Sony's upcoming live-service multiplayer shooter Concord has been in development for eight years.

This comes from Concord's lead character designer, Jon Weisnewski, in a X / Twitter post celebrating the launch of the 5v5 first-person shooter, where he said he joined the project when Firewalk Studios was five years deep into working on the game (via IGN).

"The game has been in development for around 8 years and I’ve been there for almost 5 of them," Weisnewski said. "We don’t get a lot of Launch Days in our careers so today is special for a ton of reasons. Oblige me some good vibes today."

The hero shooter is available right now on PlayStation 5 and PC for those who purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition, but will be playable for all users when it officially releases tomorrow, August 30, 2024.

According to Weisnewski, it's just the beginning for Firewalk Studios as it prepares for the "years to come".

"Concord has so much humanity and depth to it," the developer added. "I really hope people give it a shot. Insanely proud of the game and we’re strapped in and ready to push it for years to come."

Despite being a live-service shooter, it's been confirmed that Concord won't have a Battle Pass, since Firewalk wanted to focus its attention on making the game a "rewarding and robust experience on day one, where just playing the game, leveling up your accounts and characters, and completing jobs yields meaningful rewards."

The shooter will, however, feature microtransactions in the form of downloadable content (DLC) that will allow players to purchase optional cosmetics like character skins.

Concord will also receive free post-launch content that will bring additional Freegunners (playable characters) maps and more "regular post-launch seasons and updates".

You might also like...

• Civilization 7's narrator revealed as Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie
• Xbox boss Phil Spencer says "The end result has to be better games that more people can play" following Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's PS5 announcement
• BioWare shares PC features for Dragon Age: The Veilguard including ultrawide resolutions and DualSense haptic support - and reveals that the game has been tested for 200,000 hours on PC

Sid Mier's Civilization 7's narrator has been revealed to be the actor behind a fan-favorite Game of Thrones character.

The next installment in the popular strategy series is coming to  PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025, and as with every Civilization game, there must be a narrator along for the journey.

In a new live-action reveal trailer shared during Gamescom 2024, developer Firaxis confirmed that actor Gwendoline Christie will narrate Sid Meier's Civilization 7. 

Best known for her role as Brienne of Tarth in the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones, and more recently Netflix's Sandman, Christie's role as narrator was teased alongside a new glimpse into what to expect in the upcoming sequel. You can check it out below:

This isn't the first time a Game of Thrones star has played a narrator in the Civilization franchise. Actor Sean Bean, known for his role as Ned Stark in the fantasy series, served as the voice in Civilization 6. 

Previously, Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy narrated Civilization 4, followed by William Morgan Sheppard in Civilization 5.

Pre-orders for Civilization 7 are currently available on Steam alongside the digital-only Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Founder's Edition, which is only available until February 28, 2025, as well as the Deluxe Edition.

Each edition comes with its own unique extras, like additional content packs, civilizations, and cosmetics, but pre-purchasing either version will offer advanced early access on February 6.

You might also like...

• 2K Games confirms Mafia: The Old Country will have Sicilian voice acting after some confusion
• Xbox boss Phil Spencer says "The end result has to be better games that more people can play" following Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's PS5 announcement
• BioWare shares PC features for Dragon Age: The Veilguard including ultrawide resolutions and DualSense haptic support - and reveals that the game has been tested for 200,000 hours on PC

2K Games and Hangar 13 have confirmed that Mafia: The Old Country will have Sicilian voice acting after fans notice the absence of an Italian dub option on Steam.

For the final, surprise announcement at Gamescom Opening Night Live, it was announced that the next game in the Mafia series, Mafia: The Old Country, in now in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S and will launch in 2025.

Although we only received a short cinematic teaser trailer, the game is now available to wishlist on its respective stores. 

Soon after the reveal, however, some fans found additional information on the Steam page that suggested that the game wouldn't feature an Italian audio option, despite its Italian roots. 

