Author - Jerry Paxton

Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis Shares Spring Updates in NGS Headline

SEGA today shared a new NGS Headline, a program to inform players about the present and future of Sega’s free-to-play online action RPG, PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 NEW GENESIS, with information on current operations, future updates, and campaigns. Today’s NGS Headline revealed the beginning of the 3rd Anniversary Campaign, new Leciel Exploration updates, sweet Build Parts, Parkour challenges, and more.

3rd Anniversary Campaign, Halpha’s Super Origin Festival, Kicks off on April 24

Starting April 24th, a colossal campaign is stomping your way to commemorate the 3rd Anniversary of NGS in June – Halpha’s Super Origin Festival! This tale woven on Planet Halpha will soon celebrate its third anniversary! As always, credit goes to all the ARKS Defenders out there. To express our gratitude, we have prepared some super phabulous campaigns, including Limited-time Events and new in-game content.

The NGS 3rd Anniversary event will be held across Planet Halpha. In addition to Central City’s dazzling decorations, players will find changes in all the regions. Mischief Symbols will appear in the Exploration Sectors of each region, so be sure to enjoy the variety of landscapes in different locations as you seek them out.

Xiemi will be the navigator for this seasonal event, looking perfect in her hakama. She is investigating some anomalies happening in Halpha, so see what Xiemi has to say and help her out. The 9-star-Rarity Aeoni Dekelion weapon series will be available at Xiemi’s Seasonal Points Exchange Shop. Weapons exchanged for here have a +80 Enhancement Level from the start, and the Potential has been unlocked up to Lv. 6, giving them 6 slots’ worth of Augments, so players be able to make use of them right away.

In addition to the reappearance of the Anni Rappy at the NGS 3rd Anniversary Event, the new Anni Emperappy and Anni Great Rappy will also flap their way over for the festivities. The NGS 3rd Anniversary Event will feature the Limited-time Urgent Quest: Happy Rappy Rumble: Stia. Head to the event grounds to find bunches of Rappies and the Resplendent Nex with its dazzling attacks. The more enemies defeated, the more lively the event grounds will become, so work together to take down the swathes of approaching enemies. Celebrate the NGS 3rd Anniversary along with the Rappies in this spectacular Urgent Quest!

Other Limited-time Tasks and Title Tasks will also be added for this Event. By completing these Tasks, players can win TA Customization Disc X/Omni, Arms Refiner II, Anniversary SP Scratch Tickets, plus the Weapon Camo * Aeoni Dekelion Almati and more. Jump into this Limited-time Event for big-time rewards! And don’t forget ARKS Records! Head over to the Field Race: Stia Outskirts Dash (Stage 1) to try your luck and sprint your way to the top of the charts!

Leciel Exploration Updates Begin on April 10

Starting April 10th, a new gameplay element will be added to Leciel Exploration. In addition to enemy level increases, there will be items that enhance Player Ability Buffs, some allowing for consecutive use of Photon Blasts, and others that further empower Throw Actions. Both offer exhilarating power-ups. A new DOLLS enemy called Giruva will appear in the new Trial Giruva Diversion, relentlessly pursuing players with its eerie appearance. Defeat Giruva to get powerful Ability Enhancements but be careful as your options to do so are limited. Additionally, if players get caught by Giruva it’ll unleash an incredibly powerful attack, so be sure to stay alert and exercise caution. If players destroy all the Giruva Cores on the field, they will have a chance to counterattack, so beware!

In addition, new Ruinus boss enemies are waiting for players in the final area; Ruine Vibras, with its large horns, and Ruine Exegul, which manipulates gravity. To help against these powerful enemies, a new 10-star Rarity weapon series called Xover will be introduced. Weapons from the Xover series not only restore HP when you use Photon Blasts, but also possess three different Potentials depending on the weapon type. Multi-weaponize them and find the best combination that suits your play style. In addition to this, Growthment II and LC-type Augment Capsules will drop in the updated Leciel Exploration.

In conjunction with the Leciel Exploration update, All-Ship Matchmaking will be available, which will allow you to be matched with ARKS from other Ships. By enabling All-Ship Matchmaking under Matchmaking Word Settings, players can play Leciel Exploration with ARKS from different Ships. In All-Ship Matchmaking, any Meseta or items obtained within the quest will be acquired as if they were obtained on your normal Ship. By enabling All-Ship Matchmaking, players will not be able to utilize Alliance or friend features specific to their Ship. Additionally, features such as Urgent Quest notifications and Live Boosts will be turned off. At this time, All-Ship Matchmaking will only be available for Leciel Exploration, but the NGS Team plans to gradually expand the list of eligible quests in future updates.

