Mojang Studios has shared its updated development plan for Minecraft, confirming that players will get more frequent content drops in the future.

In a new blog post, the developer explained that after 15 years since launch, it will be making improvements to its popular survival sandbox game by introducing new features more regularly moving forward.

"We know that you want new Minecraft content more often, which is why we’re changing our feature development rhythm," Mojang said. 

The developer confirmed that instead of providing one free update during summer, it will now release "a number of free game drops throughout the year", all of which will vary in size and bring new features more frequently.

Mojang revealed that the first of these dropped in December 2023 with the arrival of visual changes and new functional storage containers, followed by the Armored Paws update in April 2024, which introduced armadillos, wolf variations, and wolf armor.

In addition to more regular content drops, the studio announced that it will now be focusing on "long-term initiatives to ensure we can continue to evolve Minecraft long into the future", although it stopped short of revealing these plans.

Mojang also touched on the native PlayStation 5 version of Minecraft, which was revealed earlier this year as a limited preview, and confirmed that the current-gen version of the game is still in the works. 

Unfortunately, the studio didn't share an estimated release date, but it did confirm that over the coming year, it will be exploring ways to improve Minecraft’s multiplayer experience and "make it easier to find and connect with friends."

Minecraft Live, the game's annual celebration live stream, will be getting some changes, too. Instead of a single October broadcast, Mojang will provide two streams per year and explained they will become "more focussed" by retiring the mob vote and also feature details on what the development team is actively working on.

"We are excited for a future of Minecraft in which we get to share more features with you more regularly, and in which your suggestions continue to become a reality," Mojang said. "We hope you’ll join us for another fifteen years - and hopefully, even more."

You might also like...

• How to watch the PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation today - will we finally see the PS5 Pro?
• Focus Entertainment is giving fans a chance to win a Space Marine 2 PS5 for a limited time
• Star Wars Outlaws development team is 'pushing a lot of improvements' before the creative director moves back to The Division 3

Focus Entertainment has released the first details for Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's first post-launch update.

After spending a few days in early access, Space Marine 2 is officially out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, but players can already expect a new patch to be released sometime this week.

That's according to a new Steam post following the game's launch, where Focus Entertainment shared a teaser for the upcoming patch, which will include multiple fixes for crashing issues during the start of the game and during the first cutscene, which have remained persistent since early access.

Saber Interactive's shooter will also see some optimizations to performance, improvements to servers following some reports of disconnections, and a bug that has prevented some players from joining entirely.

"I have about 6 hours in the game, I've only played the tutorial and have managed to get into about 4-5 Eternal War matches and 1 Operation," one user said. 

"Whether I'm trying to play with my friends or play solo most of the time I get stuck on Joining Server and it won't load me into the game. So much for 4 day early access, can't even take advantage of it and play multiplayer."

The same bug has also caused some players to lose out on rewards after being disconnected from the server after completing missions, but the issue should be resolved with the upcoming patch. You can take a look at the minor list of fixes below.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2's first patch details:

• Multiple crash fixes (start of the game, 1st cutscene crash, etc...)
• Optimized CPU usage
• Server improvements
• Render bug improvements

The publisher also made sure to remind players of Space Marine 2's post-launch roadmap, which will see several free updates, the first of which will arrive this month and introduce private PvE lobbies, ultrawide support, and the Battle Barge Sparring Arena.

Season 2 is planned for Fall 2024 and will include new PvE missions, a new lethal difficulty, and new cosmetics, while Season 3 and Season 4 will arrive in 2025 and feature additional missions, new arenas, a Horde Mode, and more.

You might also like...

• How to watch the PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation today - will we finally see the PS5 Pro?
• Focus Entertainment is giving fans a chance to win a Space Marine 2 PS5 for a limited time
• BioWare reveals Dragon Age: The Veilguard's skill tree progression and equipment upgrade system

Sony has announced a surprise PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation where it will likely unveil the first official look at its next major console, the long-rumoured PlayStation 5 Pro. 

To get ready for the broadcast, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming broadcast, including when and where to watch, as well as what we can expect from the showcase.

Start Time

The PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation is scheduled to broadcast later today on September 10 at 8:00am PT / 11:00am ET / 4:00pm BST.

Where to watch?

If you’re looking to watch the PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation live, you’ll be able to tune in to the PlayStation YouTube channel or the PlayStation Twitch channel. 

As with most industry broadcasts, there will likely be a pre-requisite countdown timer leading up to the actual event, just in case some viewers are late tuning in.

