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Nintendo has initiated legal proceedings against the accessory maker Genki for showcasing a replica of the Switch 2 at CES 2025. This lawsuit arises from Genki’s promotion of accessories related to the Switch 2, which occurred prior to Nintendo’s official console reveal. Nintendo’s legal team demands that Genki halt all advertising regarding the Switch and Switch 2 accessories. The court documents filed by Nintendo allege that Genki has committed trademark infringement, false advertising, and unfair competition.

These claims stem from Genki’s assertions about the peripherals it intended to sell for the yet-to-be-launched Switch 2. At CES 2025, Genki attracted attention by presenting what it touted as an “exact” replica of the Switch 2. This replica aligned with various leaks circulating about the system, including features like the magnetic Joy-Con 2 attachment system. Due to the considerable buzz that Genki generated with its Switch 2 replica, Nintendo’s legal representatives visited the company’s booth at CES to confront them.

Following this encounter, Genki abruptly closed its booth a day before the trade show officially ended. The situation escalated when Walmart’s listings for the upcoming Switch 2 briefly went offline, adding to the drama surrounding the console’s launch. The legal confrontation reached a critical juncture when Nintendo filed its case in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. It details Genki’s actions, including a “Genki Direct” video released on the same day Nintendo showcased the Switch 2’s release date, leading to significant viewing discrepancies between the two presentations.

Nintendo has requested that Genki cease all promotional activities and sales of its accessories related to the Switch or Switch 2. As the case awaits judicial approval, it remains to be seen how the legal battle will unfold.

In Patch 11.1.5, World of Warcraft has made significant changes to enhance the Nightfall event by doubling all Flame’s Radiance reputation gains. This adjustment aims to help players increase their Renown more efficiently and unlock new rewards.

Additionally, vendors now provide previously missing weapon and shield transmogs, further enriching the gameplay experience. On April 22, with the introduction of the Nightfall scenario, players can engage in an hourly event against Queen Ansurek’s loyalists while fulfilling daily quests in Hallowfall and Azj-Kahet.

By boosting their Renown with the Flame’s Radiance faction, players can acquire cool transmogs, toys, mounts, and additional rewards. The game director has also hinted at forthcoming UI and add-on modifications planned for Patch 11.1.7, Legacy of Arathor.

According to a community post by WoW manager Kaivax on May 2, the recent hotfix expanded on the changes, including a significant reputation gain increase from daily and weekly quests and first-time completions. The addition of weapons and shields matching the Arathi sets allows players to exchange Radiant Emblems of Service for powerful gear while completing their new transmogs.

Prior to these enhancements, building reputation with the Flame’s Radiance was slow and challenging, requiring considerable grinding for most players. Despite these improvements, there are still some issues plaguing the Nightfall event.

While new weapons have been added to vendors and several major bugs have been resolved, players continue to face UI glitch challenges and invincible monsters causing disruptions during daily quests. Furthermore, eight out of ten titles intended for Renown progression are still unavailable.

Fans hope for ongoing fixes to enhance this aspect of the game. Fortunately, players can look forward to more engaging activities in the near future, including the Season 2 Turbo Boost starting May 13 and Horrific Visions Revisited on May 20, with an exciting upcoming update, Patch 11.1.7, promising even more content.

Mafia: The Old Country is set to unveil a new gameplay trailer on May 8, creating excitement among fans. On that same day, developer Hangar 13 will host a panel at PAX East, where they promise to share more details about the game.

It is anticipated that the official release date will also be announced on May 8, with previous leaks suggesting a potential launch in early August 2025. This upcoming trailer will provide the most extensive look at the gameplay to date.

Hangar 13 plans to delve into the franchise’s history and discuss how Mafia: The Old Country fits into it during their panel at PAX East. The fourth installment of the Mafia series was first revealed at Gamescom in August 2024.

Despite a confirmed release date still being awaited, 2K and Hangar 13 have indicated that they are targeting a summer 2025 launch. With spring now at its halfway mark, an official date is essential for meeting this goal.

