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HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Nintendo / Mario & Luigi: Brothership
This a perfect example of “f*** around and find out.” One man is learning the hard way that Nintendo does not play with its IP.

Meet Jesse Keighin. According to a lawsuit filed by Nintendo in a Colorado District Court earlier this week, he had a hobby of streaming Switch games before they came out and boasting about it, which is a huge NO, NO for those who know.

The lawsuit alleges that he said, “[I] can do this all day,” in a letter to Nintendo, and in response, the Mario-maker was slapped with a lawsuit that could cost him up to $7.5 million.
First reported by 404 Media, Keighin is accused of streaming leaked Nintendo Switch games, such as the recently released Mario & Luigi: Brothership, using emulation software. The website reports that he committed the act as many as 50 times in the last two years.
Nintendo is seeking $150,000 in damages for each instance of alleged copyright infringement.
Per Kotaku:
“All of these streams were unauthorized and all compromise Nintendo’s legitimate prerelease marketing,” reads the legal complaint filed on November 6. “They also promote and encourage downloading of pirated copies of unpublished games. Defendant’s streams often consist merely of him playing Nintendo’s leaked games without commentary for extended periods of time.”
Recently, Nintendo has been on a renewed mission to crack down on emulation, leaks, and piracy, from people playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ahead of release on PC to fans sharing art book scans ahead of publication on Discord servers. This year alone, it killed two popular Switch emulators with legal threats that quickly shut them down.
When Trolling Nintendo Goes Wrong
According to Kotaku, Keighin could have avoided the lawsuit, but his constant trolling of the company pushed Nintendo’s hands. The lawsuit claims that the video game company had already shut down his monetized YouTube channel and other accounts, telling Nintendo that he would help others find “newer and updated copies” of Switch emulators to help them pirate games.
In a post, Keignhin wrote, “LOVE YA’LL! CAPITALISM IS CANCER! MY CHANNEL IS BEING DELETED FOR SHARING GAMEPLAY VIDEOS! THIS IS YOUR REWARD!”
A spokesperson for Nintendo confirmed the lawsuit in a statement to Kotaku, writing, “We can confirm that we filed a lawsuit against an individual who has engaged and continues to engage in clear infringement of Nintendo’s IP rights, as well as violations of our Game Content Guidelines. Nintendo is passionate about protecting the creative works of game developers and publishers who expend significant time and effort to create experiences that bring smiles to all.”

We won’t be surprised if this guy wishes he could hit the reset button.

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6
Following that disaster of a presidential election, we are in need of some good news. Thankfully, while Donald Trump is working to take America back to the stone age, GTA 6 will be out, and serve as a fun distraction.

Speaking with investors, Rockstar Games parent company, Take-Two Interactive assured them that GTA 6, easily one of the most highly anticipated games ever, is still on track for a fall 2025 release.
The recent development in the GTA 6 newscycle was share during a company earnings call.

“Looking ahead, we expect fiscal 2026 to be a milestone year as we plan to release several blockbuster titles, including Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI in fall of 2025, Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country,”Take-Two President Karl Slatoff said during the call.
The news around GTA 6 has been nothing short of a whirlwind. The game was first announced to be in development back in 2022. Then the leaks started happening with videos of game footage hitting social media later that year.
It wouldn’t be until December that Rockstar Games was forced to drop the trailer for GTA 6 ahead of its initial reveal date because it also leaked.
GTA 6 is the follow-up to the incredibly successful video game GTA V. Grand Theft Auto V was originally released in 2013 and has gone on to sell over 200 million copies and will span three console generations.
GTA V is regarded as one of the most lucrative pieces of media, making more money than any book, film or video game ever.
What We Know About GTA 6
While we don’t know much details about the game, we do know that it will be the first game in the franchise to feature a female protagonist, and it will be returning to Vice City and take us to Leonida, the GTA equivalent of Florida.
Recently a former Rockstar Games developer who has worked on the game before he left the studio said we should expect nothing but greatness from the game.
We need fall 2025 to get here expeditiously, because we need this game in our lives ASAP.

