video games
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Source: NYVGCC / 2025 New York Game Awards / Astro Bot
Astro Bot continues to take home the big trophies. The exceptional PlayStation 5 platformer from Team ASOBI took home the night’s most significant honor during the 2025 New York Game Awards on Tuesday, January 21.
A cold winter night in NYC could not cool off Astro Bot’s momentum. During the 2025 New York Game Awards hosted by NY Video Game Critics Circle President Harold Goldberg and former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé, the PlayStation 5 exclusive took home three awards: Best Music in a Game, Best Kids Game, and the cherry on top, Game of The Year.
Simone De Rochefort and Clayton Ashley (Polygon) took home the prestigious Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism. Remedy Studios’ head, Sam Lake, was honored in special tribute as this year’s recipient of the 2025 Andrew Yoon Legend Award.
Regarding entertainment, toes were tapping, and heads were nodding, thanks to a performance from Mega Ran, who debuted a brand new original song for the award show.
Another successful New York Game Awards is in the books. For more information on the NY Video Game Critics Circle and the critical work they do to ensure inner-city youth can find their way in the game journalism space, you can head here.
2025 New York Game Awards Winners
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year: Astro Bot
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game: UFO 50
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game: Metaphor: ReFantazio
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game: Astro Bot
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game: Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game: Batman: Arkham Shadow
Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game: Astro Bot
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game: Zenless Zone Zero
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake: Silent Hill 2
Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem: Mouthwashing
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC: Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism: Simone De Rochefort & Clayton Ashley
Andrew Yoon Legend Award Recipient: Sam Lake
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Source: Xbox / Xbox Game Pass
It’s a new year, and the best deal in gaming, Xbox Game Pass, is only getting better. Some new games are coming to the library to keep you picking up the Xbox controller or whatever peripheral you use since everything is almost an Xbox now.
Xbox is bringing more day-one releases, fan favorites, and hidden gems to Xbox Game Pass and Ultimate ahead of the upcoming Developer_Direct, which promises to reveal a brand new, unannounced title.
We won’t talk your head off here. Let’s get to games.
Available Right Now!
Available today, it will be Lonely Mountain: Snow Riders, the follow-up to Lonely Mountains: Downhill. It now features eight players via cross-platform multiplayer as players are challenged to work their way down the slopes while sharing a limited number of checkpoints, or you can partake in a breakneck race to the base.
Coming Soon To Xbox Game Pass
Flock (Console) – January 22 Now with Game Pass Standard
Flock is a multiplayer co-op game about the joy of flight and collecting adorable flying creatures with your friends. Soar through beautiful landscapes, seeking out rare and elusive creatures to add to your flock.
Gigantic: Rampage Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Gigantic: Rampage Edition is a premium and definitive release of the original 5v5 MOBA hero shooter that provides a dynamic and exciting team-based multiplayer experience for fans of both genres. Choose from a diverse roster of unique heroes, each with a set of upgradeable abilities, and team up with four other players to control objectives and take down the opposing team’s mighty Guardian, all while protecting your own.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess (Console) – January 22 Now with Game Pass Standard
A unique Japanese-inspired, single player Kagura action strategy game. It takes place on a mountain covered by defilement. During the day, purify the villages and prepare yourself for sundown. During the night, protect the Maiden against the hordes of the Seethe. Repeat the day and night cycle until you cleanse the mountain of defilement and return peace to the land.
Magical Delicacy (Console) – January 22 Now with Game Pass Standard
A wholesome pixel art platformer. Cook magical delicacies from a vast collection of ingredients in your own shop. Explore an unfamiliar town and deliver tasty treats to the townsfolk. Learn new ways to traverse, discover secrets, and experience a unique witchy world.
Tchia (Xbox Series X|S) – January 22 Now with Game Pass Standard
Join Tchia on her tropical open-world adventure as she sets off to rescue her father from the cruel tyrant, Meavora, ruler of the archipelago. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around beautiful islands as you explore a physics-driven sandbox.
The Case of the Golden Idol (Console) – January 22 Now with Game Pass Standard
Mayhem, magic, and murder most foul! Examine clues and use your powers of deduction to solve the twisted mystery of a family’s cursed inheritance and a series of grisly deaths in this point-and-click detective adventure game
Starbound (Cloud and Console) – January 22 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Standard
Currently available with PC Game Pass and now coming to Xbox consoles and Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta)! In Starbound, you create your own story – there’s no wrong way to play! You may choose to save the universe from the forces that destroyed your home, uncovering greater galactic mysteries in the process, or you may wish to forego a heroic journey entirely in favor of colonizing uncharted planets.