For those eager to immerse themselves in the Mafia universe before the release, exploring earlier titles can enhance the experience. The gameplay trailer on May 8 will be the first substantial insight into Mafia: The Old Country, as previous teasers primarily focused on its narrative through rendered cutscenes rather than actual gameplay mechanics.

The trailer will debut at 11 AM ET / 8 AM PT / 4 PM BST via the official @MafiaGame YouTube channel, coinciding with the opening of PAX East. Interestingly, an early announcement hinted that Mafia: The Old Country could be released on August 8, aligning with 2K’s summer2025 release strategy.

Following the trailer, the PAX East panel, starting at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT / 7 PM BST, will include insights from key developers, and attendees may receive exclusive rewards. For those unable to attend, the panel will be accessible online.

With the delay of GTA 6, Mafia: The Old Country is poised to become 2K’s flagship open-world action-adventure title for 2025.

Codemasters has recently announced layoffs following the loss of its World Rally Championship (WRC) license, marking its second round of workforce reductions in under two years. The exact number of positions that will be cut has not yet been disclosed, but Electronic Arts (EA), Codemasters’ parent company, is reportedly planning to eliminate around 400 roles across its divisions by summer 2025. As part of this downsizing, Codemasters plans to lay off certain employees in the near future.

The studio, known for its F1 and Grid franchises, confirmed to VGC that the loss of the WRC license would lead to job reductions. While specific details remain limited, a representative indicated that the company has started assessing potential role reductions. However, not all reductions may result in layoffs, as Codemasters is also seeking to find alternative positions for affected employees across EA’s corporate structure.

This situation at Codemasters reflects a broader trend within EA, which has seen several of its subsidiaries, including Respawn Entertainment, also take steps to downsize. Respawn recently canceled two games and laid off numerous staff, and reports indicate that EA plans to cut hundreds more roles beyond those affected at Respawn. The difficulties faced by EA stem in part from disappointing performances of high-profile projects.

Notably, Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the soccer sim FC 25 did not meet sales expectations, leading to a significant drop in EA shares, although they have since rebounded following news of upcoming layoffs. With the cessation of WRC support and the halt of related projects, Codemasters faces a pivotal moment, focusing its efforts on its remaining sports license in Formula One. As one studio representative remarked, “Every great journey eventually finds its finish line.”

The latest content update for World of Warcraft, Patch 11.1.7, introduces exciting features including a new campaign questline, the Battle for Azeroth Timewalking, and various quality-of-life improvements. Players can explore three initial scenarios: Xal’atath, Ethereals, and the Lich King, with the possibility of additional scenarios being added later.

One of the standout features is Lorewalking, which allows players to engage with special questing activities that highlight the stories of pivotal characters and events from the game’s extensive 20-year lore. This new feature not only elevates the leveling experience but also provides exclusive rewards while informing players about key plot developments.

In addition to Lorewalking, Patch 11.1.7—dubbed Legacy of Arathor—brings a new campaign questline set in the Arathi Highlands and introduces accessibility options, such as the Combat Assistant and Single-Button Assistant, enhancing the gaming experience for all players. A recent hotfix has also buffed the Nightfall scenario and its relevant activities and rewards.

Lorewalking is tailored for players level 10 and above, offering a mix of existing and new quests that incorporate curated storytelling elements. Although players cannot undertake other quests while engaged in Lorewalking, they can exit the campaign at any time and reconnect with Lorewalker Cho in major cities like Orgrimmar, Stormwind, or Dornogal.

The launch scenarios include Xal’atath, where players delve into her complex story, the Ethereal questline that revisits the notable appearances of this unique race, and the Lich King scenario, which allows fans to relive the significant moments of Arthas Menethil’s saga. Currently available for testing on the Public Test Realm (PTR), Lorewalking has already revealed hints of a potential fourth scenario related to the Blood Elves and the Sunwell.

Although no specific launch date for Patch 11.1.7 has been announced, it is anticipated to release around June 17, in line with Blizzard’s typical update schedule. Fans can look forward to an official confirmation soon.