HipHopWired Featured Video

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Source: PlayStation / PS5 Pro
The PS5 Pro has finally arrived, so the question on your mind is, should I swipe the card and get one? Before you make that decision, see what some folks who had the opportunity to give it a spin had to say before you hit the purchase button.

The base PS5 model still has plenty of life, but that’s not stopping Sony from launching a mid-generation console refresh with the PS5 Pro.
When word of the console first hit, the immediate question was, do we need this $700 machine? Who is this for? We all know it’s definitely for a niche group of gamers who prioritize performance and graphics and want the best of both worlds without building an expensive gaming rig.
Based on the specs, the PS5 Pro is an impressive piece of hardware. Under the hood is an AMD Ryzen Zen 2 8-core/16-thread processor with an RDNA-based graphics engine, producing 16.7TF of GPU compute performance compared to the base PS5’s 10.23TF.
There is also 16GB of GDDR6 memory and 2GB of slower DDR5 memory that handles other console tasks not related to gaming, plus a 2TB custom SSD.

Ahead of the console launch, PlayStation confirmed there will be 55 games with PS5 Pro Enhancements, so it’s not entering the chat without titles to show off its power.

So, with all that said, what are the critics saying about the PS5 Pro? Reviews, for the most part, seem mixed, with many saying it’s too early to tell if this console is a flop.
2025 Will Be The Real Test For The PS5 Pro
In his review for Polygon, Cameron Faulkner touched on his experience with the PS5 Pro’s enhanced titles, writing, “I didn’t try each of the 50 games that have gotten a PS5 Pro patch. But what I did try delivered a mixed bag of improvements that I’m not sure I’d be totally happy with if I spent $699.99 on launch day.”

He continued, “That said, there will be many games in 2025 that put the PS5 Pro’s more powerful specs to the test.”
It’s Impressive, But The Price Point Is Eyewatering
IGN gave the PS5 Pro a 7 (Good), and in his review, Michael Higham wrote, “The PlayStation 5 Pro is an impressive console with noticeable boosts in performance and graphics for games that take advantage of its powerful hardware. But for $700, you’ll need to think twice about whether or not the upgrade is worth the price tag.”
Powerful, But Not Essential
Rory Mellon for Tom’s Guide wrote, “The PS5 Pro is set to be where I play the vast majority of new releases for the rest of this console generation thanks to its unrivaled play experience. If you’re also the type of player who wants the best visuals and performance regardless of the cost, then I’d have no qualms about recommending the PS5 Pro. But more budget-conscious console players shouldn’t feel despondent about being stuck with a technically inferior machine. The PS5 Pro is a powerful upgrade to an already excellent console, but it’s not an essential buy at this price.”
The PS5 Pro Is A Niche Product For Now
Tim Gettys from Kinda Funny said about his experience with the PS5 Pro, “The PS5 Pro is the perfect example of a console that fits right at home with an LG OLED, and a home theater receiver, and all of the things on the box. If you care about those things this is for you. $700 is a lot, but it’s not a lot compared to other things in that realm.”
Gettys continued, “I think it’s a niche product for now, but I think it will become a mainstream product very soon.”

So, the consensus is that if you have a base PS5, you are good and don’t need to rush to get a PS5 Pro. While it is a significant boost in performance, waiting until games fully take advantage of the new hardware is a safe bet.

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HipHopWired Featured Video

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Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined”
The Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” is one of the more popular silhouettes of Michael Jordan’s first signature sneaker is coming back to Fortnite.
As part of the Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix, Epic Games is introducing Fortnite Kicks, allowing players to lace the characters they choose to play with the freshest footwear.

KICKS, a new cosmetic feature, will offer players a virtual footwear collection and kick things off with the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined” and a pair of shark slippers.
Source: Epic Games / Fortnite
Fortnite also says players can expect kicks from other brands, not just Nike and Jordan, and the virtual footwear is compatible with over 500 of the most popular Fortnite drip and over 95% of the in-game outfits by the spring.
Beginning November 12, players can unlock a pair of the “Black Toe Reimagined” through the game’s Remix Pass.
In the real world, the “Black Toes”  were released in 1985 and became instant hits when they were retroed. They were supposed to return on October 18, 2024, but the release was delayed until February 1, 2025, according to Sneaker News.
The Remix Pass is the new way to unlock collectibles and more via Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix. We reported yesterday that the game is rewinding the clock and bringing back fan favorites from Chapter 2. It will feature Snoop Dogg, Ice Spice, Eminem, and Juice WRLD as playable skins.

