Steve Thomas - IT Consultant

Black Ops 6 CODMAS is right around the corner, allowing players to try out some seasonal holiday-themed events as part of this year's Call of Duty Christmas update. There's plenty being added, including limited-time modes, events, and skins. Nuketown is getting a snowy makeover, and even Zombies Mode is joining in on the fun.

With Black Ops 6 now running its Season One content, there's been a whole host of new maps and weapons to try out. So far, these updates have certainly cemented the game's place on our best FPS games list, so hopefully, CODMAS offers even more of a reason to keep logging back in.

Here's when to expect the Black Ops 6 CODMAS event, as well as some info on the Call of Duty Christmas content that's set to be added. As we get closer to the launch period, we'll likely hear more specifics from Activision. Stay tuned for updates.

When to expect Black Ops 6 CODMAS

An Operator in a Santa robe runs around Nuketown Holiday

(Image credit: Activision)

The Black Ops 6 CODMAS release date is yet to be confirmed, however, if we look at last year's event, we can expect it to arrive somewhere around December 19, 2024. This is when CODMAS launched for Modern Warfare 3, and the game before that (Modern Warfare 2) launched its Christmas content on December 21. Of course, things could be different this year, but until we hear the exact date from Activision, we're preparing for new holiday-themed content on or around December 19, 2024.

Black Ops 6 CODMAS - what's being added?

A look at Jingle Hells, a Holiday-themed update to Zombies Mode

(Image credit: Activision)

Activision has now announced what'll be added to Black Ops 6 as part of CODMAS. This includes new map variations, limited-time modes, and new skins. Here's a brief summary of what's being added:

  • Warzone Limited Time Modes: Holiday Rush (Area 99), Slay Ride Resurgence (Urzikstan)
  • Black Ops 6 Limited Time Modes: Ran-Snack, Infectious Holiday
  • Zombies Limited Time Modes: Jingle Hells (Liberty Falls)
  • Events: Merry Mayhem, Archie's Festival Frenzy
  • Bundles: Sweater Ops, Season's Bleedings

For a full breakdown of Black Ops 6 Season 1 Reloaded, head on over to the Call of Duty blog. This includes an overview of the Call of Duty Christmas content being added.

Call of Duty Christmas modes

An icy Operator fires from behind a red sleigh filled with presents

(Image credit: Activision)

Call of Duty is getting five modes as part of the CODMAS event:

  • Ran-Snack (Black Ops 6): Trade gold for sweets in this festive LTM that challenges teams to gather and deposit the most cookies. Grab cookies from the rotating crate, fallen Operators, and by breaching the enemy’s cookie box and taking the goods back to your own.
  • Infectious Holiday (Black Ops 6): Even the undead are getting into the holiday spirit as zombies and fallen Operators don festive clothing in this festive twist on the fan-favorite Infected mode.
  • Jingle Hells (Zombies): Last seen in Black Ops Cold War, Jingle Hells drops you in what could optimistically be called a winter wonderland, as the entirety of the Liberty Falls map is festooned with wreaths, ribbons, twinkling lights, Christmas trees, garlands of fir tree bunting, and a thin blanket of snow.
  • Holiday Rush (Warzone): Enter Area 99, newly outfitted with Deck the Halls trees and Snowball coolers. Get right to the point with access to high-tier loot along with a smaller gas circle and faster transitions between collapses.
  • Slay Ride Resurgence (Warzone): Undead Santa has hijacked the train. Toss deadly snowballs, capture trees, hunt reindeer, and battle for control of Santa’s Slay Ride. Last team standing wins.

Black Ops 6 Nuketown Holiday - a look at this year's Call of Duty Christmas map

A look at Nuketown Holiday, which shows the map covered in snow

(Image credit: Activision)

The Call of Duty Christmas map for this year is Nuketown Holiday, which gives the iconic Black Ops 6 map a snowy makeover. In addition, there are Holiday glow-ups that come with the new modes, and as part of the Jingle Hells Zombies mode. Unfathomable horrors beyond comprehension, now wearing Santa hats!