Instead the page lists six available languages, including English, French, German, Spanish, Czech, and Russian, but does feature Italian subtitle and interface options.

"Listen, I ain't very picky with voice acting in video games but why the first game of the whole Mafia franchise to be set in Sicily has no Italian audio?" one user wrote. 

Luckily, 2K Games and Hangar 13 have now offered some insight into the matter in a new statement shared on X / Twitter, explaining that The Old Country will include the Sicilian dialect authentic to the game's 1990s Sicily setting, not Italian voice acting.

"Authenticity is at the heart of the Mafia franchise, and Mafia: The Old Country will offer voice acting in Sicilian, in line with the game's setting in 1900s Sicily," the post reads. "Additionally, Italian language localization will be available for both in-game UI and via subtitles."

Mafia: The Old Country doesn't have a release date just yet, but Hangar 13 has promised an additional look at the game in December. We've also received a brief description of what the next installment will be about: 

"Uncover the origins of organized crime in Mafia: The Old Country, a gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily," it reads.

"Fight to survive in this dangerous and unforgiving era, with action brought to life by the authentic realism and rich storytelling that the critically acclaimed Mafia series is known for."

You might also like...

• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will launch in two parts in early 2025
• Xbox boss Phil Spencer says "The end result has to be better games that more people can play" following Indiana Jones and the Great Circle's PS5 announcement
• BioWare shares PC features for Dragon Age: The Veilguard including ultrawide resolutions and DualSense haptic support - and reveals that the game has been tested for 200,000 hours on PC

Perhaps the biggest announcement of Gamescom Opening Night Live, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has officially been confirmed for PlayStation 5 after previously being set to launch as an Xbox and PC exclusive title. Now, CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer has explained the surprise release, calling it a business move for the company.

During the Microsoft Gamescom livestream, Spencer was asked what the decision to bring Indiana Jones to PS5 could mean for future Xbox releases in relation to its ongoing multiplatform push, which recently saw the likes of Pentiment, Grounded, Hi-Fi Rush, and Sea of Thieves make their way to more platforms. 

"Obviously, last spring we launched four games, two of them on the Switch, four of them on PlayStation, and we said we were gonna learn," Spencer said. "We said we'd watch. I think at Showcase, I might have said, from our learning, we're gonna do more.

"What I see, when I look, our franchises are getting stronger. Our Xbox console players are as high this year as they’ve ever been. So I look at it and I say, okay, our player numbers are going up for the console platform. Our franchises are as strong as they’ve ever been."

Spencer continued, alluding that the multi-platform push is also part of bringing more money into Microsoft following the publisher's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

"We run a business," he said. "It’s definitely true inside of Microsoft the bar is high for us in terms of the delivery we have to give back to the company because we get a level of support from the company that’s just amazing and what we’re able to go do.

"So I look at this [as], how can we make our games as strong as possible? Our platform continues to grow, on console, on PC, and on cloud. I think it’s just going to be a strategy that works for us."

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will launch as a timed exclusive on December 9 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, before coming to PS5 in Spring 2025. 

You might also like...

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle preview: shaping up to be a heck of a whip-cracking, gun-toting, puzzle-solving adventure
• Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will launch in two parts in early 2025
• BioWare shares PC features for Dragon Age: The Veilguard including ultrawide resolutions and DualSense haptic support - and reveals that the game has been tested for 200,000 hours on PC

BioWare has revealed the PC features for Dragon Age: The Veilguard PC ahead of its October launch.

As promised in its official roadmap that was released last week, the studio has shared a new blog post detailing everything players need to know about the PC version of the upcoming role-playing game (RPG), along with a list of exclusive features for the platform.

BioWare explained that it created a dedicated team to focus specifically on PC because "getting the PC experience just right was crucial." This resulted in PCs making up 40% of the studio's platform testing effort, amounting to over 200,000 hours of performance and compatibility testing.

In addition to the testing hours, BioWare did close to 10,000 hours of user research when it came to testing controls and UI on both keyboard and mouse, and controllers. 