Chapter 2 Remix is live in Fortnite and will run until November 30. Epic also teases that things will close with a “finale.”
Hit the gallery below for more photos.

1. Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix

Source:Fortnite Chapter 2 Remix
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HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / Eminem / Snoop Dogg / Ice Spice
Fortnite is rewinding the clock again and incorporating music into the process. Epic Games is kicking off a new period in its popular battle royale mode called Chapter 2 Remix, and some major star power will be involved.

To help launch Chapter 2 Remix, Hip-Hop icon Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice performed virtually and in person during an event in Times Square, New York. They will also be major players in the remix of Chapter 2.

The new season calls back to Chapter 2, bringing back gameplay elements, characters, and locations from Fortnite’s second chapter, which first launched in 2019.
Epic says Chapter 2 Remix will last a month and change things weekly, so it will never grow stale during the season. It will feature themed elements around the music artists involved.
Snoop Dogg will get things cracking first, with Eminem following, Ice Spice, and closing things out will be the late Juice WRLD.
Chapter 2 Remix is live in Fortnite and will run until November 30. Epic also teases that things will close with a “finale.” Of course, it wouldn’t be a new season of Fortnite without new cosmetics to outfit your character.
Here is a breakdown per Epic Games:
In addition to Kicks, the Remix Pass comes to Fortnite packed with over 70 new in-game rewards! A shorter Battle Pass than usual, you can unlock all the Pass’ rewards in just four weeks. Grab the Remix Pass for 950 V-Bucks (or included as part of your Fortnite Crew subscription) and earn up to 1,000 V-Bucks by progressing it!
Level up the Remix Pass by earning XP across Fortnite Battle Royale, creator-made islands, LEGO® Fortnite, Rocket Racing, and Fortnite Festival. Here are the nostalgically new Outfits in the Pass: 

Chaos Director (unlocked right away!): Chaos reigns.
1-Ball: Sink all the right shots.
Undercover Skye: She’s got the Guff stuff.
Meowdas: One classy cat.
Dynamo TNTina: Strike a match and light the fuse.

So what are you waiting for? Boot up Fortnite, and drop it like it’s hot in Chapter 2 Remix. To learn more about it, head here. 

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6 / Grand Theft Auto 6
Outside of the first trailer, the game’s locale, and the plot, there isn’t much information about Grand Theft Auto 6. Still, one former Rockstar Games developer dropped some teases that should hopefully keep fans excited about the next game in the iconic video game franchise.

Spotted on Comicbook.com via the GTA VI O’clock podcast, developer Ben Hinchliffe — who left Rockstar Games in 2021, but not before he did some work on the highly anticipated video game will continue a streak of greatness and push the envelope like previous Rockstar Games like Red Dead Redemption II and GTA V when they first launched.

Red Dead Redemption II was a technical masterpiece, leaping graphically and technically from the first game. It proved Rockstar Studios is second to none when making sandbox games.
Roughly 6-years later, Red Dead Redemption II is still at the pinnacle of greatness in its genre, and based on what Hinchliffe said during the interview, only GTA 6 would be the game to blow it away.
Per Comicbook.com:
“You only have to look at how every game Rockstar has done has evolved in some way,” said Hinchcliffe while speaking to GTA VI O’clock. “And you could argue that manta before… that every element of the game moves forward in terms of feeling more realistic and people acting and behaving more realistic as every game is iterated through each cycle.”
Hinchliffe continued: “It will blow people away. It will sell an absolute ton as it always does, right? People will be taking about it for ages just like with GTA 5. And I’m really excited for people to get their hands on it and get in and play it, just because I think they [Rockstar] has raised the bar again just like they always do.”