Eternal Strands (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! Eternal Strands is the debut fantasy title from Yellow Brick Games, a new independent studio founded by industry veterans from franchises including Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Watch Dogs, and Assassin’s Creed. Fight epic, towering creatures while blending magical abilities with an arsenal of powerful weapons to keep the world from crumbling in this third-person, action-adventure game.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 28 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is an action-packed, third-person shooter and trap defense game. Evolve as an orc-slaying War Mage through rogue-lite choices and obliterate, eviscerate, and incinerate massive hordes with up to four players.
Shady Part of Me (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 29 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Shady Part of Me sends you on an emotional and dream-like journey, with breathtaking artistic direction and the enthralling voice of Hannah Murray from “Game of Thrones” and “Skins.” As a little girl and her shadow, overcome emotional struggles through surreal dreamscapes across a touching narrative filled with twists and surprises. Both must learn, cooperate, and evolve to progress in a poetic journey.
Sniper Elite: Resistance (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 30 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! Offering unparalleled sniping mechanics, stealth, and tactical third-person combat, Sniper Elite: Resistance turns the attention of the award-winning series towards a hidden war, far from the front lines, deep within the heart of occupied France. Bring a friend – the full campaign can be experienced in co-op.
Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 31 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one! The highly anticipated sequel to one of 2022’s most acclaimed RPGs, Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, is a dice-driven RPG in a human and heartfelt sci-fi world. You are an escaped android with a malfunctioning body, a price on your head, and no memory of your past. Get a ship, find a crew, and take on contracts while you navigate across the Starward Belt.
Far Cry New Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC) – February 4 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
Dive into a transformed, vibrant, post-apocalyptic Hope County, Montana, 17 years after a global nuclear catastrophe. Lead the fight against the Highwaymen as they seek to take over the last remaining resources.
Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass On January 31
With the arrival of new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass, that sadly means some games will have to leave the service, so if you’re hoping to play these games, you better hop on it quick or use your membership discount, saving up to 20% to keep these outgoing titles in your library.
Anuchard (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Broforce Forever (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Darkest Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Death’s Door (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Maquette (Cloud, Console, and PC)
Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem (Cloud, Console, and PC)
DLC & Game Updates
Xbox also allows Game Pass subscribers to access DLC and updates for titles like Diablo IV and Valorant.
Diablo IV: Season of Witchcraft – Available now
Diablo IV: Season of Witchcraft has begun! Unravel the mystery of the Tree of Whispers’ stolen Heads by harnessing Witchcraft Powers to hunt the rogue Heads as they spread madness across Sanctuary. Complete the Season Journey to earn a new Raven Pet. Learn more on Xbox Wire.
Valorant: New Agent Tejo – Available now
Game Pass members now have access to Valorant’s newest Agent, Tejo, who’s joining the roster from Colombia. As part of the Initiator class, Tejo specializes in flushing out enemies with a unique kit consisting of information gathering, explosions, and a concuss. Learn more about Tejo’s abilities on Xbox Wire.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers get to play some of the biggest titles and enjoy these perks. You can access the Game Pass section on your console, Xbox mobile app, or Xbox app on PC to find new in-game content, consumables, and offers included with your Game Pass Ultimate membership.
Throne and Liberty: Lottie and Percy Bundle – Available now
Join the Resistance in this Xbox exclusive colored Lottie Outfit and get a Fuzzy Percy Amitoi to tag along on your adventures in this free-to-play, guild-focused combat experience.
EA Sports UFC 5: Bruce Lee Bundle – Available now
Unlock new alter egos for the father of mixed martial arts, available with your EA Play membership. EA Play membership is included with Game Pass Ultimate.
War Thunder: Year of the Snake Bundle – Available now
Celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Snake with a mighty tank Sherman Jumbo “Cobra King” and versatile fighter plane P-63C-5 “King Cobra”.
Enlisted: Ultimate US Starter Pack – Available now
Get a great start in Enlisted with the premium US Assaulters squad armed with M3A1 Grease Guns!
Keep it locked on HHW Gaming for more news regarding Xbox Game Pass, and be sure to stick around for our coverage for the upcoming Developer_Direct.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / TikTok Ban
Welp, TikTok and its China-based owner ByteDance f***ed around and found out. Late Saturday night, TikTok was officially banned in the U.S., but it’s back up after Donald Trump vowed to save it. Shockingly, the card-collecting video game Marvel Snap and video editing app CapCut are still down for the count.
