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  • Everything We Know About Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 So Far

    Everything We Know About Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 So Far


    At the end of the Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft surprised gamers with the debut teaser for the latest Call of Duty. While official information is still scarce, here’s everything we know about Black Ops 7.

    Setting and Story

    While the last several Call of Duty games have elected to stick to historical or modern settings, Black Ops 7 is heading back to the future. Despite being numbered to follow 2024’s Black Ops 6, the latest CoD actually has way more in common with the classic Black Ops 2.

    Like Black Ops 2, 7 will take players a decade ahead of the game’s release and predict a near future full of technology which revolutionizes the way wars are fought. Black Ops 7 takes place in 2035, with characters from Black Ops 2 returning in the form of David Mason, Menendez, and Harper. The announcement blog further teases the setting as a “world on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare”.

    While story details are still being kept classified, the cryptic teaser does give fans a taste of what to expect. That trailer is filled with surreal, mind bending environments which confirm the spirit of Black Ops as a trippy espionage thriller is still alive and well. Several of these aforementioned locales allude back to classic characters and missions from early Black Ops campaigns. Most notably, David Mason confronts Raul Menendez in a recreation of the room has father was interrogated in over the course of the original Black Ops story.

    Multiplayer, Zombies, and More

    As exciting as a new Black Ops Campaign can be, Call of Duty’s suite of multiplayer modes is what keeps players hooked all year. That being said, the Campaign does actually fit in here, too. Perhaps whats most exciting about Black Ops 7’s story is that fans will be able to experience it with others. In a rare move for the franchise, this year’s campaign is confirmed to be playable co-op or solo, allowing fans to play the narrative out together for the first time in a decade.

    For fans of Call of Duty’s PvP offerings, Black Ops 7 is expected to have the classic Multiplayer modes, as well as some new ones. Black Ops 7 will continue the trend of a direct sequel to a previous Call of Duty entry in an odd numbered year; just as Modern Warfare III followed up II the year before it. However, unlike MWIII, Black Ops 7 is confirmed to have several brand-new Multiplayer maps at launch, rather than just a collection of remasters.

    The seasons of Warzone content to follow the Black Ops 7 launch seem to feature a new large-scale map called Avalon. Several prominent CoD content leakers have claimed Avalon was originally set to release with Black Ops 6, but was delayed too make room for the re-introduction of Verdansk. Several of the Black Ops 6 Multiplayer maps take place in or around Avalon, and the surrounding area matches up with some brief looks at gameplay in the first Black Ops 7 teaser.

    A brief look at this year’s Zombies offering was also shown. Black Ops 7 will once again feature the classic Round Based Zombies mode. Our first look at the horde mode this year shows a group of zombies being alerted by the turning on of headlights in a rural environment. Many fans believe this could be some sort of remake or reimagining of Tranzit, the launch map for Black Ops 2 Zombies, as the teaser images seem to include that map’s Farm locale and bus. Fans have long wanted a reinvention of the controversial map on new hardware, and with Black Ops 7 being a direct sequel to 2, the time may finally be right.

    A full reveal of Black Ops 7 is promised for this summer. In the meantime, you can play Black Ops 6 & Warzone on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Black Ops 7 will be available on all those platforms as well. It is unknown if and when the game will come to the Nintendo Switch 2.


    The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy



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  • Spooky new Metroidvania Shadow Labyrinth gets a great pre-order discount

    Spooky new Metroidvania Shadow Labyrinth gets a great pre-order discount


    Everyone loves Pac-Man. The yellow ball of joy has been a staple in videogame history since his debut in arcades back in 1980, and after decades of spin-offs, formula changes, and other bizarre twists, it’s time to take things back to basics – of course, that doesn’t mean a basic arcade game, but a Metroidvania with spooky vibes and action-packed combat, right? Well, if that intrigues you, Shadow Labyrinth has now got a great discount before launch.