Well damn.
There is word on the video game streets that a second trailer is on the horizon as the game slowly and secretly approaches its 2025 release date.
We will keep our eyes and ears open for more GTA 6 news.

From virtual music experiences headlined by The Weeknd to exclusive skins inspired by Ariana Grande, pop music and gaming have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship via Fortnite Battle Royale.
Now, with the announcement of its new season on Friday (Nov. 1), Fortnite is looking to infuse hip-hop into its gaming universe. Arriving on Saturday (Nov. 2), Fortnite Battle Royale‘s Chapter 2 Remix will feature iconic music and looks from hip-hop stars Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Ice Spice and Juice WRLD. In the new season, players can engage with each artist through themed gameplay locations launching each week of November — a first for the game. Fortnite‘s millions of players can also don individual Fortnite Shop outfits inspired by each of the four artists.

On Friday evening, Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice surprised New Yorkers in Times Square with a surprise performance, taking over nearly every billboard in the center of the Big Apple. Ice Spice kicked things off in her trademark ginger inches and a hot pink ensemble, delivering renditions of “In Ha Mood” and “Princess Diana.” Donning a fly black leather jacket and pants combo, Snoop repped the West Coast with a lively, Fortnite name-checking medley of “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “The Next Episode,” “Gorgeous” and “What’s My Name?” To close out the show, the two emcees joined each other onstage to debut the flashy new trailer for Chapter 2 Remix, which features sneak peeks at the worlds the different rappers will preside over in the game.

Trending on Billboard

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Snoop Dogg — who recently announced his forthcoming Dr. Dre-helmed Missionary LP (due Dec. 13) — will kick off the first week as the official icon for season 6 of Fortnite. Snoop will assume a boss role and have his own mythic weapon and different points of interest on the map, as will Ice Spice, Eminem and Juice WRLD in subsequent weeks. “My son Cordell’s a big Fortnite player with me, so when we had the opportunity we jumped on it as a new way to connect with my sound and style,” the Long Beach rap icon said in a press release. “Anyone can be Snoop in Fortnite.”

Juice WRLD — a new-gen rap star who tragically passed on Dec. 8, 2019 — will make his Fortnite debut beginning Nov. 21, when the “Lucid Dreams” rapper will lead week four of the new season. On Nov. 30 at 2:00 p.m. ET, Fortnite will launch a Remix: The Finale live event in celebration of Juice’s legacy and his love for Fortnite. All players who log in between 1:00 a.m. ET on Nov. 30 and 1 a.m. ET on Dec. 1 will receive the cel-shaded Slayer Juice WRLD Outfit. The Party Never Ends, Juice WRLD’s latest posthumous album, is due Nov. 22 via Grade A Productions and Interscope Records.

“You will see some really interesting ways of integrating music,” Emily Levy, director of strategic partnerships, exclusively tells Billboard. “And we are debuting music at different points of the season in interesting places.”

Ice Spice will bookend her 2024 by leading week three (beginning Nov. 14), during which she’ll bring fans “into her experience as the Princess of New York,” according to the release. This year, the Bronx rapper dropped her debut studio album — Y2K! — which reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and spawned “Think U the S–t (Fart)” her highest-peaking unaccompanied Billboard Hot 100 entry at No. 40.

Eminem has already had a massive 2024 with the release of his The Death of Slim Shady LP, and he’s set to close out the year by bringing some of that success to Fortnite as the key artist for the second week of the season, beginning Nov. 7. The 15-time Grammy winner originally debuted in Fortnite in December 2023, which spawned the release of his Fortnite Radio compilation featuring classics like “The Monster” and “Not Afraid.” The set reached No. 19 on Top Album Sales and debuted at No. 8 on Top Vinyl Albums on the charts dated March 30, 2024.

Sneaker culture is also a close relative to hip-hop, and Fortnite hasn’t forgotten about the sneakerheads. Chapter 2 Remix will also introduce Kicks, a new type of cosmetic included as part of the Remix Pass that will drop in the Fortnite Shop on Nov. 12. The initial lineup of Kicks will feature Nike and Jordan brands alongside Fortnite originals.