Tech Arts Customization will offer additional PAs and Techniques. This update will include one PA for each weapon type, plus Ice, Thunder, and Dark Techniques. This excludes Wands and Talis weapons.

Major Target Suppression Mission: Planetcrusher Blitz

The new High-difficulty Quest: Major Target Suppression Mission: Planetcrusher Blitz will be available to play from April 17th. The Dark Falz Dalion that appears in this quest is an extremely powerful Starless that attacks the ARKS together with its clones. As in previous Major Target Suppression Missions, up to four players can participate, and you will fail the quest after a set number of incapacitations. Prep like a top chef and slice and dice this new threat with your friends!

The new 11-star-Rarity Wingard weapon series is a drop for this quest. The Wingard series Potential increases damage to enemies for a set time after hitting them with a Photon Blast. In conjunction with this quest, Major Target Suppression Mission Title Tasks will also be added. Weekly Tasks have also been updated, with the Target Quest changed from Halphia Lake Interception Part II to Planetcrusher Blitz, and a new Task for Planetcrusher Blitz from NPC Leah May. We dare you to complete them all!

Sweet New Build Parts

Starting April 17th, an assortment of sweets-themed furniture and retro furniture will be added to Build Parts so players can spice up their Creative Space or Alliance Space.

Parkour Master Trainia

If you’ve been climbing the walls this winter, we’ve got the perfect ARKS Records for you! It’s for the Parkour Master Trainia for Solo and All Classes. Put on some grippy shoes and go for the high score!

Catch all the updates coming to PSO2: NGS in today’s NGS Headline.

The Global version of PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 NEW GENESIS includes fully localized text and character voices in English and will remain content current with the Japanese servers. Details can be found at https://ngs.pso2.com/. For additional up-to-the-minute updates, players can follow @play_PSO2 on Twitter, @PSO2Official on Facebook, and @play_pso2 on Instagram.

Release Trailer for Millennia

Lead a nation of your design through a history shaped by your choices in Millennia, a new 4x historical strategy game from C Prompt Games and Paradox Interactive. Guide your people from the stone to a near future, maybe taking detours through historical ages of plague or steampunk technology in Millennia, available now.

Define history; turn by turn and age by age. In Millennia, you start with a blank slate on which to write a new society and culture. Choose traits and government forms as you accumulate power through a variety of domains (government, war, art, etc.), using these powers to expand and exploit the world around you. Develop a production chain to transform common resources into valuable goods, and then trade the surplus to a distant settlement, boosting its population and production. Define your nation as a land of warriors, explorers or learners as you adopt new traits over time.

Features of Millennia include:

  • History and Alternate History: Lead your people through ten dynamic ages, steer your timeline into the uncharted alternate history of a Variant Age or the danger and opportunity of a Crisis Age.  Each Age involves unique rules, units, buildings, goods, and challenges, determining the course of the world for all players, not just your corner of it, potentially altering the path of history.
  • National Spirits: Decide what your Nation is famous for by selecting National Spirits and using the bonuses they provide to customize your nation to better achieve your goals. Combine multiple National Spirits as you progress through history to craft a unique civilization in every game.
  • Develop a Strong Society: Invest in six different Domains that influence the focus of your Nation – Exploration, Government, Warfare, Diplomacy, Engineering, and Arts.  The better you provide for each, the more your Nation can make use of unique Domain Powers. Everything from claiming territory, to adopting new governments, to spreading religion, to reinforcing Armies flows from mastery of the Domains.
  • Deep Economy: Design an economic supply chain to support your strategy.  Gather raw materials, then build Improvements to refine basic Goods like logs or iron into lumber, paper, books, ingots, tools, or weapons – specialized products that allow you to improve and adjust your economic engine to suit whatever history sends your way.
  • Combined Arms Warfare: Customize your approach to war by combining individual Units into powerful Armies.  Each Unit influences the capabilities of its Army, allowing you to employ a vast number of varied strategies.  Once in conflict, watch the action unfold through the Combat Viewer, where battles play out and provide details on how different Armies perform.
  • And more: discover natural landmarks, build the Pyramids, compete in the space race, finance expeditions, survive plagues, use diplomacy to your advantage, deal with chaos events, unleash innovations, deal with alien visitors, govern underwater cities, manage air combat, and master a host of other historical-themed content.