Fortnite enthusiasts are urging Epic Games to introduce a lightsaber Pickaxe skin in light of the game’s latest collaboration with Star Wars. Fans have proposed several creative ideas to set this pickaxe apart from the traditional lightsaber weapon. Suggestions include different color variations and even introducing a “toy” lightsaber version. This collaboration has unveiled exciting new content, including the premiere of the animated series “Tales of the Underworld” and a variety of new skins and weapons.

Over its nearly eight-year history, Fortnite has successfully executed various crossovers, integrating elements from anime, comic books, and major film franchises. Each collaboration has expanded the game’s offerings, showcasing iconic characters from beloved series like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Arcane. Now, with the latest integration of the Star Wars universe, players are particularly eager for the inclusion of a lightsaber as a pickaxe. The recent Star Wars crossover is touted as Fortnite’s most ambitious yet, introducing new game modes, skins, and engaging features.

Players can now experience the exclusive debut of the “Tales of the Underworld” series directly within the game, allowing them to watch the first two episodes. The event also introduced the “Galactic Battle” game mode, featuring a unique boss fight against Darth Vader. Despite these exciting additions, fans still hope for the addition of a lightsaber pickaxe. Many players have taken to Reddit to express their desire for this iconic weapon to be included as a pickaxe option.

Some users highlighted previous Star Wars-centric pickaxes and lamented the absence of a lightsaber variation. The latest collaboration saw the introduction of the “Death Smasher,” depicted as a mini Death Star, although lightsabers remain exclusive to weaponry within the game. The call for a lightsaber pickaxe resonated strongly among fans, who provided alternative suggestions for its design, such as toy versions or even scaled-up LEGO adaptations. The current Star Wars collaboration has also positively impacted other games within the Fortnite family, with LEGO Fortnite receiving updates and Rocket League implementing new Star Wars-themed content.

This collaboration appears to be a resounding success among fans of the franchise.

A passionate fan of New Horizons has created an impressive recreation of key story moments from Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom within the latest Animal Crossing game. The creator, referencing their project as “so much work,” expressed a desire to continue remaking more scenes from the acclaimed Zelda title.

This endeavor highlights both the dedication of the fan and the remarkable design flexibility that Animal Crossing: New Horizons offers its players. Recreating scenes from popular media is a beloved activity among Animal Crossing enthusiasts, who enjoy the creative freedom to shape their virtual environments.

This trend is exemplified by previous projects, such as recreations of memorable moments from Twin Peaks in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Updates from Nintendo indicate that transferring an island from the Switch to the upcoming Switch 2 will be a straightforward process, encouraging more players to take on creative projects.

In line with this, the dedicated fan, who has launched a YouTube channel named ACV-TotK, has shared a video lasting over seven minutes that details several significant story moments from Tears of the Kingdom. The video focuses on the early segments of the game, beginning with Link and Zelda’s exploration of the mysterious ruins beneath Hyrule Castle.

Although the fan had to get inventive to depict zombie Ganondorf—since Animal Crossing lacks a visual counterpart—the overall work remains authentic, unmistakably capturing the essence of the Zelda series. Additionally, the fan video succinctly recounts Link’s adventures on Great Sky Island at the start of Tears of the Kingdom.

By merging footage from both games with the iconic music and sound effects from TOTK, the creator has crafted an engaging tribute. Reflecting on their achievement, the fan, known as “PumpkIntestines11111” on Reddit, noted the amount of effort involved but did not disclose production time.

This recreation is yet another testament to the extensive customization options in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. As the franchise shifts towards allowing greater map editing and terraforming, it has achieved a significant milestone, selling an impressive 47 million units by the end of 2024.

This success suggests that future titles may continue to embrace and expand on the design possibilities introduced in New Horizons.

In WoW Classic’s Season of Discovery Phase 8, players can cleverly avoid falling damage in the Scarlet Enclave raid by landing on haystacks. This innovative feature pays homage to the well-known leap-of-faith mechanic seen in the Assassin’s Creed series. As players jump into the Scarlet Enclave raid, they will find that if they hit a haystack upon landing, they take no damage—a fun nod to fans of stealth gaming.