Fortnite‘s new season continues a year that has already featured in-game concerts and festival performances from superstars such as Karol G, Billie Eilish and Metallica.

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Epic Games / Fortnite / ESPN Football Isand
Disney is taking full advantage of its $1.5 billion investment into Epic Games.
On Tuesday, ESPN Football Island launched in Epic Games ridiculously popular video game Fortnite. The first island is all about the pigskin, allowing the sports network to expand on its slogan of “serving sports fans anytime, anywhere.”

A description for the latest addition to Fortnite reads, “With persistent progression and exclusive island-specific unlockable cosmetics, this all-new experience features multiple activities, challenges, and minigames all built around the Island centerpiece – Touchdown Rush, a multiplayer competitive ‘Payload Push’ take on football gameplay.”

When players enter ESPN Football Island, they will hear Sportscenter hosts Randy Scott and Gary Striewsk, while SportsCenter” and NHL content host Arda Öcal will serve as the island’s announcer.
Here is a full breakdown of what you can do while visiting ESPN Football Island per Variety:

Touchdown Rush: Team up with friends and enter the stadium to navigate rocky terrain, a lava moat, and the other team! Avoid getting taken out by the competition as your team moves a giant football downfield, and then defend your endzone as you switch to defense!
Ocho Obstacle Sprint: Navigate a challenging obstacle course across platforms high above the stadium for incredible views and rewards as you leap to the center of the Jumbotron, featuring EPSN8 The Ocho!
The Boxtagon – Enter ‘The Boxtagon’ and face off 1v1 against other players in high-intensity box fights, in collaboration with the UFC!
Minigames & Activities: Test your throwing arm with Quarterback Challenge, launch your avatar across the arena on an ATV in Field Goal Jump, grind around the island in Rail Race, and show off your moves in the Dance Off Zone!
Level Up to Redeem ESPN Football Store Exclusives – Earn rewards across gameplay sessions to unlock new loadouts exclusive to ESPN Football Island.

According to Disney and Epic Games, ESPN Football Island will receive “regular updates” and will “celebrate the biggest moments and games this football season, including promo reels and live ESPN News Ticker updates.”
Peep the trailer below.

HipHopWired Featured Video

The arrival of UFC 5 in 2023 sparked celebration among mixed martial arts fans and as the only game of its type on the major consoles, that excitement was understandable. Now out for an entire year, UFC 5 has seen a series of patches and tweaks and we look to see how the game has held up.
To break the fourth wall a bit, I’m a huge fan of mixed martial arts and the UFC has a roster that features many of the world’s best fighters. In some ways, the latest UFC game from EA Sports puts a lot of pressure on the title to deliver every bit of nuance MMA provides in the real world and mostly holds up to that promise with a deep fighting system, several big-name fighters, and patches over the past year that improved the experience for fans.

Source: EA Sports / EA Sports

The game’s predecessor, UFC 4, had its fair share of fans who enjoyed the gritty realism of the standup game and the career mode but others found the ground game to be difficult at times. UFC 5 largely looks the same but now it employs the Frostbite game engine so there are several visual improvements from the former Ignite engine.
The fifth iteration of the fighting series has four main gameplay modes: Fight Week, Fight Now, Career, and Online.
With Fight Week, real-time UFC fights are at the center of the mode. When updated, there will be opportunities to make fight picks before the actual matches and earn valuable UFC Coins for your created fighter and online store. There are also Fight Week Contracts, daily fights where you take on opponents to earn UFC Coins. There are also challenges to earn player emotes and other rewards.
Source: Screengrab/D.L. Chandler
Fight Now is a mode that puts you right in the middle of action against a computer opponent or a pal on the couch. Here, you can select hundreds of fighters from the UFC roster and slug it out. The mode features Main Card fights, which are three-round matches.
Then there are Main Event and Championship fights, both going five rounds. Backyard fights are five 3-minute rounds where the judges score the fight on how much damage is doled out. Then there is the Kumite event, which is one 25-minute and if it goes until the end, the fight will be called a draw.