Millennia is available now for the suggested retail price of $39.99/£34.99/€39.99.

Enshrouded – Hollow Halls Update Trailer

The first major content update for Keen Games’ Enshrouded launches today! The Hollow Halls content update includes new, larger dungeons with a new enemy faction and new legendary rewards, a mysterious crafting station with new recipes, and new quests. Other additions for builders, crafters, and growers abound as well as many improvements to performance, UI, and quality of life all of which were influenced by the players using Enshrouded’s Feature Upvote tool. More updates are planned for the content revealed in the Early Access roadmap earlier this month, leading up to Enshrouded’s 1.0 launch in 2025.

Watch the new Hollow Halls trailer below for your first look at the changes and check out the full list included with the update here.

Hollow, is it Halls you’re looking for?

The Hollow Halls content included in the update adds four new, expansive dungeons filled with enemies, new traps, and new rewards for those brave enough to enter. Roam through each dungeon, one in each biome, after talking with the Alchemist.

Builders and decorators will be happy to know that round doors and windows are available for the ultimate cozy holes in the ground, to live out your humble fantasies. Add adorable potted plants and additional tree saplings around your home, sweet home – whether hole or actual house. Immersion will be improved, once the fog has been removed from bases in the content update – request #23 as voted by players. Also, SITTING! Yes! Your characters will be able to sit on furniture, just like you!

Ships At Sea Official Gameplay Trailer

Misc Games – the skilled team behind the successful titles Fishing: Barents Sea and Fishing: North Atlantic – have recently announced that its new title, Ships at Sea, will be launching in Early Access on May 9 on Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Games store. Additionally, the PC version of Ships at Sea will be finalized and launched alongside the console versions, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, in 2026.

Ships at Sea is the culmination of creativity, drive, and innovation. Misc Games’ team of passionate industry professionals has taken the charm of the previous Fishing franchise and the feedback of their equally passionate community and created an all-new franchise, starting with this game.

Set in the unforgiving Norwegian Sea and around the harbors of Lofoten, Norway, Ships at Sea takes captains on their most realistic boating experience yet. Misc Games has harnessed NVIDIA’s proprietary WaveWorks water shader and Unreal Engine 5 to deliver the most striking, immersive experiences and cinematic-quality water simulation imaginable. Now, with multiplayer capabilities, players can team up in a maximum party of four and complete various tasks and necessities.

Misc Games has teamed up with various boating and fishing equipment brands such as Breeze, PingMe (from Ocean Space Acoustics), Lorentzen Hydraulikk, and Østbornholms Kutterservice to provide the most realistic, dynamic overall experience for enthusiasts on both fronts: fishing and boating.

As soon-to-be skippers traverse the vast unknown of the Norwegian Sea, they can expect a slew of features to become available through the Early Access phase of the game, such as crewmates being able to share resources and items and stock up on essential supplies for themselves and their crew. Cast a line and maintain the boats, purchase tools or equipment in the store, upgrade ships, and refuel ships at one of the fuel stations.

Through a series of skill levels, players can build and improve their abilities. Skippers on cargo ships can use their skills to deliver goods and materials. For those who want to enhance their engineering skills, a career on service ships provides the ideal opportunity to gain experience in performing repairs and mechanical work. For those with angling on their mind, the commercial fishing career is an exciting route that teaches various fishing techniques, resource management strategies, and catch distribution tactics. Players can also take on all three careers if they’re up to the task since Ships at Sea doesn’t lock players into one career path.

Ships at Sea is a unique and ultimate simulation game for maritime enthusiasts. With stunning graphics, new gameplay features, and a multiplayer mode, players can experience the thrill of the high seas like never before.

Planet Zoo: Console Edition Launch Trailer

Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV, ‘Frontier’) invites players to build a world for wildlife with Planet Zoo: Console Edition, available from today. Frontier’s BAFTA-nominated title brings meaningful management, limitless creativity, and authentic animals to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 for a suggested retail price of £39.99/$49.99/€49.99.