The Season of Discovery represents an ongoing experiment by Blizzard to introduce new elements into World of Warcraft Classic. This includes the addition of class-altering Rune Engravings, new quests, and entirely original instances. Phase 8 is especially noteworthy as it comprises content that was never part of the original Vanilla WoW, introducing the challenging Scarlet Enclave raid located in the Tyr’s Hand region.

The Scarlet Enclave raid is quickly becoming known among Classic fans as one of the toughest raids ever released. Since its launch on April 10, players have faced significant challenges due to high boss damage, complex mechanics, and unfamiliar encounters. While many raid groups have managed to clear it, the difficult nature of the raid pushes players to demonstrate their resourcefulness.

Moreover, the haystack mechanism is a captivating reference for fans of Assassin’s Creed. Haystacks have long served as a safe landing spot and a means of evading damage when performing daring leaps in that franchise. Their inclusion in WoW Classic adds an exciting layer of nostalgia for gamers familiar with both titles.

Although Blizzard has yet to officially confirm the future of the Season of Discovery, there is speculation that Phase 8 may mark the end of major content updates. Players will still have the opportunity to continue using their characters, but the fate of the Season itself remains uncertain as it approaches its conclusion.

Elden Ring Nightreign offers an exciting opportunity for players to don the attire of iconic Dark Souls characters such as Solaire, Faraam, and Ringfinger Leonhard. Set to launch on May 30 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, this multiplayer spin-off emphasizes cooperation, where groups of players will engage in battles against formidable enemies while navigating a dynamic environment. Players can purchase costumes at the Small Jar Bazaar using an in-game currency known as Murk.

This bazaar serves as a hub where players can relax, upgrade their gear, and change their looks, thus allowing for a personal touch in their playstyles. The newly released trailer for Nightreign showcases various character cosmetic options inspired by beloved Dark Souls series NPCs, promising fans a nostalgic experience. Nightreign’s gameplay introduces a unique twist to the Elder Ring formula by fostering a persistent multiplayer experience.

Players, who will team up as three Nightfarers, must work together to combat foes, achieve objectives, and prepare for the challenges posed by a nighttime cycle filled with potent bosses. Each run through the land of Limveld will offer a different experience, as the territory and layout will shift, presenting fresh obstacles and choices. The trailer emphasizes that while these costumes will enhance the aesthetic experience, they are purely cosmetic and do not alter gameplay mechanics.

Players will not adopt the original combat styles of the Dark Souls characters they emulate. Online reactions to the trailer have generally been positive, with many players expressing newfound confidence in FromSoftware’s direction for Nightreign. Speculations about how the game will tie into Elden Ring lore have also sparked excitement, as it expands the rich settings of both franchises.

Loading screens in Bethesda games have been a topic of discussion among players for years, particularly in titles like Skyrim. Developer Bruce Nesmith recently shed light on this issue, clarifying that these loading screens are an essential aspect of the game’s design.

He noted that the segmented map layout, often criticized by players, is a necessity for tracking items and handling detailed physics. Attempts to eliminate these loading screens have historically led to significant performance issues, ultimately resulting in a less satisfactory gaming experience.

Skyrim, released in 2011, has gained immense popularity, selling over 60 million copies and securing its place as one of the best-selling games in history. Bruce Nesmith contributed significantly to the development of both Skyrim and its predecessor, Oblivion, before leaving Bethesda shortly before Starfield’s release.

Following the recent remaster of Oblivion, there has been a surge in Skyrim’s player count, with reports indicating an increase of at least 28% this month. This revitalization could be attributed to gamers returning to prevalent titles as they await the highly anticipated release of The Elder Scrolls 6.

In a discussion with VideoGamer, Nesmith emphasized that while fans may long for a seamless exploration experience, loading screens are vital for maintaining item placement and physics consistency within the game. He reassured that it was not a matter of laziness on the developers’ part; rather, the complexity and intricateness of the worlds they aim to create necessitate the existence of loading screens.

Starfield’s developer, Nate Purkeypile, echoed this sentiment, explaining that adding loading screens during Starfield’s development was crucial for optimizing overall game performance. As the gaming community eagerly awaits more information on The Elder Scrolls 6, it remains uncertain whether the upcoming title will address concerns regarding loading screens or continue the tradition established by its predecessors.