Minecraft SpongeBob SquarePants DLC gets Spongier
A new update was released for Minecraft's SpongeBob SquarePants DLC.
Last year SpongeBob SquarePants was blockified as the series made its Minecraft debut via a DLC pack. Fast forward to this week and a new update has been released that brings new quests, updated interiors, added furniture, more character customization, new boatmobiles, and a haunted mini-game.
The two new quests included with this update are called Cannons Overboard and The Recipe For Success.
Cannons Overboard
The Flying Dutchman isn’t known to pass on treasure and has traveled across coral reefs and far away sand blocks to get his share of the best day ever. Unfortunately, his ship collided with the Kelp Forest and lost its cannons overboard! Use your parkour skills to help retrieve them so the ship can once again feel the waves in its sails. And remember, the goal is to have the best day ever, so why not take the cannons for a spin in the re-playable mini- game whilst you’re at it?
The Recipe For Success
Let’s be real here. Can anybody really have the best day ever without freshly baked pizza? I think not. Neither does Mr. Krabs who refuses to buy Pearl new boots unless she helps with the pizza deliveries. Give Pearl a hand getting the orders to the hungry residents of Bikini Bottom before they get cold so they can all have the best day ever!Let’s be real here. Can anybody really have the best day ever without freshly baked pizza? I think not. Neither does Mr. Krabs who refuses to buy Pearl new boots unless she helps with the pizza deliveries. Give Pearl a hand getting the orders to the hungry residents of Bikini Bottom before they get cold so they can all have the best day ever!
Have you tried out the Minecraft SpongeBob DLC yet? I purchased it at launch and had some fun but there wasn't much to do other than look at all the new character skins they added. If you're interested in this new update, I hear you get a free Patrick t-shirt for the Character Creator.
Redfall PC Hardware Requirements
Arkane Studios has released the PC hardware requirements for Redfall.
As we near the vampire shooter Redfall's launch date, Arkane Studios has released the hardware requirements.
Minimum System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Storage: 100 GB SSD
- RAM: 16 GB
- CPU AMD: Ryzen 5 1600
- CPU Intel: Core i5-8400
- GPU AMD: Radeon RX 580
- GPU Nvidia: GeForce GTX 1070
Recommended System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Storage: 100 GB SSD
- RAM: 16GB
- CPU AMD: Ryzen 7 2700X
- CPU Intel: Core i7-9700K
- GPU AMD: Radeon RX 5700
- GPU Nvidia: GeForce RTX 2080
- GPU Intel: Arc A750
Maximum System Requirements
- OS: Windows 11 64-bit
- Storage: 100 GB SSD
- RAM: 32GB
- CPU AMD: Ryzen 7 2700X
- CPU Intel: Core i7-9700K
- GPU AMD: Radeon RX 6800 XT
- GPU Nvidia: GeForce RTX 3080
These system requirements seem to be in line with most other triple-a games released on PC recently. But if Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is anything to go by, they are not guaranteed to matter. They did list Intel Arc in the recommended GPU requirements which is the first time I've seen a Intel GPU listed in hardware requirements before.
What are the launch times for Redfall?
Redfall is launching soon and here are the start times for when you can begin playing.
Redfall is launching soon and players on the West Coast can begin playing at 5:00 PM on May 1st, while those on the East Coast gain access at 8:00 PM. For those that don't know, Redfall is a vampire shooter, and here is the summary:
The town of Redfall is under siege by a legion of vampires who have cut the island off from the outside world. Trapped with a handful of survivors, slay alone or squad up in open-world FPS action.
Arkane Austin (steampowered.com)
As with most triple-a games, reported previously, at launch it will be locked to 30 fps on consoles but a 60 fps performance mode is planned for a future update.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor PC & Console Patch Notes
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor launched with framerate issues and glitches, now a patch has been released to improve performance and fix bugs on all platforms.
After a rough launch that saw every version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor struggle with framerate issues and glitches, we'll be getting a patch to improve performance and fix bugs on all platforms. Below are the patch notes for the PC update today and the update for consoles tomorrow.
- Performance improvements across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S
- Multiple crashes fixed across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S and various areas of the game.
- Fixed crashes that were tied to skipping cinematics.
- Fixed an issue with dynamic cloth inside the Mantis.
- Fixed Various rendering issues.
- Fixed an issue with registered Nekko colors not saving.
- Fixed an issue with registered Nekko disappearing from the stable.
- Fixed issues with cinematic dialogue overlapping.
- Fixed various collision issues.
- Fixed an issue with enemy AI remaining in T-Pose during photo mode.
- Fixed a freeze that occasionally occurred while talking to Doma.
- Fixed a bug where the BD-oil VFX did not properly render.
- Fixed an issue where players were getting stuck inside the Chamber of Duality if you didn't save after leaving the chamber and die.
- Performance Improvements for non-raytraced rendering.
One thing to note is that the PC version of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor has already received the fixes coming to consoles on May 2nd. The developers have also said they're hard at work on patches that will further improve the performance and fix bugs across all platforms.
New Game Releases for May 2023
Here are some of the biggest games launching in May 2023.
What's the first thing you think about when a new month starts? For me, it's what awesome new games are coming out next. Obviously, you're here because of the title so read on to see some of the biggest games launching in May 2023.
Redfall
Action, First Person, Horror, Open-World, Shooter
PC, XBS
May 2, 2023
The town of Redfall is under siege by a legion of vampires who have cut the island off from the outside world. Trapped with a handful of survivors, slay alone or squad up in open-world FPS action.
Redfall
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Action, Adventure, Open-World
NS
May 12, 2023
In this sequel to the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game, you’ll decide your own path through the sprawling landscapes of Hyrule and the mysterious islands floating in the vast skies above. Can you harness the power of Link’s new abilities to fight back against the malevolent forces that threaten the kingdom?
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
LEGO 2K Drive
Racing
PC, PS5, PS4, XBS, XBO, NS
May 19, 2023
Welcome to Bricklandia, home of a massive open-world LEGO® driving adventure. Race anywhere, play with anyone, build your dream rides, and defeat a cast of wild racing rivals for the coveted Sky Trophy!
LEGO 2K Drive
Amnesia: The Bunker
Action, Horror, Open-World
PC, PS5, PS4, XBS, XBO
May 23, 2023
Amnesia: The Bunker is a first-person horror game set in a desolate WW1 Bunker. Face the oppressing terrors stalking the dark corridors. Search for and use the tools and weapons at your disposal, while keeping the lights on at all costs. Overcome fear, persevere, and make your way out alive.
Amnesia: The Bunker
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
Action, Adventure
PC, PS5, PS4, XBS, XBO
May 25, 2023
Play as Gollum on his quest to retrieve his Precious. You will need to climb the mountains of Mordor, sneak around Mirkwood and make difficult choices. Who will gain the upper hand: the cunning Gollum or the innocent Smeagol?
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum
System Shock
Adventure, Remake, Shooter
PC, PS4, XBO
May 30, 2023
A first-person fight to the death in the depths of space!
System Shock
Shame Legacy
Action, Adventure, Indie
PC, PS5, PS4, XBS, XBO
May 30, 2023
Shame Legacy is a first-person survival-horror, set in a forsaken cultist village. You attempt to survive using stealth and escape. By solving puzzles, you unravel the mystery that's h(a)unting you.
Shame Legacy
WrestleQuest
RPG, Wrestling
PC, PS5, PS4, XBS, XBO, NS
May 2023
TAG TEAM WITH DESTINY! Pro wrestling and RPG fantasy collide in the ultimate pixel powered adventure. “Macho Man” Randy Savage and tons of other icons offer guidance as you powerbomb your way to glory beyond the ring. This hero’s journey ain’t just an epic quest, it’s WRESTLEQUEST!
WrestleQuest
Pretty much all of these releases are worth checking out but I'm most excited for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and I will be checking out Redfall this month since it's on Game Pass. WrestleQuest also looks slamming but I'm not sure if it's going to make its target month as it still doesn't have an exact release date yet. Did a game release this month that you're interested in not make our list? Comment below and we might add it!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is already being Pirated
Nintendo has sprung a leak as the games found its way onto the web before launch.
In what could only be described as a plundering of the Triforce, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has found its way onto the web before launch. Multiple Twitter users have shown screenshots of Tears of the Kingdom running through Nintendo Switch emulators. What most likely happened is retailers have broken the street date and sent copies early.
Since those copies are now in the wild, online auction websites like eBay and Mercari are being used to find them a new home. If you look at the past sold items, you will come across one seller who sold 10 copies for $75 each. But that eBay seller might have missed out as copies on Mercari have sold for as high as $300.
If you ever find yourself with a game before release, what you don't want to do is post images and videos to Twitter, YouTube, or Twitch. So far Nintendo has issued multiple copyright claims and had them taken down.
Some would claim the game leaking early as karma for Nintendo who hasn't exactly done themselves any favors in the past few years as many YouTubers have had their content copyright claimed for even referencing Nintendo games.
Nintendo has removed our Heroes of Hyrule video from YouTube. This was a journalistic video documenting a game that Retro Studios pitched to Nintendo nearly 20 years ago. This is an attempt by a large corporation to silence whatever journalism they don't like, and a slap in the face for video game history preservation. We are exploring all available options to restore the video.
Are you planning to pick up a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or has Nintendo pushed you away from their brand?
Xbox Games Showcase announced for June
Xbox has announced an Xbox Games Showcase that will take place this summer.
E3 may be in the grave but Xbox is not letting its players go with them. Xbox has announced an Xbox Games Showcase that will take place on June 11th at 1 PM EST. Following the showcase, a Starfield Direct will take place with an in-depth look at their highly anticipated new franchise, Starfield.
Join us for some new surprises and first-looks from our incredibly talented internal studios, and our many creative partners around the world. This is the day gamers have been waiting for to see what is coming to Xbox, PC, and Game Pass.
During the Starfield Direct, you should expect new gameplay, developer interviews, and behind-the-scenes insider information. Starfield is an Action RPG that was announced way back in 2018 at E3. It will release on PC and Xbox Series X|S on September 6th.
Starfield is the first new universe in 25 years from Bethesda Game Studios, the award-winning creators of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. In this next generation role-playing game set amongst the stars, embark on an epic journey to answer humanity’s greatest mystery.
Starfield
Nvidia GeForce Driver Update 531.79
Nvidia has added support for Redfall, Showgunners, and Diablo IV Server Slam.
Nvidia released a new Game Ready Driver labeled version 531.79. It adds support for Redfall, which supports DLSS 3, along with Showgunners and Diablo IV Server Slam, both feature DLSS 2. If you plan on picking up any of these titles, I recommend installing the latest driver for the best experience while playing.
Fixed Issues:
- [RTX 30 series] Application crash may be observed while playing Battlefield 2042/The
Last of Us/Unreal Editor. - [Asus VG27WQ][Acer XV253Q] Highest monitor refresh rate is missing from the
NVIDIA Control Panel after updating to NVIDIA display driver 531.41.
Known Issues:
- Toggling HDR on and off in-game causes game stability issues when non-native
resolution is used. - Monitor may briefly flicker on waking from display sleep if DSR/DLDSR is enabled.
- [GeForce RTX 4090] Watch Dogs 2 may display flickering when staring at the sky.
- Increase in DPC latency observed in Latencymon.
- Applying GeForce Experience Freestyle filters cause games to crash.
For the full update information check this link out here.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 Prequel Comic Announced
Insomniac has teamed up with Marvel to release a prequel comic to the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 game.
For Free Comic Book Day, Insomniac has teamed up with Marvel to release a prequel comic to the upcoming Marvel's Spider-Man 2 game. Here's a brief summary of what you can expect:
In this story, their lives collide as Peter, Miles, and MJ attempt to balance their responsibilities to the city, and each other. They keep coming back to one of the main themes of the comic: is magic real? Because in this action-packed issue, a beloved Super Villain makes their first appearance in our universe and appears to have supernatural abilities that defy mere webs and fists: none other than The Hood!
Jon Paquette (Narrative Director @ Insomniac Games)
They also announced that later this month Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered will become available for standalone purchase on the PlayStation Store. The Remastered game was previously only included as part of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition.
They also said if you own the PlayStation 4 version of the game, when the remaster is added to the PlayStation Store, you will be able to upgrade to Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered on the PlayStation 5 console for $10.
Last Chance to Claim the PlayStation Plus Collection
Time is running out to claim the PlayStation Plus Collection.
It's your last chance to claim the PlayStation Plus Collection. Since 2020, PlayStation Plus has offered a collection of digital games available for download on the PlayStation 5 at no extra cost. After claiming these games they are forever tied to your account, but you still need Plus to play them. Sony announced on a blog post back in February that the collection is going away and that day is coming up very soon. May 8th is the last day the PlayStation Collection is available, so get it fast if you haven't already!
We also wanted to provide an update on the PlayStation Plus Collection that has been offered as a benefit to PlayStation Plus members on PS5 since 2020. On May 9 the PlayStation Plus Collection will no longer be offered. If you haven’t redeemed the titles in this collection yet, you can still do so before May 9, which will enable you to access those titles even after this date for as long as you remain a PlayStation Plus member.
PlayStation Blog - Feb 1, 2023
Here's a list of the available games on the PlayStation Collection:
- Batman Arkham Knight
- Battlefield 1
- Bloodborne
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
- Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
- Days Gone
- Detroit Become Human
- Fallout 4
- Final Fantasy 10
- God of War
- Infamous Second Son
- Monster Hunter World
- Mortal Kombat 10
- Ratchet & Clank
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- The Last Guardian
- The Last of Us Remastered
- Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
- Until Dawn
Hogwarts Legacy PC & Console May 4th Patch Notes
A patch to improve the overall gameplay experience and stability has been released.
In what could be the most detailed patch notes I've ever seen, Avalanche Software has released an update for Hogwarts Legacy. This patch is said to improve the overall gameplay experience and stability.
Arachnophobia Mode
An Arachnophobia Mode has been added to the accessibility options. When toggled
on, this mode:
- Changes all enemy spider appearances.
- Reduces and removes spider skitters and screeches.
- Removes small spider ground effect spawners.
- Makes static spider corpses in the world invisible.
- Collision is still active to prevent players from getting stuck when toggling this setting.
- Note that spider images in the Field Guide remain unchanged.
Professor Ronen Themed Cosmetic Gear
Added support for the new Professor Ronen Cosmetic Set Twitch Drops.
Additional Fixes
- Resolved Lodgok’s Helm of Urtkot quest lock, preventing players from continuing with the quest.
- Did some laundry after students pointed out that robes looked dirty.
- Multiple save game fixes.
- Identified and resolved multiple collections and Field Guide Page issues.
- Resolved multiple issues that could cause the player to fall out of the world.
Performance
- Resolved multiple potential crashes.
- Performance fixes and optimizations.
- And more than 500 additional fixes. You can read the full detailed notes below.
For the full update information check this link out here.
Xbox Series X|S Expansion Cards now Available for Less
You can now pick up a Xbox Series X|S Expansion Card for a much better price.
Xbox has announced a price drop on all three of the Xbox Series X|S Expansion Cards. The 512 GB card will be going from $139 to $90, the 1TB from $220 to $150, and the 2TB from a whopping $400 to now only $280.
Think of all the new games you’ll be able to download and play now. The Storage Expansion Card is now available starting at a lower price.
To play current generation games on an Xbox Series X or S, you're required to install them to the internal SSD or purchase a proprietary Seagate Expansion Card. The reason you can't just plug in any external drive through USB for example, is down to speed. The expansion slot can make use of the Xbox Velocity Architecture which features four separate components that take advantage of the performance SSDs bring to the table.
Many voiced complaints when we learned that Microsoft decided to use a proprietary storage format unlike the PlayStation 5 that allows you to use any NVMe M.2 SSD with enough speed. That wasn't the only negative, the price was more expensive than similarly specced SSDs. While this price drop after two years on the market certainly helps, it's still overpriced compared to what you can purchase for PlayStation 5 and PC.
Nintendo Treehouse featuring The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom announced
A Nintendo Livestream has been announced that will feature gameplay from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
A Nintendo Livestream has been announced that will feature gameplay from the upcoming game The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The livestream will begin on May 11, 2023, at 9:45 PM EST so mark your calendars. Following the presentation, they will continue to livestream counting down to the release of the much-anticipated sequel. If you're interested, this link here will take you to Nintendo's livestream website.
What would a new game release be without a controversy to go with it? Earlier in the week The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom broke its street release date as retailers sent out copies early to some players. This seems to have turned into a piracy nightmare for Nintendo as players began sharing screenshots and spoilers before the game was even released.
How this will impact the launch performance is unknown but stay tuned as we continue reporting on Nintendo's reaction to what could be a disaster.
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