With over 4 years’ worth of features, content, and animals from the celebrated PC video game’s free feature updates included as standard, there’s never been a better time to explore the wonderful world of Planet Zoo. Four engaging game modes challenge players to put their zookeeping skills to the test: learn the ropes and travel the globe in Career mode, build a connected network of modern zoos in Franchise mode, balance economic needs with animal welfare and guest happiness in Challenge mode, and enjoy limitless creativity in Sandbox mode.

From Aardvarks to Zebras, players can marvel at over 70 amazing animals in the base game alone, each brought to life on console with detailed animations and unique behaviours that will have zoo guests captivated. Using the in-game Zoopedia, even the most experienced zookeepers can discover a wealth of fascinating facts that will help them provide a true haven for their favourite species.

Budding builders can take advantage of powerful creative tools to shape the landscape around their animals, crafting stunning habitats using a wide range of scenery inspired by zoos around the world. What’s more, with console cross-platform support they can share their creations with other console players via the Frontier Workshop or discover fresh inspiration by downloading designs from the Planet Zoo community.

It’s easier than ever for players to manage every detail thanks to the fully optimised console UI and intuitive controls. Cater to the needs of individual species, while ensuring staff and facilities are poised to provide guests with an authentic zoo experience, in a living world that responds to every decision. Focus on the bigger picture with heat maps, or dive into research to advance conservation efforts, discover new technology, and more.

South Park: Snow Day! Launch Trailer

It’s a snow day – the most magical of days! South Park Digital Studios & THQ Nordic GmbH today released SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY! The latest game from the award-winning South Park franchise is now available for Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.

The game comes with a free DLC, adding the game mode “To Danse With Raveno” at release, which adds more playtime, variety and challenge inbetween the main story acts. School is cancelled and Henrietta is bored. Join her efforts to pierce the veil and she will allow you to “Danse with the Ravenous Shadows” of South Park. Face waves of dark foes, upgrade your weapons, and master more dark powers to earn new cards from Henrietta. This new game mode provides an endless onslaught of enemies and enhances your dark powers.

Continue your Snow Day adventures with a Season Pass for SOUTH PARK: SNOW DAY! which includes an all-new Game Mode, New Weapons, a Weapon Variation, and Cosmetic Packs. The Season Pass is included with the Digital Deluxe Edition and the Collectors Edition.

This Season Pass includes 6 DLCs in total:

  • All-new Game Mode: This all-new Game Mode changes the rules again! Prepare for hellish, new rules and special challenges that make Nichole’s “Infernal Pacts” feel like kindergarten recess.
  • All-new Ranged Weapon and New Cosmetics: The Snowball is perfect for all those who mastered the other ranged weapons in the game. Unleash devastating new attacks on enemies and grant powerful supporting effects on your allies.
  • All-new Melee Weapon and New Cosmetics: A new Melee Weapon will be announced later this season.
  • New Weapon Variation for the Daggers: This Weapon Variation will give the Daggers a devastating overhaul, replacing some of the weapon upgrade cards with crazy new powers that open up completely new play styles and tactics.
  • CRED Cosmetic Pack: A kid today is defined by their hydration drink – and their swag. Impress your friends and show the world how much CRED you have. The CRED Cosmetic Pack gives you plenty of CRED with a fresh hairstyle, a CRED hoodie, and a cape.
  • Asspen Cosmetic Pack: An “Asspen” themed Cosmetic Pack featuring new jackets, hats, and more will be available later this season.

Cities: Skylines II Beach Properties DLC Launch Trailer

Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order today launched Cities: Skylines II – Beach Properties, the first post-launch asset pack for Cities: Skylines II. Bringing new buildings, a new zoning option, and more to the sequel to Paradox’s best-selling city-builder game, Beach Properties is available now from digital retailers for a suggested retail price of $9.99/£8.49/€9.99, or as part of a bundle in the Cities: Skylines II Waterfronts Expansion Pass or Ultimate Edition. The game has also been updated today with the first in-game modding options, allowing players to create, share, and play with Map and Code Mods through the free Paradox Mods platform.