TikTok went dark last night, causing all the influencers to lose their sh*t and take their grievances to X, Instagram, and wherever else they can hit a publish button.
Last night, TikTok’s 187 million U.S. users were greeted with a message telling them they could no longer use the app and that the company was fortunate that Felon 47, Donald Trump, would work with them to find a solution.
“Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now,” the message begins. “We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
TikTok cooked 😂🤣 pic.twitter.com/hzQvE5N6gG
— B E A N Z The Gamer Dad(beanzgotgamez.bsky.social) (@BeanzGotGamez) January 19, 2025
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Gen Z’s nightmare scenario of either having to put their phones down or use other social media platforms to share bad takes and do dance videos came to an end on Sunday after President-elect Trump said on his bullsh*t platform, Truth Social, that he will issue an executive order on Monday to save it.
Per MSNBC:
“I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
As of this writing, the switch has been flipped back on in the U.S., with the company writing in a post on X, formerly Twitter, “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
STATEMENT FROM TIKTOK:
In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170…
— TikTok Policy (@TikTokPolicy) January 19, 2025
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The effort to ban TikTok was started by Trump in 2020 pic.twitter.com/7npCMW08qJ
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) January 17, 2025
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The TikTok Jig Is Loading….
While this may seem like a win for everyone, some see the jig, accurately pointing out that Donald Trump called for TikTok to be banned during the tail end of his disastrous presidency.
Popular political commentator @2RawTooReal pointed out how Trump and the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, are in “cahoots” because Chew will be attending Trump’s now indoor inauguration ceremony. He also points out in his video that Trump wrote the EO (executive order) calling for the platform to be banned, but only for President Biden to revoke it when he took office.
2RawTooReal also points out that the law allows the president to grant TikTok a 90-day extension, allowing TikTok to find a buyer or, as he points out, allow Trump to work with the Republican-controlled Senate and House to pass a bill saving the platform, making Trump look like a hero and a champion of entrepreneurs.
He also points out that Chew shared a video of far-right political activist Charlie Kirk on his TikTok page and that the app buried his and other videos of users fact-checking misinformation about Vice President Kamala Harris.
The TikTok CEO and Donald Trump are in cahoots pic.twitter.com/IZT3HJrmni
— 2RawTooReal (@2RawTooReal) January 19, 2025
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Marvel Snap Is Still Down
While TikTok is back up, Marvel Snap is still down. Now, why, you might ask? IGN reports that the game was “developed by Second Dinner and was published by ByteDance-owned publisher Nuverse, which is what led to the ban.”
Well damn.
Second Dinner’s Chief Development Officer and Co-Founder, Ben Brode, revealed on BlueSky that the ban surprised his company.
“Unfortunately, Marvel Snap is temporarily unavailable in U.S. app stores and is unavailable to play in the U.S. This was a surprise to Second Dinner and our publisher Nuverse,” Brode wrote. “We’re actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible and will update you once we have more to share.”
He offered those thirsty to log in and give advice, suggesting they should use a VPN.
“FWIW I am hearing that VPN software will allow you to continue playing Marvel Snap in the meantime, as long as you pretend you’re from Canada or something,” he said.
What a mess.
You can see more reactions to the whole TikTok fiasco in the gallery below.
1. Donald Trump is not slick
2. Hit Charlie Kirk with the mean “this you?”
3. Accurate
4. Symone Sanders & The Weekend crew see the jig
5. Glad y’all are happy
6. This gif is always gold
7. Never forget
8. Please, don’t forget that Republicans don’t want to ban assault weapons
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Source: Eva Marie Uzcategui / Getty / Elon Musk
Elon Musk claims to be a top-tier gamer, but gamers aren’t so sure about that based on his Path of Exile 2 streaming footage.
Musk somehow found a way to squeeze in a lot of time to play Path of Exile 2 despite spending most of his time kissing Donald Trump’s ass t Mar-a-Lago and supposedly pushing to make America efficient again.
While streaming himself playing the game with two extremely high-ranking builds on hardcore mode, which features a permadeath mechanic permanently killing your character if you die, gamers noticed something very peculiar: his lack of skill.
Watching Musk clumsily navigate the game despite having a high-ranking character raised gamers’ eyebrows, leading many to question whether he is a gaming god.
After some investigation, the answer is a resounding no. Gamers, including popular Twitch streamer Asmongold, have called him a “fake gamer” and accused him of paying someone to grind the game for him or as one YouTube commenter called it, “fraudmaxing.”