What to expect

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation will be a 9-minute livestream and be hosted by Mark Cerny, Lead Architect of the PlayStation 5, and will  “focus on PS5 and innovations in gaming technology”.

Although there’s no confirmation at this time, there strong reason to believe that Sony will finally reveal the PS5 Pro, a more powerful and technically advanced version of its 2020 console. 

Rumours about the console have been stacking up for months. More recently, it was reported by industry insider Jeff Grubb that the PS5 Pro could be released over the Holiday season - likely between October and December - and could potentially cost between $600 and $700.

Grubb also predicted that the official console unveiling would arrive in September, like during a State of Play livestream, but the latest PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation announcement seems the most likely.

You might also like…

• Best PS5 games 2024 - top PlayStation 5 titles to play right now
• Star Wars Outlaws development team is 'pushing a lot of improvements' before the creative director moves back to The Division 3
• BioWare reveals Dragon Age: The Veilguard's skill tree progression and equipment upgrade system

With the announcement of a PS5 Pro being on most folks' bingo cards for this year, it seemed likely that we were going to get official confirmation sooner rather than later. Especially with the rumor mill hitting a fever pitch. 

And with Sony just yesterday announcing a PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation to be aired today (September 10) at 8am PDT / 11am EDT / 4pm BST, it seemed like we were finally going to be able to put the rumors to bed. But then again, there's always room for it to be something else, right?

Well, no, actually. As spotted by Wario64 on X / Twitter, it looks like today's technical presentation will indeed focus on the PS5 Pro. A screenshot of an unlisted video displays the title 'PS5 Pro' with the technical presentation's teaser as the video itself. You can still check the link out, but the video has since been renamed to 'PlayStation 5 Technical Presentation - September 10' as was likely intended in the first place.

It's not the first sign of the PS5 Pro trying to breach containment before its official reveal. The mid-gen refresh was seemingly accidentally revealed (or potentially even deliberately teased) in the promotional material for PlayStation's 30th anniversary celebrations. Looking at the image here, you can spot what appears to be a new-look PS5 wedged between the PlayStation logo and the '3'.

Still, while revealing the PS5 Pro announcement before the technical presentation was undoubtedly a flub, Sony might welcome the distraction considering it quietly bumped up the price of its DualSense Wireless Controller by $5 / £5 over at PlayStation Direct and other retailers.

You might also like...

• Astro Bot interview: how Team Asobi built a future star from three decades of PlayStation gaming history
• PlayStation Pulse Elite review: excellence in PS5 audio, powered by planar drivers
• Astro Bot has reminded me why I fell in love with the DualSense controller

Sony has increased the DualSense controller's price by $5 at PlayStation Direct and other retailers right around the time people are expecting a potential announcement of the PS5 Pro via a Mark Cerny-hosted Technical Presentation on September 10.

While the mid-gen refresh console has yet to be announced by Sony in an official capacity, you can now expect to pay slightly more for the standard DualSense Wireless Controller. As spotted by Wario64 on X / Twitter, the PS5's official gamepad has gone up from $69.99 to $74.99.

Meanwhile, special edition colorways, including Sterling Silver, Cobalt Blue, and Volcanic Red, have jumped from $74.99 to $79.99. The price increases have been reflected at retailers like GameStop as well as the official PlayStation Direct website.

The premium DualSense Edge controller has, at the time of writing, retained its $199.99 price tag. Plus, the DualSense Charging Station also remains at $29.99. It also looks like the price has increased in the UK, too. The standard colorways have gone from £59.99 to £64.99 at PlayStation Direct, though they are still available for their original price at Amazon right now, likely while stocks last. If you're in the UK and planning to pick up a DualSense controller soon - either as a replacement or a spare - it may be best to shop now at Amazon before a potential increase here.

The price increase here will undoubtedly catch some folks off guard, especially given Sony has made no official announcement of it. The company may make a brief statement about the increase during tomorrow's PS5 Technical Presentation, though this is considered to be centered on the much-speculated PS5 Pro.

You might also like...

• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics review: the best way to experience a treasure trove of long-lost fighting games
• Astro Bot interview: how Team Asobi built a future star from three decades of PlayStation gaming history
• Astro Bot has reminded me why I fell in love with the DualSense controller

Astro Bot creative director Nicolas Doucet has confirmed that the game will be receiving free DLC that might just feature a new batch of VIP Bots that were spotted in the credits, but not currently seen in the base game.