    While that may sound like a strange place to take the long-running series, when looking at Pac-Man’s lengthy history, it actually works quite well. Over seemingly hundreds of titles, the puck has been going from classic PC games to even taking a shot at becoming a great battle royale game, but Shadow Labryinth feels different, like a new step for the iconic character.

    In my mind, Hollow Knight Silksong is one of the best Metroidvanias, but I’ve been waiting on that for over a year. So, while the Hollow Knight Silksong release date remains elusive, Shadow Labyrinth is doing a great job of scratching that itch.

    In this action game, Shadow Labyrinth puts you in the role of a character lovingly called “Swordsman No. 8” as you explore a large maze (see: labyrinth) and fight plenty of monsters, as well as upgrade your abilities. Fortunately, you’re not alone in your adventure, as a floating orb called Puck (see: Pac-Man) joins your side.

    YouTube Thumbnail

    Ever since I saw the announcement trailer, I’ve been enthralled by the idea of diving into this world. Call me basic, but I always love a premise of “this light-hearted thing, but dark”, and Shadow Labyrinth takes the very idea of Pac-Man and turns it into something new, yet familiar. In a wave of upcoming PC games, Shadow Labyrinth has got me waiting to dive into the halls of its terrifying maze.

    If you’re ready to explore this haunting take on Pac-Man, you can grab Shadow Labyrinth for just $25.19 at Fanatical. That’s a 16% discount on the game before it launches, and cheaper than Steam itself, so you’re getting an exciting new game to experience for a great price with this deal.

    While you wait for the doors to swing open on Pac-Man’s new adventure, make sure to check out the best PC games right now for something to pass the time with. Personally, I’d recommend grabbing a copy of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 to sink your teeth into, as it’s one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Thinking Beyond Mechanisms Ep 15

    Thinking Beyond Mechanisms Ep 15


    Welcome!

    Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.

    We post a new Ludology episode every other week. In these episodes, hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim deep-dive into a single topic within game design, often with a well-regarded guest from the game industry. We generally focus on tabletop game design (mainly board games and RPGs), but we often pull in experts from all forms of games, from video games to escape rooms to slot machines.

    On weeks where there is no flagship Ludology episode, we will alternate between two smaller mini-sodes. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp of Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell of TTRPGKids will be joining us for the next year, providing additional content between our longer episodes.

    Sarah’s segment, Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, is a monthly feature that dives deeper into the other aspects of games beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with.

    Stephanie’s segment, TTRPGKids, explores how parents and teachers can use role playing games with children in the home and in the classroom.

    We hope you enjoy the additional content!

    Our History

    We aim for most Ludology episodes to be timeless, so you are welcome to explore our entire catalog. Most of it should age quite well. The podcast was started in 2011 by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, with Mike Fitzgerald taking over for Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike stepped aside, and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff ended his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined us. Since then, Scott stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be hanging up his mic in 2023, leaving Erica and Sen to carry on this amazing legacy.

    Erica and Sen are working to bring new voices to Ludology and have some great things to announce as gaming expands to include even more people!

    Contact Us 

    Have your own thoughts about our topics? We encourage you to visit us at our guild on Boardgamegeek to get involved in a continuing discussion.

    You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.

    Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

    If you have questions that you’d like answered on Ludology, let us know by filling out this Google Form; you can also leave an audio question that we can use on the show, if you wish! 

    Burning Questions for Ludology

    Burning Question

    Support the Show

    Ludology is made possible through the support and donations of listeners like you.

    We currently have 3 “First Listen” series that will go out to Patrons well in advance of the audio being released to the wider audience.

    • The Memories that Made Us (monthly) – memories about gaming experiences that helped shape the people that bring modern games to life
    • Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry pros learned from both success and failure
    • Ludology Live – recordings from conventions around the world

    Patrons will also get extra consideration for any giveaways that we might have!

    Become a Ludology Patron

    Become a patron

    You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. The link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not have access to the Patreon page – sorry!