Per Vulture:
The key evidence that Musk doesn’t know what he’s doing is as follows: Musk burns past the high-value items while picking up the worthless ones; Musk seemingly does not know which icon to click on to enter a map; Musk doesn’t seem to realize that he needs to replenish his mana (essentially his magic levels) in order to deal effective damage against a boss (it is unfathomable that he should not know how to do this if he’s played even an hour of any RPG); worst of all, and certainly the most painful to watch for a seasoned Path of Exile 2 player, is the way Musk — supposed veteran PC gamer — inefficiently drags and drops loot into his inventory.
Musk, being the man-child he is, also unfollowed Asmongold, stripped him of his verified status and shared the DMs they exchanged with each other.
Elon Musk removed Asmongold’s check mark and leaked private DMs after POE criticism pic.twitter.com/upC4M0jWuD
— yeet (@Awk20000) January 16, 2025
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Leaking my DM’s is one thing but this is absolutely uncalled for https://t.co/I4eRo2QPKF
— Zack (@Asmongold) January 16, 2025
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What a loser.
Now you see why we call him Phony Stark.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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Source: Xbox / Xbox Developer_Direct
Xbox is back with its first Developer_Direct presentation for the new year!
On Thursday, January 9, Xbox announced that a Developer_Direct is coming. Gamers can expect updates and an inside look at several games launching on the Xbox Series X and Series S this year.
Like the last Developer_Direct, Xbox will take us inside the studios for Compulsion Games in Montreal, Canada, to get more insight on South of Midnight, then jump to Montpellier, France, to visit Sandfall Interactive for a look at Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, then the iconic id Studios in Richardson, Texas to see how far DOOM: The Dark Ages, has come along.
But that’s not all. Like the last Developer_Direct, Xbox has a surprise, teasing a brand new game from a mystery studio, which will also be revealed during the presentation.
Aaron Greenberg, Microsoft’s VP of Games Marketing, tweeted that the mystery title is a “surprise unannounced game.”
A surprise unannounced game we hope you will enjoy along with the rest of the show! 💚
— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) January 9, 2025
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The Developer_Direct can be viewed on all Xbox channels at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. UK time.
Here is a breakdown from Xbox about each title, except for the mystery game below.
DOOM: The Dark Ages:
Developed by id Software, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal that tells the epic cinematic origin story of the Doom Slayer’s rage. In this third installment of the modern DOOM series, players will step into the blood-stained boots of the Doom Slayer in this never-before-seen dark and sinister medieval war against Hell. Learn more during the full game reveal at Developer_Direct.
South of Midnight:
Compulsion Games, the creators of Contrast and We Happy Few, will share a deep dive on South of Midnight, a third person action-adventure game set in the American Deep South. As Hazel, you will explore the mythos and confront mysterious creatures inspired by Southern Folklore to unravel her family’s hidden past in this dark, modern folktale.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33:
Sandfall Interactive will take us behind-the-scenes at their studio to shed some light on the development of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this debut studio’s incredible new RPG. The team will share more about the game’s creation and how they plan to deliver an incredible story in a gorgeous fantasy world.
Sounds lit. We can’t wait to see what the mystery game is.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
With the rise of retro gaming over the years, more and more old-school gamers are looking to capture nostalgia from the ’70s and ’80s.
And right now, on sale for $64.99 (reg. $99.99) at Walmart, the My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console is an all-in-one video game system that features more than 200 titles from various generations of Atari consoles.
And since the My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console is from Walmart, you’ll get it shipped to you for free if you’re a Walmart+ member. Otherwise, your cart has to be more than $35 to get free shipping.
If you’re not a member, then you’re in luck: You can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of everything the retailer’s rewards program has to offer with perks such as free, fast delivery; fuel discounts’ streaming access to Paramount+ to watch hit originals; additional savings with early access deals and much more.
Trending on Billboard
In addition, Walmart+ comes with access to SiriusXM for all sorts of talk radio and music — including popular channels like “The Coffee House” for stripped-down songs from Noah Kahan, Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, Phoebe Bridgers and others. Learn more about what Walmart+ can offer you here.
The My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console is also available on Amazon.
My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console
$64.99
$99.99
35% off
Meanwhile, the My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console comes with the console itself, two wireless joysticks, USB power cable and HDMI cable.
It also comes with over 200 titles from the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800 and Atari Arcade, such as Super Breakout, Warlords, Asteroids, Centipede, Millipede, Breakout, Missile Command, Crystal Castles and more. The retro gaming console even features original sounds and music from classic Atari systems.