The news comes by way of an interview with Doucet from YouTube channel Quest Daily. The director says that the DLC additions will be free, arriving this year, and will add new speedrun levels and stages that provide a higher challenge, alongside all-new leader boards.

Arguably most interesting is that Doucet says the DLC will add new collectible VIP Bots, and that they will be "some characters that we didn't include yet." A look at Astro Bot's credits - as highlighted by VGC - shows a number of games and series credited that don't appear in the base game. 

Look away now if you don't want to be spoiled, but these additional franchises are as follows:

• Worms
• Stellar Blade
• Rise of the Ronin
• Rayman
• Beyond Good & Evil
• Assassin's Creed

Astro Bot does its absolute best to pay homage to PlayStation's legendary back catalog - I certainly wasn't expecting deeper cuts like Devil Dice, Incredible Crisis and Intelligent Qube - but there are some notable omissions like Final Fantasy and Twisted Metal that currently haven't made the cut despite having appearances in earlier titles like Astro's Playroom.

It's unclear just how long of a roadmap Astro Bot has in terms of post-launch content currently. But as it's handily one of the highest rated games of the year, it's easy to see Team Asobi providing new updates so long as there is interest from the player base.

You might also like...

• Astro Bot has reminded me why I fell in love with the DualSense controller
• PlayStation 30th anniversary celebrations kick off with digital soundtracks, physical goodies, and a bespoke Gran Turismo 7 free trial
• PS5 Pro: the latest on rumored specs, price, design, and release date speculation

Between the release of Astro Bot and the seemingly accidental PS5 Pro reveal, you might've missed the details of Sony's planned celebrations for PlayStation's 30th anniversary.

An official PlayStation Blog post, written by Sony Interactive Entertainment vice president of global marketing Isabelle Tomatis, details what else we can expect from such a monumental anniversary for the PlayStation brand.

What immediately caught my eye as a fan of the best racing games is an all-new way to check out Gran Turismo 7, by way of a free trial known as My First Gran Turismo. Launching sometime this holiday, the trial will feature a select number of cars, circuits, and events "that evoke the nostalgia and excitement of the very first GT experience." It'll be available to all PS5 and PS4 players, so it seems there won't be a need for a PS Plus subscription here.

Additionally, a bunch of digital soundtracks of PlayStation titles are making their way to Spotify for the first time. From October to January, we can expect the soundtracks for God of War (2005), God of War 2, God of War: Ghost of Sparta, Twisted Metal, Starhawk, and Unit 13 to hit the music streaming service. They'll also be available through Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Another interesting debut is 'Shapes of Play.' This is a trio of physical goods designed by PlayStation's console hardware team. Shapes of Play: Battle is a competitive board game, while Shapes of Play: Create is a set of magnetic blocks that can be arranged into various shapes. Finally, there's Shapes of Play: Recharge which appears to be an arrangement of soft stress toys in the shapes of PlayStation's iconic face buttons. That last one's my favorite, actually.

Lastly, there's going to be a free online multiplayer weekend happening from September 21-22, allowing players who don't have a PS Plus subscription to hop online at no extra cost. Several online tournaments are going to be held for games including NBA 2K25, MLB The Show 24, Tekken 8, and Guilty Gear Strive. Participating in any of these tournaments will also net you a couple of unique PlayStation 30th anniversary avatar icons.

And if these announcements leave you feeling disappointed, fear not. The blog post confirms that this is just a taste of what we can expect from the PlayStation 30th anniversary celebrations and that more announcements will be made "in the near future." New Ape Escape, then, please?

You might also like...

• PS5 Pro: the latest on rumored specs, price, design, and release date speculation
• A Hogwarts Legacy sequel is a big priority for Warner Bros
• When is the next Helldivers 2 update?

To celebrate the upcoming launch of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Focus Entertainment is now holding a sweepstakes for a custom PlayStation 5.

The publisher shared the details on X / Twitter today, where it showcased the first images of the decked-out console "blessed by the Emperor". It features royal blue casing, gold detailing, and a fully customized stand with attachable accessories. 

A custom blue and gold PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller will also be included with the limited edition prize. 

To enter for a chance of winning the PS5, you need to follow the official Focus Entertainment account on social media, retweet and like the post, and then reply with #SpaceMarine2.

There are alternate ways to enter depending on the social media platform, but you can read more about the sweepstakes rules here.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is set to launch on September 9 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC, although early access is now live for those who pre-ordered the Gold or Ultra Edition.

