Golden Freddy. Golden Freddy, another one of the five murdered children, has some more lore and details that get included in the movie as well. So, when the movie finally came out, of course, I wanted to watch it to see if they did the franchise justice, how it worked with the existing lore and known stories, and if it worked enough as both a movie and a horror movie on its own. So, since FNAF is a video game movie, that’s the best way to break it down here. How did Five Nights at Freddy’s handle itself as a video game movie? I grew up in an era where movies that were based on a video game IP were pretty atrocious. With the original Super Mario Bros. movie and Street Fighter, you came to expect camp, bad acting, terrible scripts, and rough, outdated CGI. When it came to adapting horror video games, however, we got some fun action and scares with movies like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. They took the spirit of the franchise and made it their own thing and those movies worked, for what they’re worth. We don’t talk about House of the Dead or DOOM, some other horror game movies. They never existed. They can’t hurt you. The FNAF movie, as it sits, was surprisingly faithful to the franchise. This can easily be seen in the current Rotten Tomatoes score. While the critics have it at a really low 26%, the fans of the franchise have it sitting at a really nice 88%. But, based on the debut numbers, it’s likely to merit a sequel in any case. Needless to say, the movie takes some liberties with the story to make Five Nights at Freddy’s more coherent than it’s ever been in nearly a decade of existence. But, as a video game-to-movie adaptation: yes, it does perfectly fine. How did FNAF handle the existing lore? As mentioned, something that FNAF fans needed was the lore and story to not stray from the video game series. There have been 9 years of theorizing about story elements, names, minute details, and counting fingers and toes on animatronics that culminated in the movie’s release. And they hit the nail on the head. There are a ton of references and easter eggs packed into the movie. So many, in fact, that an average moviegoer will likely miss most of them. Even some of the most hardened Five Nights at Freddy’s fans may miss some of the deeper iceberg jokes like Sparky’s Diner. There’s one scene in particular from near the end of the film. It’s a famous scene from the games that they recreate pretty faithfully in live-action instead of in 8-bit. No spoilers, of course. But, if you know, you know. Without going into spoilers, Five Nights at Freddy’s focuses on a security guard named Mike Schmidt who has custody of his little sister, Abby, since their parents died. He deals with recurring nightmares after their brother was kidnapped years earlier. He gets a job working nights at a run-down pizzeria and meets a pretty colorful cast of humans and animatronics. Ghosts of five dead kids who were murdered in the pizzeria years earlier are haunting the bodies of the robots, but there’s something even more sinister going on. Is Five Nights at Freddy’s a good movie? Watching the movie, I realized that it was designed for the fans of the franchise and no one else. While someone with little to no prior experience with the games can enjoy the movie, it doesn’t seem like it was made for them. This became a passion project years in the making for the people who grew up with the games or continuously watched MatPat solve the story for the seventh time. Cinematically speaking, I think Blumhouse did really well. Practical effects, ironically, took center stage with fully built animatronic robots that look identical to their game counterparts. I saw some behind-the-scenes videos and, yes, those robots can actually walk around, look menacing, and give big hugs. While they had some stunt costumes for things that the animatronics couldn’t do, it seems that no CGI was used on them. So, awesome job, Blumhouse. You get a fully built set that looks and feels like it could be a real place and no CGI Marvel movie backgrounds in sight. The details make the world feel lived in and real. The script could have used a little more work. There seemed to be some storylines that felt forced for the sake of the story, pacing, and motivations. Vanessa’s (Elizabeth Lail) dialogue felt stilted to the point that I legitimately thought they were alluding that she was a robot throughout the movie. If you know Five Nights at Freddy’s, you know that’s a very real possibility, so I wasn’t sure. Josh Hutcherson’s Mike was phenomenal and felt right at home in the franchise. Abby (Piper Rubio), a new character to the lore, had a great performance as well and I think her shenanigans might have been one of the better parts of the story. If the goal was a 1980s B-movie feel, it worked with how dialogue and story beats were laid out. But, I don’t think that was intentional. For a modern audience, and especially FNAF’s younger-skewing demographic, a couple more drafts may have been an improvement. All in all, this movie is a fun, if not entirely campy, romp through the very first game in a really big series that uses its own foresight to build a bigger world. Is it a good “horror” movie? Is Five Nights at Freddy’s scary? No, not in the slightest. As I said, I’m a wuss. For a game series known for its haunting ambiance and constant jump scares, I don’t think I was scared a single time. I think of it like Cabin in the Woods, a movie that wants to satirize horror tropes, but never makes you feel scared, even when it’s actually trying. While the story, setting, characters, and details all are an easy Five out of Five (nights), the core horror factor just isn’t there. If you go into this horror movie expecting to be scared, you’re going to be disappointed. This might be why the critics seem to hate it, but the audience score is through the roof. Final thoughts and verdict Five Nights at Freddy’s is a fun, campy movie. It’s a popcorn flick, worth watching, even if you haven’t already experienced the series before now. The dedication to the story and lore stands out. But, without a fan next to you, your average movie watcher may be confused as watching a Star Wars or Marvel movie without seeing the previous ten. It’s worth noting that the dedication to the fanbase means that a handful of popular YouTubers were cast in cameos. You can find the Game Theorist himself, Mathew Patrick (MatPat), in an early scene of the movie, as well as a ton of photos of influencers and YouTubers on the wall of the restaurant. Unfortunately, Five Nights at Freddy’s is somewhat spoiled by the trailers. For Peacock subscribers, it’s available to watch for free. For franchise fans, it’s worth seeing on a big screen. With how well it did on opening weekend, there needs to be a sequel. I can see a second movie in this franchise taking the weirdness level up to an 11. I wonder how they’ll handle the Security Puppet, the Mimic, and the Nightmare Animatronics if they make future installments. If you're looking for some actual horror (or at least something spooky for Halloween), check out our list of games that'll give you the chills without giving you a bankruptcy.