The My Arcade GameStation Pro Retro Atari Gaming Console is on sale for $64.99, or $35 off its list price, at Walmart — a nearly 40% savings.
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony is all in on Hollywood and announced several projects based on its popular video game IP are on the way.
Building on the success of its hit HBO series, The Last of Us, and other movies, Sony announced at CES that film cameras would continue to roll as the company builds a strong portfolio of titles at PlayStation Productions.
During its CES presentation, Sony announced that popular PlayStation games, Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers, will get film adaptations while Ghosts of Tsushima will be developed into an anime.
Guerilla Games Horizon Zero Dawn has become one of PlayStation’s most popular IPs, spawning a sequel, Horizon Forbidden West, a PSVR2 title, Horizon Call of The Mountain, and most recently, LEGO Horizon Adventures.
Horizon Zero Dawn was initially supposed to be an animated series for Netflix, but the studio eventually scrapped it, and we now know why.
Helldivers II has become one of the biggest titles to launch on the PlayStation console in 2024 and continues to be a hit with fans as new content continues to be added to the live-service game. So it makes all the sense to drop a Helldivers movie, even though it will be a complete rip of the cult classic film Starship Troopers, which the game is an adaptation of.
Both Horizon Zero Dawn and Helldivers have no release dates.
Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima will be adapted into an anime series called Legends that will live on Crunchyroll and will be made by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba studio, Aniplex. It is set to release in 2027.
PlayStation Productions Lineup Is Strong
Horizon Zero Dawn, Helldivers, and Ghosts of Tsushima: Legends join God of War, which is coming to Prime Video. Twisted Metal, starring Anthony Mackie on Peacock, is in its second season. Box office hits include Uncharted, based on the Naughty Dog video game franchise, starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, and Gran Turismo, starring David Harbour.
We will be seated for every single project.
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Source: NYVGCC / 2025 NY Game Awards
The nominees for the 2025 NY Game Awards have been revealed!
The next big night in gaming goes down in NYC on January 21 at the Paley Center when the 14th annual NY Game Awards return. On Tuesday, January 7, the nominees were revealed during a livestream featuring Hannah Telle (voice actor Max from Life is Strange: Double Exposure) and Logan Cunningham (voice actor Hades from Hades II) at the Paley Center for Media.
Speaking on this year’s strong list of nominees, Harold Goldberg, president and founder of NYVGCC, said, “2024 was another standout year for video games, and we’re thrilled to recognize these stunning projects at the 14th New York Game Awards on January 21. Our team of journalists, interns, and volunteers at NYVGCC look forward to hosting and honoring the many talented individuals who work in the video game industry. Get your tickets to join us for a truly special awards show!”
With that said, let’s get into the nominees. Team ASOBI, who ended the year strong by taking home numerous Game of The Year honors for their exceptional platformer, Astro Bot, could have a big night at the NY Game Awards, grabbing three nominations.
Big Apple Award for Best Game of the Year
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Astro Bot
1000xResist
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Metaphor: ReFantazio
EA Sports College Football 25
Off Broadway Award for Best Indie Game
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes
Balatro
I Am Your Beast
1000xResist
Thank Goodness You’re Here!
Herman Melville Award for Best Writing in a Game
Harold Halibut
Metaphor: ReFantazio
1000xResist
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Phoenix Springs
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Statue of Liberty Award for Best World
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Astro Bot
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Heart of Chornobyl
Tin Pan Alley Award for Best Music in a Game
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess
Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Black Myth Wukong
1000xResist
Great White Way Award for Best Acting in a Game
Abubakar Salim as Zao, Zuberi and Griot Echo in Tales of Kenzara: ZAO
John Eric Bentley as Barret in Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Hannah Telle as Max Caulfield in Life is Strange: Double Exposure
Melina Juergens as Senua in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
Troy Baker as Indiana Jones in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Humberly González as Kay in Star Wars Outlaws
Coney Island Dreamland Award for Best AR/VR Game
Batman: Arkham Shadow
Umurangi Generation VR
Skydance’s Behemoth
Silent Slayer: Vault of the Vampire
Central Park Children’s Zoo Award for Best Kids Game
Astro Bot
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Little Kitty, Big City
Sonic X Shadow Generations
The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom
A-Train Award for Best Mobile Game
Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse
Wuthering Waves
Zenless Zone Zero
Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket
Freedom Tower Award for Best Remake
Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
Silent Hill 2
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
Age of Mythology: Retold
Persona 3: Reload
Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem
Vampire Therapist
Mouthwashing
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Mars After Midnight
Starstruck: Hands of Time
NYC GWB Award for Best DLC
Alan Wake II: Night Springs and The Lake House
Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown – Mask of Darkness
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon
Splatoon 3: Side Order
Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred
Knickerbocker Award for Best Games Journalism
Duncan Fyfe
Alexis Ong
Grant Stoner
Mason Andrew Hamberlin
Edwin Evans-Thirlwell
Simone De Rochefort & Clayton Ashley
The nominees for this year were revealed after it was announced that Remedy’s Sam Lake is taking home the Andrew Yoon Legend Award, one of the night’s biggest awards.