In our recent review for Space Marine 2, Cat Bussell called the shooter a "well-crafted power trip elevated by stellar combat and awe-inspiring visuals," and although it "lacks depth in some places and overreaches in others, fans of Warhammer 40,000 or third-person action games will find themselves well served here."

Last month, developer Saber Interactive shared the post-launch roadmap for the game, detailing future free updates, like private PvE lobbies, ultrawide support, and the Battle Barge Sparring Arena.

Season 2, which is planned for later this year, will see new PvE missions, as well as a Lethal difficulty and a new enemy type, while Seasons 3 and 4, set to arrive in 2025, will add new even more playable content and additional chapters.

You might also like...

• A Hogwarts Legacy sequel is a big priority for Warner Bros
• Star Wars Outlaws development team is 'pushing a lot of improvements' before the creative director moves back to The Division 3
• BioWare reveals Dragon Age: The Veilguard's skill tree progression and equipment upgrade system

Warner Bros. Discovery has said that a Hogwarts Legacy sequel is a big priority for the company.

Speaking at the Bank of America conference on September 4 (via Variety) chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels reportedly said that following the massive success of Avalanche Studios' Harry Potter role-playing game (RPG), Warner Bros' games division is now interested in a follow-up.

"Obviously, a successor to Hogwarts Legacy is one of the biggest priorities in a couple of years down the road," Wiedenfels said. 

"So there is certainly a significant growth contribution from that [games] business in our strategic outlook here."

Wiedenfels also brought up the company's most recent AAA release, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which underperformed in sales for the company and recently resulted in numerous layoffs at Rocksteady Studios.

The CFO said that the game was a "miss" but that the games business continues to be a "strategic asset" for the overall company. 

Hogwarts Legacy sold more than 24 million copies since launching in February 2023 and has generated over $1 billion in revenue for Warner Bros, making it the best-selling game of the year, overtaking the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur's Gate 3.

According to a Bloomberg report earlier this year, Rocksteady was working on an announced director's cut of Hogwarts Legacy, which would seemingly be an enhanced version of the base game featuring additional content. 

Warner Bros. Games is continuing to cash in on the popular Harry Potter brand as it's just launched Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, a spin-off sports game developed by Unbroken Studios for PC and consoles.

You might also like...

• Star Wars Outlaws development team is 'pushing a lot of improvements' before the creative director moves back to The Division 3
• Star Wars Outlaws creative director is "a little disappointed" with review scores but glad "players are really connecting with what we did"
• BioWare reveals Dragon Age: The Veilguard's skill tree progression and equipment upgrade system

Star Wars Outlaws' creative director has confirmed that he will be spending his last weeks working on the game to add more improvements, before moving on to The Division 3.

"It's been announced that I'm exec[utive] producer on The Division, so these are my last weeks, but I'm making sure that I'm pushing as much as I can on the last weeks," said Julian Gerighty in a recent interview with GamesRadar.

This doesn't mean all work on Massive Entertainment's open-world Star Wars game will stop, as Gerighty has revealed that the development team is now in the process of implementing some adjustments to Outlaws, which could mean quality-of-life updates and other hotfixes are on the way.

Gerighty also added that while he and other staff members don't have long left before they need to move back to The Division 3's development, they're trying their best to deliver the content planned for later this year.

"We're pushing a lot of improvements," he said. "We don't want to let it go. They're going to have to kick us out the door. And that's improvements, not just on the base game, but it's things that we're going to deliver later on this year and next year with the downloadable episodes that we're creating there." 

These downloadable episodes are the two expansions previously announced for the game's Season Pass - Wild Card and A Pirate's Fortune - the first of which launches in Fall 2024 followed by the second in Spring 2025.

Gerighty also shared a little insight into both story packs, saying, "We're going to be able to build on that and make something that's really Sabacc themed," Gerighty said, referring to Wild Card's story. 

"The next one that features Hondo from the animation [The Clone Wars] – he's a legendary Space Pirate, a great character, super humorous – so that it's space piracy and pushing the space aspect of the game, which, I mean, we would have loved to spend more time in space."

Although Gerighty will be moving on from Star Wars, he adds, "Whatever happens next, I'll be playing it for sure."

The Division 3 was announced last September but we don't have too many details about the game, only that Ubisoft was "actively building a team" in 2023, so the game is likely a few years away.

You might also like...

• Star Wars Outlaws creative director is "a little disappointed" with review scores but glad "players are really connecting with what we did"
• BioWare reveals Dragon Age: The Veilguard's skill tree progression and equipment upgrade system
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard's latest gameplay demo gives us our first look at The Lighthouse

BioWare has shared an in-depth look at Dragon Age: The Veilguard's progression system.