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Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #542) - today's words

NYT Connections hints for game 542 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • PAN
  • PINE TREE
  • LEAD
  • CANDLE
  • COMPASS
  • LOOFAH
  • TURNTABLE
  • SHEPHERD
  • ATLAS
  • TOILETRIES
  • ECHO
  • GUIDE
  • SEWING KIT
  • HELEN
  • DIRECT
  • JOHNSON

NYT Connections today (game #542) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • Yellow: Follow
  • Green: Get the point
  • Blue: Ancient figures
  • Purple: Bathroom slang

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #542) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

  • YELLOW: STEER
  • GREEN: THINGS WITH NEEDLE/S
  • BLUE: FIGURES IN GREEK MYTH
  • PURPLE: STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR LAVATORY

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #542) - the answers

NYT Connections answers for game 542 on a purple background

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #542, are…

  • YELLOW: STEER DIRECT, GUIDE, LEAD, SHEPHERD
  • GREEN: THINGS WITH NEEDLE/S COMPASS, PINE TREE, SEWING KIT, TURNTABLE
  • BLUE: FIGURES IN GREEK MYTH ATLAS, ECHO, HELEN, PAN
  • PURPLE: STARTING WITH SYNONYMS FOR LAVATORY CANDLE, JOHNSON, LOOFAH, TOILETRIES

  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 2 mistakes

Hi, Johnny here, taking over Connections duties from Marc for a little while (he'll be back occasionally, I'm sure – and he's still looking after the daily Wordle today page, don't worry about that!).

Being a very easily LEAD person the Yellow group appeared before my eyes instantly. The same could not be said about the rest of today’s words, which – as is very often the case at close to midnight – appeared to be a random jumble of letters.

I attempted a second group that seemed to be about getting somewhere using very ancient tech – COMPASS, CANDLE, ATLAS and err ECHO which is nature’s GPS (if you’re in a cave or Alpine valley with someone who can yodel).

Getting this one wrong I used up another mistake guessing that CANDLE, SEWING KIT, LOOFAH, TOILETRIES were all presents you’d buy your Grandmother.

Then sense took hold and grasping at some threadbare knowledge of Greek mythology I bundled together ATLAS, HELEN and PAN and took a gamble on ECHO. This made finding THINGS WITH NEEDLE/S to be much easier, after which the final four revealed themselves, making me feel slightly defeated. Oh, dear Connections, you destroyer of souls...

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.


Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 3 December, game #541)

  • YELLOW: SOPRANOS CARMELA, JUNIOR, MEADOW, TONY
  • GREEN: FAMILIAL NICKNAMES CUZ, GRAMMY, MUMMY, POP
  • BLUE: “SESAME STREET” CHARACTERS COOKIE, COUNT, OSCAR, SNUFFY
  • PURPLE: NAMES THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS CECE, EDIE, EMMY, KATIE

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

  • The NES version of Tetris is coming to Nintendo Switch Online
  • It's set for a December 12 release
  • The 1989 title joins the growing collection of classic Nintendo games on the subscription service

Nintendo has announced that the NES version of Tetris will be joining Nintendo Switch Online this month.

In a new X / Twitter post shared today, Nintendo confirmed that the classic 1989 title will be added to its Nintendo Switch subscription service next week on December 12.

This console version of Tetris features two modes of play, A-Type and B-Type, each with its own unique goals. For A-Type, players must achieve the highest score, while in B-Type, the board starts with randomized blocks at the bottom of the field, and the goal is to clear 25 lines.

To play the NES version of Tetris, Nintendo Switch users must be subscribed to Switch Online for $3.99 / £3.49 / €3.99 a month, or $19.99 / £17.99 / €19.99 for a 12-month membership, both of which give access to the NES, SNES, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color collections.

To get access to the other classic catalogs, including Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Mega Drive / Genesis, users must purchase the Switch Online Expansion Pack, which costs $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 for a 12-month pass.

Last week, as part of its November 2024 update, Nintendo added three more classic Sega Genesis games to the service, including ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron, Vectorman, and Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs.

The addition of these three titles brought the total number of Sega Genesis games in the collection to 47.