There will also be a performance by Mega Ran, who will debut a brand-new original song for the NY Game Awards.
It’s a night you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of video games, and if you want to be in the building, you can purchase tickets by heading to Eventbrite. Reserved seats cost $80. If you want to attend the afterparty to rub shoulders with the winners and enjoy some free drinks, it will cost $100. Proceeds from the New York Game Awards help fund NYVGCC’s educational efforts and programs for 2025.
If you can’t attend, don’t worry; IGN is an official media sponsor and will stream the show on its channels.
For more information on the NY Video Game Critics Circle and the critical work they do to ensure inner-city youth can find their way in the game journalism space, you can head here.
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Source: Treyarch / Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
It’s no secret that making AAA video games has become expensive for game studios, but we have no idea how much coins are needed to bring some of the biggest titles to players. A new report has revealed how much Activision spent to develop several Call of Duty games, and the amount is eye-watering.
Stephen Totitlo of Game File exclusively reports that Activision dropped a BIG BAG on three top-selling Call of Duty games in the franchise, a court filing reviewed by Game File revealed.
In the court filing, which is part of a declaration filed to a California court on December 23 in response to a lawsuit filed against Activision in May 2022 in connection with the 2022 school shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, Patrick Kelly, Activision’s current head of creative on the Call of Duty franchise, revealed that three titles in the first-person shooter franchise between 2015 and 2022 cost between $450 and $700 million to make.
Of the three titles, 2020’s Black Ops Cold War cost the most. Activision spent over $700 million to develop it, selling 30 million copies.
Those numbers are the highest development costs ever reported for a video game, easily topping the roughly $220 million spent on Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us: Part II. We only learned about this in 2023 when a poorly redacted court filing went viral online.
Per Game File:
Black Ops III (2015): “Treyarch developed the game over three years with a creative team of hundreds of people, and invested over $450 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (Kelly also discloses that it has sold 43 million copies.)
Modern Warfare (2019): “Infinity Ward developed the game over several years and has spent over $640 million in development costs throughout the game’s lifecycle.” (41 million copies sold)
Black Ops Cold War (2020): “Treyarch and Raven Software took years to create the game with a team of hundreds of creatives. They ultimately spent over $700 million in development costs over the game’s lifecycle.” (30 million copies sold)
According to Game File, Kelly explicitly named those three titles and their budgets in the lawsuit because the shooter was an avid player of them.
That’s a lot of money, but are we shocked? Not in the least bit.
Also, it’s time people stop blaming video games for real-life behavior; just saying.
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It looks like Kanye West is deep into his gamer bag. Ye recently proclaimed that The Last of Us Part II is the best video game ever made.
As spotted on Rap Up Magazine the Chicago, IL. native has been spending a lot of his time on the sticks. Earlier this week he shared an Instagram Story post declaring his love for the action adventure game title. “[The] Last of Us [Part II] on Survivor+ mode got me spending all day on one board,” Kanye wrote. “By far the best game ever made… This is not a sponsored post.” For those not familiar The Last of Us Part II follows Ellie as she tries to survive a post-apocalyptic world and avenge the murder of Joel Miller, the lead character from the original The Last of Us. While the project’s horror suspense filled plot is sure to keep first time players engaged on the normal setting, Kanye is referring to playing the game on its’ second most difficulty.
Originally released in 2020, The Last of Us Part II was met with widespread acclaim and was praised for its’ casting, graphics, music and more. In Jan. 2024 the game was remastered for the PlayStation 5 and offered graphic enhancements and new gameplay modes. This is not the first time Kanye West has expressed his love for video games. Back in 2016 he announced that he was working on an album titled Turbo Grafx 16. He describe the shelved effort as “just on some super nerd vibes” and a reference to one of my favorite gaming systems when I was a kid.”
You can see the trailer for The Last of Us Part II below.