This means that The Veilguard on PC will feature native support for PlayStation 5 DualSense controllers with haptics support, as well as the Xbox controllers, with the option to transition between controllers or keyboard and mouse while playing or in menus.

The Veilguard will have numerous ways to play, BioWare said, so it's implemented a way for players to choose by adding the ability to customize class-specific keybinds that you can easily switch between.

In terms of graphics, the game will support 21:9 Ultrawide monitors alongside standard resolution options, as well as full HDR support. PC players will also be able to disable the option "Cinematic Aspect Ratio", which will remove the black bars during cutscenes, adjust the field of view with the FOV slider, and experience an uncapped framerate.

Unlike previous games in the series, players will now be able to change their graphics settings without having to reboot their game after saving their preset. With The Veilguard, graphics and display settings are reflected in real-time on screen, so players can see exactly what tweaks they are making.

Although previously confirmed last month, BioWare has reiterated that the upcoming Dragon Age game will be Steam native - no EA App required - and Steam Deck verified with Cloud Save support, allowing players to switch between the handheld and PC seamlessly.

As for the advanced settings, the RPG will offer a series of ray tracing features, an Ultra RT mode for high-end builds, as well as upscaling options, such as NVIDIA DLSS 3 and FSR 2.2, which BioWare said has been "heavily modified", and XeSS. 

The game will also support DLSS 3 with frame generation and NVIDIA Reflex, but you can take a look at the complete specifications below.

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

Dragon Age: The Veilguard PC features:

Display Features

• Full Support for 21:9 Ultra Wide Resolutions 
• Ability to Uncap Frame Rate
• VSync, including fractional rate VSync
• HDR Support
• Optional Upscaling (DLSS 3, FSR 2.2, XeSS)
• NVIDIA Reflex 
• DLSS 3 Frame Generation
• Optional Dynamic Resolution Scaling 
• Cinematic Aspect Ratio (Disable this option for cinematic 21:9 ratio)

Graphics Settings

• Presets Available (Low, Medium, High, Ultra)
• Texture Settings
  • Texture Quality
  • Texture Filtering
• Light & Shadow Settings
  • Lighting Quality
  • Contact Shadow
  • Ambient Occlusion
  • Screen Space Reflections
  • Volumetric Lighting
  • Sky Quality
• Ray Tracing Settings*
  • Ray-Traced Reflections
  • Ray-Traced Ambient Occlusion
  • Ultra Ray Tracing
• Geometry Settings
  • Level Of Detail
  • Strand Hair 
  • Terrain Quality
  • Terrain Decoration Quality
  • Visual Effects Quality
• Camera Effects
  • Depth of Field
  • Vignette
  • Motion Blur 
  • Post Processing Quality
  • Field of View

Controls

• Class-specific Keybinds 
• Keyboard + Controller Bindings

Ray Tracing can be "ON" or turned to "Selective". Selective Mode enables Ray Tracing features in specific areas that can best take advantage of the feature.

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's release date trailer finally gives us our first look at them dragons

Microsoft has announced a new range of 'Designed for Xbox' accessibility controllers at Gamescom 2024. One has been created in-house, while others come from manufacturers Byowave and 8BitDo.

First up is the Xbox Adaptive Joystick. Launching in 'early 2025' and being sold exclusively through the Microsoft Store for $29.99 (around £24.99), this will be an entry-level wired joystick "designed to meet the needs of players with limited mobility as a companion for the Xbox Adaptive Controller and other Xbox controllers, including the Xbox Wireless Controller or Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2," according to a Microsoft press release.

Next up is Byowave's 'Designed for Xbox' Proteus Controller. Available to buy now from Byowave's website, this is a highly modular controller that allows players to snap together individual, sphere-like pieces to tailor a gaming experience to their needs and preferences. Some examples include stacked vertically to resemble a flight stick or as a 2x2 layout with sticks and modules facing outwards. At $299 (around £229) it certainly doesn't come cheap, though.