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  • Nintendo Switch Part Deux – The TouchArcade Show #611 – TouchArcade


    Welcome to the latest episode of The TouchArcade Show! We were short on time this week so it’s a bit of a short one, but we really wanted to discuss Nintendo announcing the Switch 2. Yes, if you haven’t seen yet they’ve officially unveiled the Switch successor’s hardware in a new video, and it looks pretty sweet. There’s also LOTS we don’t know yet so it’s fun to kind of speculate what we’ll be in store for when it launches this year. Don’t worry though if the new Switch isn’t your thing, we also talk about a handful of totally random topics just like we always do.

    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!

    As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.


    Stitcher: The TouchArcade Show via Stitcher Radio for Podcasts
    RSS Feed: The TouchArcade Show

    Direct Link: TouchArcadeShow-611.mp3

     



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  • Ludology 335 Who’s This For?

    Ludology 335 Who’s This For?


    Welcome!

    Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.

    We post a new Ludology episode every other week. In these episodes, hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim deep-dive into a single topic within game design, often with a well-regarded guest from the game industry. We generally focus on tabletop game design (mainly board games and RPGs), but we often pull in experts from all forms of games, from video games to escape rooms to slot machines.

    On weeks where there is no flagship Ludology episode, we will alternate between two smaller mini-sodes. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp of Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell of TTRPGKids will be joining us for the next year, providing additional content between our longer episodes.

    Sarah’s segment, Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, is a monthly feature that dives deeper into the other aspects of games beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with.

    Stephanie’s segment, TTRPGKids, explores how parents and teachers can use role playing games with children in the home and in the classroom.

    We hope you enjoy the additional content!

    Our History

    We aim for most Ludology episodes to be timeless, so you are welcome to explore our entire catalog. Most of it should age quite well. The podcast was started in 2011 by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, with Mike Fitzgerald taking over for Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike stepped aside, and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff ended his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined us. Since then, Scott stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be hanging up his mic in 2023, leaving Erica and Sen to carry on this amazing legacy.

    Erica and Sen are working to bring new voices to Ludology and have some great things to announce as gaming expands to include even more people!

    Contact Us 

    Have your own thoughts about our topics? We encourage you to visit us at our guild on Boardgamegeek to get involved in a continuing discussion.

    You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.

    Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

    If you have questions that you’d like answered on Ludology, let us know by filling out this Google Form; you can also leave an audio question that we can use on the show, if you wish! 

    Burning Questions for Ludology

    Burning Question

    Support the Show

    Ludology is made possible through the support and donations of listeners like you.

    We currently have 3 “First Listen” series that will go out to Patrons well in advance of the audio being released to the wider audience.

    • The Memories that Made Us (monthly) – memories about gaming experiences that helped shape the people that bring modern games to life
    • Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry pros learned from both success and failure
    • Ludology Live – recordings from conventions around the world

    Patrons will also get extra consideration for any giveaways that we might have!

    Become a Ludology Patron

    Become a patron

    You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. The link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not have access to the Patreon page – sorry!





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  • A Ghost Story Hidden in the City feature – Grandis Adventures

    A Ghost Story Hidden in the City feature – Grandis Adventures


    In Grandis Adventures, some side quests are quiet, subtle, and filled with mystery. This short article introduces one such moment — where a ghost vanishes into the night.

    Inside the train, a silence lingers. The world outside is shrouded in fog.

    Train

    In the world of Grandis Adventures, some side quests aren’t loud — they’re quiet, subtle, and mysterious.
    This clip shows one of them. A player walks through the neon-lit streets…

    Where the track ends… something else begins.

    Train

    And then, just at the end-
    He disappears.

    Yes. He was a ghost all along.

    We’re crafting each side quest with story, emotion, and mystery at heart.
    More to come soon.