Also in Fight Now, you can pick between gameplay styles such as Simulation, which is the purest way to play. Knockout style turns off health regeneration and fighters are granted unlimited stamina and combos. Lastly, Stand and Bang keeps the action standing until one drops.
Source: Screengrab/D.L. Chandler
UFC 4’s Career Mode was one of the top features in the last game and the mode is back with Coach Davis returning to guide you along the way into becoming the G.O.A.T. The path to greatness is a difficult one but this gameplay mode is the best way to learn all of the tricks and tips of the game.
Lastly of the main modes is Online, which also has a career mode, ranked championships where you can take on fighters of the same skill level, blitz battles, and quick fights.
Source: Screengrab/D.L. Chandler
To be honest with folks, the only modes I consistently play are Career and practicing against the computer opponent in the game’s Learn section. Trust me, it’s taken me a long time to learn all of the moves and I’m pretty sure I still don’t know everything. This isn’t like some fighting games where button mashing might lead to a lucky knockout. For me, the best place for most new players to go is the Learn section to get some reality checks about your ability and then dive into the Career mode to get into the meat and potatoes of the game.

I also want to give a major salute to the UFC team for simplifying the ground game. In UFC 4, you had to play a mini-game of sorts to gain or block submissions or switch in and out of ground-and-pound positions. It was way too difficult for even the most seasoned video game player but in 5, the streamlined ground game makes for a better all-around experience. However, if you end up on the ground with a fighter who isn’t traditionally great at fighting from their backs, you’re in for a long night.
While UFC 5 has all of the visuals correct, there are still some in the gaming community who felt it didn’t improve much upon the last game. Even with the improved face damage animations, slow-motion knockouts, and other tweaks, fans felt like this was a retread of UFC 4 with a prettier face. I don’t quite agree as the Career mode is far more involved than before and there are notable improvements to make this a pure simulation-style fighting game.
UFC 5 is built for devout fans of combat sports even as the UFC and MMA overall are firmly in the mainstream with major sports network coverage. It helps to come into this game with some knowledge of the sport and an openness to learning the intricacies of the gameplay. If you can embrace the massive landscape of ways to play, this title is worth picking up the sticks for.
Learn more about UFC 5 here.

Photo: EA Sports

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: NYVGCC / New York Game Awards
The NYVGCC (New York Video Game Critic’s Circle) has announced the return of its annual awards show, the New York Game Awards.
Not to be confused with Geoff Keighly’s yearly spectacle, The Game Awards, or the New York Game Awards, which are celebrating their 14th year. The Game Awards celebrate the year’s best in gaming and benefit a worthy cause.

Variety exclusively reports that when the New York Game Awards will be back at the SVA Theater in Manhattan with Circle President Harold Goldberg and former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé set as co-hosts.
For those looking to attend, tickets will be sold on Eventbrite and cost $80. For $100, you get limited access to the awards afterparty, where you can rub shoulders with the winners, hosts, and the yearly Legend Award winner while enjoying complimentary drinks.
Outside of the announcement of this year’s hosts, the identity of this year’s Legend Award recipient has not been revealed. Previous prestigious award winners include Xbox Gaming Chief Phil Spencer and Naughty Dog Studios’ president, Neil Druckmann.

Celebrating Video Games For A Purpose
As mentioned above, the New York Game Awards is the leading fundraiser for the NYVGCC’s Playing with Purpose writing program. The program helps bring video game journalism and game narrative workshops to shelters and schools across the city, also working with students and interns at the Laboratory School, TAPco, Dreamyard Prep, BronxWorks Shelter, Mott Hall 3 Middle School, and Andries Hudde Middle School.
“We can’t believe another year in gaming has passed, but we’re ready to welcome in the 14th annual New York Game Awards,” NYVGCC president and founder Harold Goldberg said, per Variety. “Each year is a special undertaking where we not only highlight the best of gaming, but we honor the creators, developers, and media who help make this an industry we all love. We have a very special lineup you won’t want to miss, so stay tuned for more updates by following us at @nyvgcc on X.”
HHW Gaming has been able to attend the last New York Game Award ceremonies; we are looking forward to being there again and celebrating another year of video games.