Lastly is 8BitDo's contribution: the 8BitDo Lite SE 2.4G Wireless Controller for Xbox. 8BitDo regularly features in our guides to the best Xbox controllers and best PC controllers, and it's no surprise here that the brand's new accessibility pad has low-resistance face buttons, Hall effect thumbsticks, and a symmetrical layout for greater ease of use. It's also compatible with the Xbox Adaptive Controller and is purchasable now for $59.99 from 8BitDo's website.

Microsoft is also expanding its Xbox Design Lab service with 3D printable files for adaptive thumbsticks toppers. Microsoft is providing this service at no extra cost, and six thumbstick designs are available to suit a variety of playstyles and preferences.

You might also like...

• The new Nacon Revolution X Unlimited Xbox controller features a nifty LCD screen - and it's coming later this year
• Razer has unleashed the Kraken V4 – the latest in its line of iconic gaming headsets
• Herman Miller Sayl Gaming Chair review: a compact chair that doesn’t compromise on comfort

Nacon has announced the Revolution X Unlimited wireless controller, the brand's latest gamepad that's compatible with Xbox consoles as well as PC and scheduled to launch during 'Fall 2024.'

It's already looking to be a big improvement over the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, as the Revolution X Unlimited is an Xbox controller set to feature drift-resisting Hall effect thumbsticks, micro-switch d-pad, face buttons, six remappable buttons, and trigger locks. The controller supports 2.4GHz connectivity, as well as Bluetooth and wired connections.

What sets the Revolution X Unlimited apart, though, is the inclusion of an LCD screen in the center of the gamepad. Similar to the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra, it looks like the screen can be used to switch between custom button profiles, monitor battery life, and - judging by the reveal trailer - enable a 'shooter pro mode' that's likely to be tailor-made for games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

In terms of battery life, Nacon has stated the controller can manage "up to 10 hours." That appears to fall short of its closest competitor, the aforementioned Stealth Ultra, which hardware writer Dash Wood noted lasted around 18 hours in his review. Still, the addition of an LCD screen is always going to eat into battery life so we're not too surprised by the relatively lower number here.

Nacon hasn't made any announcements in terms of price just yet. The Revolution 5 Pro retailed at $199.99 / £199.99. However, the PS5 controller didn't have some of the improvements the Revolution X Unlimited is bringing to the table - such as the LCD screen or micro-switch modules. With that in mind, I expect the Revolution X Unlimited to come in at its slightly more expensive price point. Still, those looking for a more premium Xbox or PC controller in the near future should take note.

You might also like...

• Razer has unleashed the Kraken V4 – the latest in its line of iconic gaming headsets
• Western Digital reveals a new 8TB PS5 SSD - and it costs about as much as two PS5s
• Turtle Beach announces the Stealth 700 Gen 3 gaming headset alongside a new wave of PDP controllers

Gaming hardware manufacturer Razer has just launched the latest in its iconic lineup of wireless gaming headsets. The Razer Kraken V4 is available to purchase now, and a wired model - known as the Razer Kraken V4 X - is coming sometime during 'Q3 2024' according to a Razer press release.

The Razer Kraken V4 sits at the higher end of that mid-range price spectrum, coming in at $179.99 / £179.99. Meanwhile, the upcoming wired model will retail for significantly less at $79.99 / £79.99 when it launches sometime this year.

The Razer Kraken V4 seems like it's quite a versatile headset. It's got three connection types (Razer HyperSpeed Wireless via 2.4GHz connection, Bluetooth, and wired) and is compatible with PlayStation consoles, Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam Deck, and mobile devices.

It features Razer-specific titanium 40mm drivers, which the brand says allows the Kraken V4 to push out "exceptional highs, mids, and lows that do not muddy, providing a rich listening experience for deeper immersion."

Furthermore, the headset has support for THX spatial audio. This should provide an enhanced soundstage across a range of supported titles. It could be exceptionally immersive in single-player games, or give you that slight edge in tense multiplayer matches online.