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  • The official launch trailer for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is here
  • The trailer provides a fresh look at Indy's next adventure with brand-new gameplay
  • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle launches next week on Xbox, PC, and Game Pass

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has received an official launch trailer ahead of its December 9 release.

With only days to go, Bethesda has shared the final trailer for its upcoming first-person narrative game which will find the titular character on a brand new adventure set between the events of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade.

The three-minute video highlights the many features of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, including its story and characters, along with the various locations Indy will be traveling to on his quest, like Egypt and Vatican City.

Gameplay mechanics we've seen before also got their time to shine, with the trailer showcasing new ancient puzzles and environmental obstacles players will need to overcome on their journey.

Mid-way through the trailer, we also got a glimpse at what seems to be a brand new gameplay sequence, never before seen in any former teasers.

It was only a short clip, but we see Indy fighting off some bad guys on a ship during a snowstorm before it cuts away. This sequence could possibly be connected to the Himalayas, a location that was previously confirmed to appear in the game.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC on December 9 as a timed exclusive.

We still don't have an exact release date for the PS5 version, but it's alated to arrive sometime in "Spring 2025".

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  • The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted airs on December 5
  • The showcase will feature new trailers and announcements
  • This year's event will be hosted by Frankie Ward and narrated by Baldur's Gate 3's Amelia Tyler

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted is scheduled to air later this week where it will reveal the most anticipated PC games of 2025, as well as showcase new trailers and announcements.

If you're hoping to tune in to the broadcast, here's everything you need to know, including when and where to watch, and watch to expect.

Start Time

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted is set to air on Thursday, 5 December, at 12pm PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT / 9pm CEST.

We're unsure how long the showcase will be at this time, but it's expected to at least last longer than one hour.

Where To Watch

You'll be able to watch the PC Gaming Show live on PC Gamer's official Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as on Ginx, Steam and China's Bilibili platform.

A number of Twitch streamers will also be live streaming the showcase, too, including Esfand, MissMikkaa, CohhCarnage, DieHardDiva, Elajjaz, GRONKH, XopO, and SodaPoppin, so fans will be able to watch along.

What To Expect

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted will be presented by returning regular host Frankie Ward and narrated by Baldur's Gate 3's Amelia Tyler.

The broadcast will count down the 25 most-anticipated games in development for PC, chosen from a shortlist of 100 games, but viewers can also expect deep dives, exclusive trailers, and new game reveals during the live stream.

To name a few highlights, Avowed's game director, Carrie Patel, will answer quick-fire questions on the upcoming first-person role-playing game (RPG). A brand new trailer from The Game Breakers will be shared for its game Cairn, and a new for Killing Floor 3 will also make its debut.

Nightdive Studios will also unveil a new trailer for its restoration of the 2002 third-person survival horror game The Thing: Remastered, and ex-Kindred Aerospace CEO Martin Tweed will share an announcement about Revenge of the Savage Planet.

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  • PlayStation Store’s 30th Anniversary sale is now live
  • PlayStation users can save money on hundreds of titles on the PS Store
  • The event ends on December 20

Black Friday might be over, but Sony isn't ready to drop its discounts just yet as it's announced a limited-time PlayStation 30th Anniversary sale.

In a recent PlayStation Blog post, Sony confirmed that to celebrate 30 years of PlayStation, it's now holding a massive sale on the PS Store starting December 2 and running through to December 20.

This is one of the biggest sales the platform has seen in a while, offering discounts on almost 500 games for both the PS4 and PS5.

Some of those games include some of the best games available on PlayStation, including The Last of Us Part 1, which is now 50% off, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy at 60% off, and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which received a massive 80% off price cut.

The catalog is way too long to detail in its entirety, but we've listed some of the best available discounts on some of the best games below. You can also check out the PS Store page here.

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  • Sony is rolling out a 30th Anniversary update for PS5
  • It features dashboard themes inspired by prior PlayStation generations
  • The update will, unfortunately, only be around for a limited time

When you turn on your PS5 today, you might be greeted by arguably the most iconic home console boot-up sequence of all time.

That's because Sony is rolling out dashboard themes and boot sequences inspired by prior console generations for PlayStation's ongoing 30thanniversary celebrations. This was initially spotted by users over at Resetera, with the thread's creator showing (now deleted) screenshots with the classic themes applied.