Following the latest gameplay demo, which gave us a deeper look at the world we'll be exploring in The Veilguard, BioWare has now offered a new deep dive into the game's leveling system.

In a new blog post accompanied by a 10-minute breakdown video, it was revealed that in a role-playing game (RPG), players will be able to reach a max level of 50, which is higher than its predecessor, Dragon Age: Inquisition.

BioWare said that the largest form of experience points comes from completing quests in this game and that the "bigger and more momentous the quest, the better the bonus will be."

We also got a look at the Constellation Skill Tree, featuring branching skill paths depending on the class and specialization the player chooses that appear to be more advanced than the previous game.

There will be slots for 'Class' for core skills and weapon proficiencies, 'Ability' which can be assigned to an ability slot on your toolbar, a 'Major Passive' or 'Ability Upgrade' option, to add effects or modify existing Abilities, as well as 'Traits' to modify existing class skills, and 'Minor Passive' or 'Stat Boost' upgrades to increase efficacy in Abilities.

"Node selections are designed to harmonize into cohesive builds. This ensures that Rook’s strength is always growing as the playstyle is being refined," BioWare explained.

As for armor, accessories, and weapons, players will be able to discover or purchase equipment across many places throughout Thedas and, like former Dragon Age games, each item will have its own unique stats.

Players will also be able to locate the Caretaker’s Workshop in the Lighthouse, you're headquarters, where you can upgrade and enchant equipment as well as unlock additional effects for Rook and their companions.

Upgraded equipment will also receive increased stats and each time Rook upgrades the rank of the Caretaker’s Workshop, more enchantments will become available, but only one single enchantment can be applied per item at a time.

Although players will initially have to align with a certain faction during character creation, this doesn't mean they're armor-type will be locked. Unlike in Inquisition, The Veilguard will let players transmogrify their equipment, allowing them to have the best armor in terms of stats while wearing a different appearance.

The Veilguard's seven companions will also have their own leveling system, with each level gained granting them two skill points. 

"Each companion will have quests to deepen Rook’s bond with them, and this is one of the main ways for them to gain experience," BioWare said. "Companions also can gain experience through unique conversations and decisions with them. These quests and bonds are not limited to romantic interests; platonic friendships are just as important and in focus in Dragon Age: The Veilguard."

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to launch on October 31 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC. 

You might also like...

• Best RPGs 2024 - top role-playing games for PC and consoles
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard preview: an emphasis on moment-to-moment action and a strong lineup of companions
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard will let players choose between several 'playstyles' as difficulty options

Star Wars Outlaws' creative director Julian Gerighty has said that he is disappointed with the game's review scores.

Ubisoft's open-world Star Wars game officially launched last week on PC and console and currently sits at a comfortable score of 76 on Metacritic despite its mixed reception across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Gerighty admitted that he was "a little disappointed" when the review scores were released, but is glad that players are connecting with the game either way.

"I'm a little disappointed with the Metacritic; Of course, recognition from press and critics is very important to us, but players are really connecting with what we did," Gerighty said.

The creative director added that there's a "level of pride, happiness, and sense of accomplishment" among the team at Massive Entertainment and that the team "literally reached for the stars" throughout the game's four-year development.

Gerighty continued, saying that Star Wars Outlaws will be a game players will keep coming back to for years and that the studio has plans to improve it further.

"This will be a game that millions of people are going to play for years and years, and we’re never going to stop improving it," he said. "Well, that’s a lie, we’ll probably stop improving it, but today my mind is not on stopping improving it."

In terms of what's to come, Massive Entertainment hasn't laid out plans for any quality-of-life improvements just yet, but we do know that more post-launch content will be arriving later this year.

As detailed in the Season Pass roadmap, Star Wars Outlaws will receive two story packs, both of which can be purchased separately if players didn't purchase the Gold or Ultimate Edition.

Story Pack One is called Wild Card and is set to arrive in Fall 2024, and will follow Kay Vess infiltrating a high-stakes Sabacc tournament alongside Lando Calrissian. Story Pack Two is A Pirate's Fortune, and will be released in Spring 2025, featuring the return of the fan-favorite pirate Hondo Ohnaka.

You might also like...

• The best Star Wars games 2024 - galactic thrills for all
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard's latest gameplay demo gives us our first look at The Lighthouse
• Dune Awakening developer says work on bringing the MMO to Xbox Series S is progressing but will be a "challenge"