Of course, it wouldn't quite be a Razer headset without a smattering of RGB, and the Kraken V4 delivers. This is the first Razer headset in the brand's history to feature 9-zone earcup lighting, which should provide even richer color detail and a more convincing RGB effect overall. As ever, RGB pattern presets will be available via the Chroma Studio software, allowing you to customize the color pattern to your liking.

The Razer Kraken V4 could well end up being a contender for the best wireless gaming headsets. It seems to have a very impressive feature set, especially in regards to the improved RGB lighting, THX spatial audio, and those slick titanium drivers.

You might also like...

• Western Digital reveals a new 8TB PS5 SSD - and it costs about as much as two PS5s
• SteelSeries and Blizzard team up to create a limited World of Warcraft edition of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 gaming headset
• These new Pokémon SD cards from Western Digital are absolutely adorable and perfect for Nintendo Switch

Developer Dont Nod has announced that Lost Records: Bloom & Rage will be released in two parts early next year.

Revealed during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024, the first part of Bloom & Rage will launch on February 18, 2025, followed by part two on March 18 for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

The developer best known for its Life is Strange series also shared a brand-new trailer alongside the release dates, which offered a first look at the gameplay of Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, including a look at the game's core cast - Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat - and the navigation between the game's dual timelines of 1995 and 2022. 

We also got to witness some dialogue choices that, in true Dont Nod fashion, will have a great impact on the narrative. Bloom & Rage also features a dynamic dialogue system, which "promises another level of immersion" as it can change depending on where the player looks and what they say. 

Players can also choose to ignore and interrupt other characters, which will make conversations feel more authentic and choices more important.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage was first announced during The Game Awards 2023 last December and was slated to release in late 2024. From the first cinematic trailer, it was revealed that the game will be a "story-driven journey through time" featuring a supernatural aspect.

"The magical summer of 1995 is one of self-discovery and forging unbreakable bonds for high school friends Swann, Nora, Autumn, and Kat," the game description reads. 

"27 years of no contact later, fate reunites them to confront the long-buried secret that made them promise to never speak again."

You might also like...

• Final Fantasy 16 is finally coming to PC next month
• Dragon Age: The Veilguard's release date trailer finally gives us our first look at them dragons
• Life is Strange: Double Exposure has been announced and sees the return of Max Caulfield

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will launch on December 9 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and day one on Xbox Game Pass.

Bethesda announced the release date during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 alongside a brand-new trailer, where we also got confirmation that the upcoming game will be coming to PlayStation 5 in Spring 2025. 

In the new trailer, which is narrated by voice actor and Indiana Jones star Troy Baker, we got to witness the titular protagonist punching Nazis and exploring old ruins and temples, spanning multiple locations like Rome, Thailand, and Egypt in the year 1937.

Though the game is in first-person throughout combat, the game does feature instances of third-person action in certain sequences. Cutscenes are also in third-person, and we see plenty of those in the latest trailer, too.

The Great Circle also has a journal and camera feature, allowing players to record their discoveries in the game that will reward Adventure Points depending on your findings.

Pre-orders are also now available on all platforms, with a Standard Edition, Digital Premium Edition, and a Collector's Edition up for grabs, each with its own unique goodies.

Pre-purchasing, or playing the gaming on Game Pass, will reward bonus items such as The Last Crusade pack, which features the iconic outfit and whip from the 1989 film.

We actually learned of a December release date, as well as the future PlayStation 5 launch, through an industry insider earlier today. 

The report also followed rumors from earlier this year (via The Verge) that Microsoft was considering bringing Indiana Jones and the Great Circle to PS5 months after its Xbox and PC launch, in a bid to push its new multi-platform approach.

TechRadar Gaming's Managing Editor, Rob, recently got the chance to attend an exclusive hands-off preview of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and it's shaping up to be a whip-cracking action-adventure game.