You'll know if the update has rolled out to your PS5 console as you'll be treated to that wonderful PS1 boot sequence. Then, you can head to Settings, and a new 'PlayStation 30th Anniversary' option will be featured at the top. Here, you can choose dashboard themes inspired by PS1, PS2, PS3, PS4, or a general 30th anniversary one. You can also switch them off entirely if you hate fun.

Each theme also seems to be accompanied by relevant sound effects for each console generation. If you've got a favorite PlayStation generation, then - say one you grew up with - you'll probably get quite the pleasant nostalgia trip out of this 30th Anniversary update.

As great as this is, there is unfortunately a catch. These 30th anniversary themes will only be available for a limited time - as noted on that new settings page. Sony hasn't confirmed an end date for these limited themes, so hopefully we get a good few months with them at least. Though I must say I'll definitely miss them when they're gone.

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  • Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 will introduce all-new features, Larian confirms
  • Alongside photo mode and cross-play, the game will also receive 12 new subclasses
  • The Patch 8 stress tests will begin in early January 2025

Larian Studios has revealed new details concerning Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 and it sounds ridiculously good.

It's been over one year since the launch of one of the best role-playing games (RPGs) of all time and still Larian is continuing to provide free updates featuring all-new content.

Most recently, the studio gave us some details on Patch 8, which will finally introduce the long-awaited cross-play feature for console and PC players as well as a highly customizable photo mode with camera, lens, and scene settings.

What's more, Larian also announced that Patch 8 will introduce 12 new subclasses, just in case players aren't yet tired of spending time in the Forgotten Realms.

There's one for each of the existing Bard, Barbarian, Cleric, Druid, Paladin, Fighter, Monk, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock, and Wizard classes in the game, adding even more replayability to the RPG.

"Expect new abilities, animations, VFX, summons and cantrips, and unique voiced dialogue lines for the Oathbreaker Knight with written reactivity for Oathbreakers, along with a touch of homebrewing on certain actions to enhance your role-playing experience," the studio said in a new blog post.

Patch 8 doesn't have a release date just yet, but Larian confirmed that it will be holding stress tests in early January 2025 and will provide an update on how fans can opt-in.

Baldur's Gate 3's 12 subclasses coming in Patch 8:

  • Bard - College of Glamour
  • Barbarian - Path of Giants
  • Cleric - Death Domain
  • Druid - Circle of Stars
  • Paladin - Oath of the Crown
  • Fighter - Arcane Archer
  • Monk - Drunken Master
  • Ranger - Swarmkeeper
  • Rogue - Swashbuckler
  • Sorcerer - Shadow Magic
  • Warlock - Hexblade
  • Wizard - Bladesinging

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  • The next Witcher game is now in full-scale production, according to CD Projekt Red
  • According to the studio's joint CEO, the team wrapped preproduction several weeks ago
  • The studio also revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold 30 million copies

CD Projekt Red has announced that The Witcher 4 has officially entered "full-scale production".

The latest comes from the studio's Q3 2024 earnings report, published on November 27, where joint CEO of CD Projekt Red Michał Nowakowski shared a statement regarding the development progress of the next Witcher game, aka Project Polaris.

"I’m proud to confirm that several weeks ago the Polaris team wrapped up pre-production and moved on to full-scale production - the most intensive phase of development," said Nowakowski.

"We are very pleased with our progress on this project, and I wish to thank the team for its dedication."

Polaris was announced back in March 2022 and will kick off a new saga for The Witcher series, though at this time we don't have any details to go on regarding the story and returning characters.

In the same report, it was also revealed that Cyberpunk 2077 has now sold 30 million copies, while Phantom Liberty - the game's sole expansion - has sold over eight million in just over a year since its release.

"I’m very happy to see a large, dedicated community coalesce around our Cyberpunk games," the CEO said before adding that CD Projekt Red is "looking back at another very strong quarter."

"Cyberpunk 2077 and its Phantom Liberty expansion continue to sell very well, but The Witcher 3 is also performing admirably."