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  • Vampire Survivors dev is publishing a $4 action game, and it’s out on Steam now

    Vampire Survivors dev is publishing a $4 action game, and it’s out on Steam now


    Since it launched in 2021, Vampire Survivors cannot be stopped. Poncle’s phenomenal bullet hell roguelike is one of the most successful indies on Steam, amassing a 98% positive user rating from nearly 240,000 reviews across its lifetime. That’s for good reason, too, as not only is the core experience infinitely replayable, but a collection of updates and DLC have vastly expanded what’s on offer. Vampire Survivors is easily one of the best value propositions available on PC today, and now Poncle has another one for you. The studio is publishing the incredibly vibrant and kinetic Berserk or Die, which has a truly bizarre control scheme, and it’s available right now.

    You’re the last soldier left on the battlefield, and with enemies approaching from all sides, you’ve got one job: survive. Set on a gorgeous 2D plane, that’s the core premise of Berserk or Die from Nao Games, a new action indie game all about chaining together flashy moves.

    YouTube Thumbnail

    This isn’t like Castlevania, Contra, Ninja Gaiden, or any manner of classic platformer, though, because in Berserk or Die, you can only move by attacking. Hitting the left or right side of your keyboard attacks in that direction, and the more keys you press at once, the wilder and more powerful your moves. That’s right, you’re encouraged to smash your keyboard to bits with as big a strike as possible. Once you’ve obliterated enough enemies your special gauge will fill up, and you can then shake your mouse and unleash a move that’ll wipe through all the enemies on the screen.

    With multiple characters to choose from, and an array of weapons to equip them with, you’ll have more than enough ways to keep gameplay feeling fresh. If you manage to survive until nightfall, you can then visit a lone peddler to sell your wares, heal your wounds, and buy upgrades. You’ll do all this to a soundtrack from Vampire Survivors composer Filippo Vicarelli, too, so you just know it’s going to get your blood pumping.

    Berserk or Die out now

    “Nao Games shares the Poncle spirit of making games that are immediately accessible, affordable, and a bit out of the ordinary; for fun.” Poncle’s Luca Galante says. “When I first met Shibata-san and played Berserk or Die, I knew this was a game that deserved to be seen and played by more people. I’m really happy we got to support Shibata-san and hopefully make that happen.”

    Berserk or Die is available on Steam right now, for $3.99 / £2.99. Just head here.

    We’ve also got all the single-player games and best PC games you’ll want to keep an eye on as well.

    You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We’ve also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with members of the team and fellow readers.



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  • Ludology: TTRPGKids Ep 24

    Ludology: TTRPGKids Ep 24


    Welcome!

    Welcome to Ludology, an analytical discussion of the hows and whys of the world of board games. Rather than news and reviews, Ludology explores a variety of topics about games from a wider lens, as well as discuss game history, game design and game players.

    We post a new Ludology episode every other week. In these episodes, hosts Erica Bouyouris and Sen-Foong Lim deep-dive into a single topic within game design, often with a well-regarded guest from the game industry. We generally focus on tabletop game design (mainly board games and RPGs), but we often pull in experts from all forms of games, from video games to escape rooms to slot machines.

    On weeks where there is no flagship Ludology episode, we will alternate between two smaller mini-sodes. Erica and Sen are happy to announce that Sarah Shipp of Shippboard Games and Stephanie Campbell of TTRPGKids will be joining us for the next year, providing additional content between our longer episodes.

    Sarah’s segment, Thinking Beyond Mechanisms, is a monthly feature that dives deeper into the other aspects of games beyond the dice and cards we’re all familiar with.

    Stephanie’s segment, TTRPGKids, explores how parents and teachers can use role playing games with children in the home and in the classroom.

    We hope you enjoy the additional content!

    Our History

    We aim for most Ludology episodes to be timeless, so you are welcome to explore our entire catalog. Most of it should age quite well. The podcast was started in 2011 by Geoff Engelstein and Ryan Sturm, with Mike Fitzgerald taking over for Ryan in 2015. Gil and Scott joined the show in 2017 when Mike stepped aside, and Emma joined in 2019 when Geoff ended his tenure as host. Emma left in 2021, and Erica and Sen joined us. Since then, Scott stepped down in 2022 and Gil will be hanging up his mic in 2023, leaving Erica and Sen to carry on this amazing legacy.

    Erica and Sen are working to bring new voices to Ludology and have some great things to announce as gaming expands to include even more people!

    Contact Us 

    Have your own thoughts about our topics? We encourage you to visit us at our guild on Boardgamegeek to get involved in a continuing discussion.

    You can also email us at hello@ludology.net.

    Ludology is part of The Dice Tower Network, the premier board game media network.

    If you have questions that you’d like answered on Ludology, let us know by filling out this Google Form; you can also leave an audio question that we can use on the show, if you wish! 

    Burning Questions for Ludology

    Burning Question

    Support the Show

    Ludology is made possible through the support and donations of listeners like you.

    We currently have 3 “First Listen” series that will go out to Patrons well in advance of the audio being released to the wider audience.

    • The Memories that Made Us (monthly) – memories about gaming experiences that helped shape the people that bring modern games to life
    • Tales from the Designer Toolbox (monthly) – tips and tricks from industry pros learned from both success and failure
    • Ludology Live – recordings from conventions around the world

    Patrons will also get extra consideration for any giveaways that we might have!

    Become a Ludology Patron

    Become a patron

    You can also make a one-time or monthly donation here. The link will take you to Erica’s account. People who donate in this way will not have access to the Patreon page – sorry!





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  • Updated Demo out now ! – Backpack Survivors news

    Updated Demo out now ! – Backpack Survivors news


    Backpack Survivors Updated Demo Announcement

    This new and updated version includes new systems such as Item Merging and a complete Talent Tree to unlock and discover. Also many Quality of Life and visual improvements have been added.

    Discover more than 40 weapons and over 180 items, equipment and relics.

    Check out the Backpack Survivors Demo and let us know what you think of it !

    We are very excited to have made the next step towards an Early Access Release and would love to hear your thoughts.

    Backpack Survivors Battle

    You can join our Discord to follow development, check out the Roadmap and share your awesome builds with others.

    Happy Gaming !

    Chris & Martijn
    CM Game Studio



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  • Is Dune Awakening down? Server status right now

    Is Dune Awakening down? Server status right now


    Is Dune Awakening down? While we still love single-player games, but there’s also something to be said for the chaotic joy to be had in multiplayer experiences – especially massively multiplayer ones.

    One of the few downsides that comes with playing with friends and strangers around the world is the instability of online servers. As a survival MMO, Dune Awakening could be victim to severe server downtime, so if you’re struggling to get into Arrakis, that could be why. Here, we’ve got the latest on maintenance in the crafting game, and the current Dune Awakening server status.

    An in-game message showing no Dune Awakening servers found.

    Dune Awakening server status

    The Dune Awakening servers will be down for maintenance on Sunday June 8 from 1am PDT / 4am EDT / 9am BST / 10am CEST. The downtime is expected to last for two hours, but develop Funcom says it will bring servers back online as soon as the patching process is complete.

    Funcom adds, “Please note that, for the first few days, we may patch daily and will try to stick to a similar maintenance time.” While the game launched into early access on Thursday June 5 at 7am PDT / 10am EDT / 3pm BST / 4am CEST, some players are having trouble finding any available servers.

    If this is the case for you, the game’s official X profile has shared some suggestions. The first is that Steam may have incorrectly loaded the day one patch. In this case, simply try restarting your game.

    Meanwhile, if you played the beta, you could still be connecting to beta regions, so click ‘Change Region’ to double-check you’re in the right place.

    The Dune Awakening server launch times for early access and release.

    Early access is available ahead of the Dune Awakening release date on Tuesday, June 10 for players who have preordered the Deluxe or Ultimate Edition of the game. If you want to get online early, you can upgrade your standard edition copy, or purchase one of these editions if you don’t already own the game.

    So, that’s the latest on the Dune Awakening server status. If you can’t get online right now, you could try a Dune Awakening private server. Alternatively, you can always have a go at some of our other favorite survival games, or peruse our list of upcoming PC games on the horizon.



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