You might also like...

• Best RPGs 2024 - top role-playing games for PC and consoles
• The best story games 2024 - video game stories that are unforgettable
• Final Fantasy 16 is finally coming to PC next month

A brand new trailer for the upcoming sequel, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, has just been shown at Gamescom 2024's Opening Night Live presentation.

The trailer shows off the gorgeous open world, which now mixes the large, bustling city of Kuttenberg with the vast explorable countryside. You can also expect brutal and bloody combat as we've come to expect from this series. Henry, the first game's protagonist, returns here and seems to find himself in parts unknown.

Environments look exceptionally detailed, with busy streets filled with peasants, beggars, shopkeeps and guards. It's shaping up to be a quintessential medieval romp through 15th century eastern Europe. The game also seems to have retained the first's distinct sense of humor, with ne'er-do-wells placed in the stocks, folks urinating in public and others still getting saucy in the bedroom. What a time it was to be alive.

While this first snippet of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 gameplay was just a brief teaser, a full gameplay reveal is expected to be shown off tomorrow (August 21) which will likely provide a substantial deep dive into the upcoming game's unique systems and potential improvements to combat.

The overall narrative and voice acting also seems to be as strong as ever in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, with this brief teaser trailer showing off plenty of cutscenes and voice acting, and it's all very high quality stuff.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was delayed from its initial 2024 release window. It's now scheduled to launched on February 11, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.

You might also like...

• Monster Hunter Wilds trailer at Gamescom 2024 shows off spooky spiders and electric wyverns
• Amazon Games reveals King of Meat, a new co-op hack-and-slash title from UK developer Glowmade
• Civilization 7 launches on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch in February, 2025

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on February 11, 2025.

Firaxis Games made the announcement during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024 alongside the first gameplay reveal trailer which, you guessed it, showcases civilizations being built across the globe throughout generations of history.

"In Civilization VII, your strategic decisions shape the unique cultural lineage of your evolving empire," the game description reads. "Rule as one of many legendary leaders from throughout history and steer the course of your story by choosing a new civilization to represent your empire in each Age of human advancement.

"Construct cities and architectural wonders to expand your territory, improve your civilization with technological breakthroughs, and conquer or cooperate with rival civilizations as you explore the far reaches of the unknown world. Pursue prosperity in an immersive solo experience or play with others in online multiplayer."

Pre-orders are currently available on Steam alongside the digital-only Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Founder's Edition, only available until February 28, 2025, as well as the Deluxe Edition.

You can take a look at what comes in each edition below, including advanced early access on February 6 for both editions.

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Founders Edition:

• Full base game
• Advanced Access - play the game up to 5 days early on February 6, 2025
• Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack
• Crossroads of the World Collection, with post-launch content featuring 2 new leaders, 4 new civilizations, 4 new wonders, a special cosmetic bonus, and more
• Right to Rule Collection, with post-launch content featuring 2 new leaders, 4 new civilizations, 4 new wonders, a special cosmetic bonus, and more!*
• Deluxe Content Pack, which includes:
  - 2 leader personas
  - 4 profile customizations
  - 1 alternate scout skin
• Founders Content Pack, which includes:
  - 2 leader personas
  - 4 profile customizations
  - 1 fog of war tile set
  - 1 Founders palace skin

Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Deluxe Edition:

• • Full base game
• Advanced Access - play the game early on February 6, 2025
• Tecumseh and Shawnee Pack
• Crossroads of the World Collection, with post-launch content featuring 2 new leaders, 4 new civilizations, 4 new wonders, a special cosmetic bonus, and more!
• Deluxe Content Pack, which includes:
  - 2 leader personas
  - 4 profile customizations
  - 1 alternate scout skin

You might also like...

• Dune Awakening's new gameplay trailer explores the planet of Arrakis
• Borderlands 4 has officially been announced
• Star Wars Outlaws PC requirements confirm you'll need a high-end GPU for 4K 60FPS gameplay