Beach Properties allows players to beautify and build a better beachfront, including a new Waterfront zoning option dedicated to waterfront buildings, new growable and signature buildings for both European and North American themes, and new trees to inspire creative coastlines. The Asset Pack is available today, alongside an extensive update to Cities: Skylines II that includes beta implementation of the editor, performance improvements, fixes, and community requests. The full patch notes are available here: https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/modding-wavelet-patch-1-1-0f1.1640000/

Today also marks the launch of the Cities: Skylines II Modding Beta, with immediate access to Map and Code mods. Using the Paradox Mods platform, also integrated into the Cities: Skylines II experience, creations can be played locally and shared globally. The platform also allows players to discover and curate other available mods, organize their preferred mods into one-click Playsets, and more. As of today, mod creators have already created new versions of some of the most popular Cities: Skylines mods for all players to download and try immediately. Asset modding and improvements to the toolset will be made available later this year.

Starship Troopers: Terran Command Urban Onslaught Teaser

Slitherine Software and The Artistocrats are pleased to share that the second main DLC for Starship Troopers: Terran Command will launch this June.
Urban Onslaught sees the conflict between mankind and the Arachnids move into the city streets of a new planet in an eight-mission story campaign that is focused on tactically rich, open maps.

The Arachnid onslaught has reduced majestic boulevards and towering skyscrapers to rubble and the homes of citizens are in great peril. Bug hordes are encroaching on the central districts and local police forces have been completely overwhelmed. The responsibility now falls on the shoulders of the player to lead the Mobile Infantry to victory and reclaim this beacon of human civilization.

As well as adding a new environment to wage war in, Urban Onslaught expands upon the Bug-squashing action in many engaging new ways. The DLC adds eight new unit types for the player, including mechanized missile launchers, hovering autocannons and airborne gunships, four new Arachnid unit types, and two new challenge missions.

The full list of features included in the DLC are:

  • A new planet, a new environment: Squash the Bugs in city streets, liberate a massive airport, clear internal buildings and venture through underground basements, sewers and metro lines.
  • 8 mission story campaign, focused on open maps that offer tactical freedom.
  • 2 new challenge missions.
  • 8 new player units, including mechanized missile launchers, hovering autocannons and airborne gunships.
  • 4 new Arachnid unit types.

The Movies Spiritual Successor Blockbuster Inc. Arrives June 6th

The movie management sim inspired by the classic The Movies game, Blockbuster Inc. has announced it will be releasing on June 6, 2024 for Steam. In Blockbuster Inc., players will have to evolve and adapt their filmmaking through multiple decades, to stay up to date with the ever-changing movie and TV industry. Hire the crew from directors to screenplay writers, build state-of-the-art movie sets, and put yourself in the directing chair to bring your stories to life.

Blockbuster Inc. grants you the opportunity to build the studio lot of your dreams! Build a set to bring your own original films to life or even your own version of your favorite movies. Whether you have an idea about a romantic drama featuring Godzilla or a coming-of-age comedic version of Oppenheimer, fully customize your sets to fit whatever the scene needs. In addition to the sets, build everything from offices for the behind-the-scenes crew to a cafeteria to keep everyone fed and happy. The entire lot is yours to sculpt, even the landscaping, so keep your studio up to date and stay on top of the ever-evolving trends in film.

Become the next Scorsese or Spielberg with the Direct Scene Feature and hop into the director’s chair to create movie masterpieces. Take complete control of every aspect of your movie’s scenes; set lighting and effects, choose cast performances and stunts, and even choose how the camera shoots the scene. Create a library of classics that will lead to your induction into the Filmwood Hall of Fame.

There is no need to wait for the big premiere to get your hands on Blockbuster Inc.! The Prologue demo is available now and allows budding producers to get a feel for running a movie studio and you can take a special look at the game during the Future Game Show on Thursday, March 21st at 1 PM PDT/4 PM EDT.

PAX East 2025 Dates Revealed

PAX East, the East Coast’s most-attended gaming event, returns to Boston on Thursday, May 8, 2025, through Sunday, May 11, 2025. Additionally, show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade announce badges for PAX West 2024 will go on sale on Thursday, May 30.

PAX West celebrates its 20th anniversary in the city where it all started, at the Seattle Convention Center this Labor Day weekend from Friday, Aug. 30, through Monday, Sept. 2.

“We might be wrapping up PAX East, but we’ve already got our sights set on PAX West in September,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of Penny Arcade and PAX. “The show’s twentieth year is just getting underway.”

Show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade will share more details about PAX East 2025 in the coming months. Badges for PAX West 2024 go on sale Thursday, May 30.

For travel information, event schedules, FAQs, and more, visit the official PAX website, and follow PAX on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram.