The final Dune Awakening beta is now live, which will allow thousands of fresh-faced players to hop into Funcom’s open world survival MMO for the first time. This beta, which is running over the weekend, will cover the first two major zones of the game, giving folks a peek at the early game experience.
The beta, announced following the release date of the game being pushed back to June 10, is running a few days before the previous date of May 15. A balm to those still burned by the delay, and the last opportunity people will get to check out the game for free.
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This is also the first time your average gamer will get a chance to learn about the game. Our own preview of the early game went live last month, and was largely positive overall. However this preview – which covers the same scope of content that’ll be available in this weekend’s beta – still left us with many questions on what the game will ultimately be building up to in its end-game – a portion that has been discussed by the team, but not shown off to a great extent.
In order to get into this beta, players will have to either wishlist the game on Steam and wait for access to be sent their way via email, or get access via developer giveaways. Access has already been handed out to folks, but it’s not out of the question that more people will be let in over the weekend. So keep an eye out if you’re keen to give it a try, and maybe throw a wishlist on the game for a chance. You never know, you may get lucky!
Are you going to try the game out this weekend? Let us know below, as well as whether or not you’re excited for Dune Awakening!
Yep, an Oblivion Remastered modder has done the thing all of us have secretly wanted for years. They’ve stuck a penthouse at the summit of the Imperial City’s White-Gold Tower, so you can live far above the potato-faced NPC masses and take in the views like a Cyrodiilic and pre-computer version of New Vegas‘ Mr House.
As player home mods go, it’s possibly the least subtle bit of design placement I’ve ever seen, but let’s face it, you didn’t splash out for an remaster with gorgeous UE5 visuals not to be able to take in a stunning panorama of central Cyrodiil from your character’s digs.
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The modder behind this goes by RBDinteractive, and their ‘Champion Penthouse‘ is designed to finally deliver a reward for ending the Oblivion Crisis and saving the entire world that isn’t just some admittedly cool armour you might not even end up using.
The concept’s very similar to a classic Oblivion mod – Vince Bly’s ‘Top of the World‘. Based on the fact RBDinteractive’s credited the fix and port script for OG Oblivion mods that modder Haphestia (whom we’ve recently interviewed about Oblivion Remastered modding) has developed for the remaster, it looks like there’s even a chance one could be loosely based on the other.
Though, there are plenty of differences, with Top of the World’s square wooden room atop the tower could seemingly only be fast-travelled to, while the Champion Penthouse is a rounded stone suite that slightly more closely matches the design of the tower itself, and can be gotten to via a ladder found to the right when you enter at ground level.
Not a bad place to crash, eh? | Image credit: RBDinteractive/Bethesda
The furnishings and architecture are different, but the view’s the same breathtaking one that’s prompted both modders to decide to perch a house that’s open to Cyrodiil’s wider worldspace here, so you can take in the views from any angle in all their glory.
It’s worth noting that as for right now the Champion’s Penthouse is accessible at any time for free, since it’s free and there’s no quest attached, but RBDinteractive’s suggested that might change soon. “I’m gonna try to learn how to edit quests and [have] homes be purchased,” they wrote in the mod’s comments section, “I’ll let you know if I get it working. My idea would be to get the penthouse when you beat the main quest, because everyone refers to you as Champion.”
So, there you go. A house ideal for those who love nice views, and the literal worst nightmare of those who’re afraid of heights. Hey, you’ve fought your way through legions of Daedra pouring out of a not-quite-hell, surely you can handle the terror of knowing you might plummet to your death if you sleepwalk ten feet.
GTA 6 has just gotten a second trailer. Yep, I repeat, trailer two is here, this is not a drill.
Of course, it does come after the game’s release was delayed last week. After all the speculation it might be pushed back and Rockstar sticking to that vague Fall release window for ages, GTA 6‘ll be dropping on May 26, 2026.
“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” Rockstar wrote in its Newswire post announcing the delay last week, “The interest and excitement surrounding a new Grand Theft Auto has been truly humbling for our entire team. We want to thank you for your support and your patience as we work to finish the game.
“With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.
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This is a breaking story, so we’ll add more deets soon.
HoYoverse finally announced the Honkai Star Rail x Fate collaboration release date during the second HSR concert, including details about which characters will join the space game’s roster. HSR x Fate kicks off on July 11, 2025, in an event called Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail, and it adds two new 5-star characters from the Fate series to HSR’s list of playable characters.
One of them is Saber, a 5-star Destruction character with wind as her element. Saber, aka Artoria Pendragon, is one of Fate’s main characters and first debuted in 2004’s Fate/Stay Night. Saber will run for the usual length of time in a limited event banner. The second Fate character in HSR is Archer, another long-time favorite. Archer is a 5-star Hunt character with quantum as his element, and anyone who logs into Honkai Star Rail during Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail will get him for free.
Get your very own free man for a limited time | Image credit: HoYoverse
HoYoverse said the free Archer giveaway will last through the end of Honkai Star Rail 3.6. Based on the game’s current update calendar, that’d be sometime in November 2025. Assuming the free Archer event is like the time HoYoverse gave Dr Ratio away, you’ll probably only need to be at the story’s beginning, at the point where you unlock the warp function.
Saber will have “exciting” interactions with the Trailblaze crew during the event’s associated story missions. Fate writer Kinoko Nasu penned the crossover event’s story, and artist Takashi Takeuchi created the Honkai Star Rail versions of Archer and Saber.
HoYoverse also teased a new Honkai game during the concert, though had no further information to share at the time.
It’s rough out there, even for video game characters. It looks like Sackboy, from the beloved Little Big Planet series of games, has been removed from the PlayStation Productions intro sequence. This was discovered by Twitter user Radec who sat down to watch the Until Dawn movie, a horrific start to an already shocking movie.
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As such, Sackboy isn’t the star of the office like he used to be. A newer generation of Sony stars are in the office, and old man Sack has sort of been pushed to a desk in the corner of the room. With his face off the PlayStation Productions intro, it’s as if he’s been removed from the office entirely. His stuff in a cardboard box as he waits for a taxi. Or maybe it’s all in a big sack, who knows.
Upon hearing the news, folks were obviously upset. There’s a range of responses that sum up the final nail in Sackboy’s career coffin rather well, from usersr on Twitter called ‘LittleBigPlanet™ for the Playstation®3’ or what have you. I’d like to personally jump in here to say don’t lose hope just yet. Instead, you should wait to see if Sackboy gets dug up for an Adi Shankar adaptation.
Are you sad about Sackboy being thrown out into the street like this? I am. Let us know below, as well as whether you think Sackboy will every come back!
Panic over. At least for now. Sort of. Fresh off of the news that Helldivers 2 is getting some fresh content in May, April’s closed with the Illuminate’s planet-eating death ball being stopped in its tracks – something players have been working towards for ages.
Yep, this is not a drill. The Illuminate have gone into hiding too. Take that, the colour purple! I’m sure this relative peace will last forever, and that “more exciting news to come” not long after the next Warbond won’t have a chance of kicking off more squid shenanigans.
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If you take a glance at the Galactic War map right now on April 30, you’ll see no trace of the faction the divers have been going at it with on the reg for the past few months – there are only Automatons and Terminids left, because those two old foes will never totally die out. Though, as Arrowhead explained in its latest briefing, neither have the Illuminate.
“The Meridian Singularity has come to a halt,” this briefing reads, “The Illuminate have disappeared completely; Ministry of Defense analysts have concluded this is likely explained by too few remaining to present a significant threat. The enemy is likely attempting to evade detection in order to survive a second total annihilation.”
MAJOR ORDER: The Meridian Singularity has come to a halt. The Illuminate have disappeared completely; Ministry of Defense analysts have concluded this is likely explained by too few remaining to present a significant threat. The enemy is likely attempting to evade detection in… pic.twitter.com/oF9Ohtlkml
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So, the big wormhole thing that was on its way to try and add the Helldivers’ home planet of Super Earth to the list of worlds it’s blown to smithereens has stopped in its tracks, and the squids have made a tactical retreat. Nice.
This is Helldivers 2 though, meaning the fighting’s never over and there’s still a fresh major order. “The Terminids and Automatons remain significant threats,” Arrowhead continued, “In the Illuminate’s final hours, they dealt significant damage to the defenses of multiple strategic sites across both battlefronts, granting the opportunity for our foes to capture formerly well-defended territory.” Damn. It can never be easy, can it.
So, players are now taking on the task of holding on those weakened sites – the planets Fenrir III, Turing, Claorell, Mastia, and Achernar Secundus. As of writing, the latter two are being battled for, while the first two are currently held by Super Earth with just over five days left on the order. So, by the time it runs its course, that next Warbond reveal on May 8 will be just around the corner.
Are you glad to see that the death ball has stopped rolling towards your Super loved ones? Let us know below!
Are you tired of hearing or reading about Dune Awakening without actually being able to play it? Well, hopefully you’re not tired of reading about it… Either way, it turns out you’ll be able to play the game soon, courtesy of a free open beta weekend coming on May 9, and concluding on May 12.
To get access, you’ll need to either wishlist the game prior to May 9 for a chance to play, or grab one of the “thousands” of beta codes given out by the team during the weekend. So, it’s open, but only to those lucky enough to gain access. Semi-open. The door left somewhat ajar.
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Players will be able to access the first two regions, which if thoroughly explored should make up the first 20-ish hours of the game. That means you’ll be able to explore a few Research Facilities, try out the early abilities for various classes, and a little bit of PvP in ship crash sites. A good taster of the experience. If you’d like our experience, we’ve got a new preview for Dune Awakening out today that covers this same slice of the overall experience.
Are you excited for this open beta? Let us know below!
The F1 series’ Braking Point modes have always been an interesting thing to dip into, getting more refined as the TV-drama elements of the sport itself become more prominent. The mode may not be what you’re looking for if you’re in the mood to go all-in on the real-world simulation aspect of the game, or just stick to being out on track as much as possible, but there’s a place – and an audience – for it.
Drama’s always been part of the draw, don’t get me wrong, but it feels more central to how we all interact with our watching of cars going round in circles today. That’s for better or worse, depending on who you are, but if you’re looking for a bit of the dramz to spice up your Sundays, the third instalment of Braking Point in F1 25 sounds pretty promising.
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“When we introduced characters of Braking Point in ’21, and then when we introduced Konnersport – the team – back in ‘23, it was kind of really important to us that it felt authentic,” creative director Gavin Cooper explained when introing this year’s mode. “It didn’t feel realistic that those characters could come in and start winning championships right from the outset.”
Braking Point 3 changes that. Konnersport is now at the front following a winter with some fresh investment and a strong opening test, set to take on the existing real-world frontrunners of F1. Cooper alluded to a “key event that happens early in the story which throws the team into chaos”, and from the brief bit I played, it looks like the ongoing drama of the Butler family long-time players’ll be familiar with is set to still be a key cog this time around.
Following the events of Braking Point 2, Aiden Jackson and Callie Mayer are the driver pairing, and you’ll be able to choose which of them to race as for key races and events in the story.
Codemasters says it’s put a bigger focus on this offering more player agency this time around, with some “different on-track objectives and narrative elements” popping up depending on who you pick. You’ll also get an “alternative ending” to the story depending on which you’ve raced as more often, so we’ll have to see whether those feel distinct enough to be worth trying both.
Jackson or Mayer – it’s your call. | Image credit: EA/Codemasters
I picked Mayer for the first two events I got time to play through, one of which was just testing in Bahrain and took the form of your standard ‘do a few laps to get comfortable with the car and nail a certain lap time’ affair. The first proper race at Imola was a bit more exciting, with you being plunged into the action mid-race after losing ground in a turn one collision with a certain Dutch Red Bull driver (points for accuracy to Codemasters there).
Starting from about seventh, the goal was to get back the podium by the chequered flag and earn some additional points by getting back past Verstappen prior to a certain lap in the process. Since this was the first bit of the game I played, I wanted to get a feel for the car and so opted for about the most minimalistic level of driver aids I can generally cope with alongside a pretty steep difficulty.
It’s fair to say that with the cars up ahead already well strung out given the late stage of the race, I really struggled to make any ground. Knocking things back down made it thoroughly doable though, so more than anything, this was a lesson in how much the higher-level AI is tuned to face either folks running on rails with plenty of aids, or the elite of the elite.
Codemasters says it’s rebalanced the difficulty levels this year, with the addition of a fourth hardness rung to the existing three supposedly having the aim of making it easier for everyone to find their ideal setting. However, in this brief hands-on, the cut-off between too hand and too easy did still seem to be missing in-between that’d constitute the exact best match for my pace. That said, such a thing is nearly impossible for developers to help you nail down without endless tweaking, since everyone’s pace will vary from track to track and condition to condition.
Where will Callie’s story lead? I’m quite keen to find out. | Image credit: EA
Going back to the off-track drama of Braking Point, that new investment I mentioned has come from the mode’s long-time rich guy Davidoff Butler, father of both Callie Mayer and Devon Butler, the latter of whom is now a sort of team advisor after being forced to retire from racing in BP2. Jackson’s in there too, as is team boss Casper Akkerman, but it looks like the relationships between Davidoff and his kids are going to be key to a lot of the drama.
While I’m not all that invested in the tale Braking Point’s been weaving to this point, I’m at least interested to see how this year’s edition advances Mayer’s story as a fictional first female F2 champion; now stepping up for a full season in the big time. Real-world F1, lest we forget, hasn’t had a female driver actually be entered for a full race weekend since Giovanna Amati back in 1992 (though there has been testing and development work done for teams much more recently by the likes of Jamie Chadwick, Jessica Hawkins, and Tatiana Calderón). Shout-out, also, to the all-female F1 Academy series that’s been a part of the F1 support series package for a good couple of years, now.
To bring the tale to life, Codemasters has invested in some Nvidia Audio2Face facial animation tech, which feeds into a more detailed and realistic setup for press conferences and interviews, allowing you to actually watch your driver deliver the answer you’ve picked. Plus, once you’ve run through the story, you’re now given the option to import your Konnersport team into the MyTeam 2.0 mode, so you can carry on beyond the single season of Braking Point, though obviously in that mode’s regular team management fashion.
Though, whether you’ll be engrossed enough to want to do that once you reach the end of Braking Point 3, or whether you’ll have had your fill of the Drive To Survive-ish drama, remains to be seen.
While all the old and busted Elder Scrolls fans (all my coworkers) are excited and popping bottles around today’s The Elder Scrolls Oblivion Remake stream and shadow drop, those with an eye for the future may be happy to learn that Todd Howard took time to acknowledge that The Elder Scrolls 6still exists! He was even so bold as to state that the team was working on it.
The full quote, stated ahead of a plentiful feast of Oblivion Remaster news and footage, is as follows: “obviously we’re working on the 6th chapter here”.
Wow. Fantastic. This is the biggest info drop we’ve had for The Elder Scrolls 6 since March 2024, when Bethesda confirmed that early builds of ES6 were out in the wild for testers to mess around with. They were even so generous as to hint at the game being fun, which y’know, you’d certainly hope so.
It’s worth noting that in terms of actual, concrete updates from Bethesda, there’s been crickets for years. Back in August 2023, the company confirmed development had started, roughly five years after the announcement during E3. I may be going out on a limb here, and feel free to call me nuts for suggesting as much, but do you reckon they may have announced the game a touch too early?
Listen, all joking and snark aside, it’s good to see at least a faint sign of life from Elder Scrolls 6. It’s been so long. I was still at school when Elder Scrolls 6 was announced, and now I’m an adult with bills and bad habits and dating apps on my phone. Bethesda, probably still the most acclaimed first person RPG developer out there, I’m sure will do a cracking job at it. Just like, release some art or something? Liam Neeson had more concrete proof his daughter was alive in Taken than Elder Scrolls fans have for this game being real.
Let us know below if you feel anything anymore, and how much student loan debt I’ll have by the time Elder Scrolls 6 comes out!
We have a sponsor for this episode! We are eternally grateful for Tursiops Studios, who you may remember as the creators of the awesome “wreck ’em up” The Day We Fought Space a few years ago, for sponsoring our podcast this week. Their new game is called Primrows, it’s one we’ve talked about before, and it’s available now on mobile and desktop. I give some of my early impressions about the game about halfway through this week’s show, but the game is free to play with a one-time premium unlock so there’s really no reason not to just go try it out for yourself. Head over to the game’s website using this link here to learn more and find links to all platforms. Oh, and here’s the trailer. Primrows is such a lovely little game, thanks again Tursiops Studios!
As for this week’s show, well, it was a hectic one. Internet issues caused us to split the recording into two parts with the first half recorded yesterday and the second half recorded today. It all worked out in the end, though. Topics include the Nintendo Switch 2, the Mario Kart Direct from yesterday, the PlayDate Season 2 announcement, retro handheld stuff, and much more. Oh, and we finally catch up on listener emails going all the way back to January.
Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to [email protected]. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!
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