At the same time, CD Projekt Red is also currently working on Project Orion, a new game set in the Cyberpunk universe, which is being made by the team responsible for Phantom Liberty.

According to Nowakowski in August, the ongoing projects are "pretty stable" and have been "progressing at a consistent pace".

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  • Three more Sega Genesis games have been added to Nintendo Switch Online
  • ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron, VectorMan, and Wolf of the Battlefield: Mercs are now available
  • The three titles now bring the total number of Genesis games to 47

Nintendo has added three more classic Sega Genesis games to its Switch Online subscription service.

As part of the latest November 2024 update, Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass members can now enjoy even more classic titles for the Sega Genesis collection, bringing the total number to 47.

First up, we have ToeJam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron, which was released in 1993 and is the sequel to 1991's ToeJam & Earl.

The 2D platformer was well-received back in the 90s and finds ToeJam and Earl, two aliens, on a new adventure after escaping where they originally crash-landed.

Vectorman is another 2D side-scrolling platformer and was developed and released by BlueSky Software in 1995 for the Sega Genesis. The game later received a re-release on the Wii, Steam, as well as part of the Sega Forever line of mobile releases.

Finally, there's Mercs, also known as Wolf of the Battlefield II and originally released as Senjō no Ōkami II in Japan in 1990 for the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive.

The Capcom game is a sequel to the 1985 arcade game Commando and features two different game modes, including Arcade Mode and Original Mode.

To play these latest titles, Nintendo Switch users must be subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online + the Expansion Pack, which costs $49.99 / £34.99 / AU$59.95 for a 12-month pass.

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  • Shuhei Yoshida announces he will leave PlayStation in January 2025
  • The current Head of Indie's has worked at PlayStation for 31 years
  • Yoshida said that after he hit 30 years, he thought it was "time for me to move on"

The head of PlayStation's indies, Shuhei Yoshida, has announced he will retire from the company in January 2025 after 31 years.

The news of his upcoming departure comes from a new PlayStation Blog post, where Yoshida reflected on his time at PlayStation and why he ultimately decided to leave the company behind.

"I’m leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15, 2025… it’s like announcing the launch date of a new game, [something] I haven’t done for a long time," Yoshida said.

Yoshida joined PlayStation in 1993 when Sony was still developing the PS1 and was later promoted to president of Sony Computer Entertainment, which is now known as Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios (SIE).

In his current role, Yoshida overlooks independent studios as the head of Sony's Independent Developer Initiative.

"I’ve been with PlayStation from the beginning, and this is my 31st year with PlayStation. And when I hit 30 years, I was thinking, hmm, it may be about time for me to move on," Yoshida said.

"You know, the company’s been doing great. I love PS5, I love the games that are coming out on this platform. And we have new generations of management who I respect and admire. And I’m so excited for the future of PlayStation.

"So you know, PlayStation is in really good hands. I thought, okay, this is my time."

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  • Sony will reportedly release a black version of the PlayStation Portal "soon"
  • The new model will seemingly cost the same as the white version
  • The first quantities will be "limited"

Sony is reportedly planning to release a black version of the PlayStation Portal.

That's according to the reliable data miner 'billbil-kun' of the French blog Dealabs - who previously accurately leaked the first look at the PS5 Pro - which now claims that the publisher will release a new colorway for the handheld "soon" as part of a new accessory refresh launch.

It's unclear when it will launch, but the blog claims that the first quantities available will be "limited", meaning it could lead to a stock shortage from the pre-order phase, like the original white remote player.

The new PlayStation Portal model is expected to be available in Europe, North America, and "other regions of the world", and will seemingly cost the same as the original PlayStation Portal at $199.99 / £199.99 / €219.99.

A white version and a limited edition design included in the 30th Anniversary Edition Collection have only ever been released.

The latest leak of a black PlayStation Portal seems to be related to an upcoming relaunch. Earlier this week, Dealabs also reported that Sony is going to release black versions of several PlayStation accessories, including the DualSense Edge Controller, Pulse Elite headphones, and Pulse Explore earbuds.

Again, there's no estimated release for the new models, but the outlet claims they will be announced "within a month" and that they will cost the same as the original white versions.

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