Take a glance at Steam’s top ten most-played games on any given day, and there are a few names you’re almost guaranteed to see. Dota 2. Counter-Strike 2. PUBG. They’re all consistent big hitters. So too is Rust, arguably Steam’s biggest survival game, and a brand new version of Facepunch’s legendary game has just been fully revealed. Unfortunately for those on PC, this is not ‘Rust 2’ – it’s Rust Mobile.
We already knew that a mobile version of Rust was in development, but now it’s been fully unveiled to those who want to build and blow up bases on the go. It’s being developed by Level Infinite, the division of Tencent that’s also published the mobile version of PUBG and will help deliver the Assassin’s Creed Jade mobile spinoff as well. It’s promising to be a fully-fledged Rust experience – it’s fully licensed by Facepunch, and is retaining all of the hallmarks that make the original one of the best survival games ever made.
“Rust Mobile brings everything you love from the PC version: open-world exploration, tense PvP battles, base building, and that constant feeling of ‘trust no one,’” Level Infinite says in an announcement post. “It’s all here, now tailored for a mobile lifestyle. The game features a fully explorable sandbox world with dynamic weather, region-based biomes, and a real-time day-night cycle. All the core pillars of Rust remain intact – scavenging, crafting, raiding, and permadeath – so every decision counts.”
While details on monetization are limited at the moment, what I can tell you (after reaching out for clarification) is that Rust Mobile will be free-to-play. If it’s offering all the same thrills of the PC version, which has a retail price of $39.99 / $34.99, then great. But of course, there’s always the threat with free mobile games that there could be some time-gating and a heavy push towards microtransactions. Like I said, there’s nothing officially confirmed on that front yet, but just keep that in mind.
As well as dropping a new cinematic trailer, Level Infinite has also opened up pre-registration for anyone looking to give the game a go. If you’re heading out to Gamescom later this month, you’ll also find a hands-on demo of Rust Mobile waiting for you there.
If you’re a PC player looking for something new to play on a budget, check out our favorite free Steam games. Alternatively, look ahead to what’s on the horizon with our upcoming PC games guide.
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.
One of the most beloved stealth shooters of the 2000s, Rare’s Perfect Dark is still remembered fondly to this day. For years, we’ve been patiently waiting for its ambitious reboot to arrive – a tumultuous development cycle means it’s been a long time coming. Last year, we finally got to see gameplay of the new Perfect Dark, and it looked absolutely stunning. However, as part of today’s devastating round of layoffs at Microsoft, which impacts several teams under the Xbox Game Studios banner, the project has been canceled. It also means that The Initiative, the internal studio formed by Xbox to create the Perfect Dark reboot, has been shut down completely.
After watching its gameplay reveal during last year’s Xbox showcase, I genuinely believed that the new Perfect Dark could one day end up on our best stealth games list. Even though the 2000 original was a bit before my time, the reboot’s blend of stealth, urban traversal, and immersive sim elements seemed right up my street. The gunplay also looked excellent, and anything with slow motion bullet time gets a thumbs up from me. Sadly, you and I will never get the chance to play it.
As news of the Xbox layoffs spread throughout the day, Perfect Dark was being touted as one of the projects at risk alongside Rare’s Everwild and an unannounced new IP from the creators of The Elder Scrolls Online.
In a statement sent to employees by Matt Booty, head of Xbox Game Studios, these rumors have been confirmed. Not only is Perfect Dark canceled, but The Initiative is also shutting its doors for good.
“We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio,” Booty writes in the statement, which was obtained by Windows Central. “As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape. We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.”
The Initiative was spun up in 2018, with Perfect Dark being its first and only project. The studio was also being assisted by Tomb Raider trilogy developer Crystal Dynamics.
Oh hello there. Yes, we ARE still alive, thank you for asking. We took an unintended month-long hiatus due to me starting my new job as well as the holidays being as hectic as they always are, but we’re back and with any luck we should be able to settle into a mostly regular recording schedule from here on out. I know I’ve said that before, but here’s to hoping! At any rate, this week’s show is mostly just me and Eli catching up after not really talking for an entire month, but we do keep things slightly on topic by talking about some Apple Intelligence stuff and the latest games that I’ve been playing on Steam Deck lately. It’s good to be back, enjoy the show!
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.
Hark, a new podcast is afoot? ‘Tis true, and it has been A WHILE, friends. Ten weeks to be exact. How have you been? I love what you’ve done with your hair. How about this weather we’re having? Ok, enough small talk, let’s get into this latest episode. Eli and I discuss what the hell we’ve been up to for the past two and a half months, and spoiler alert: It’s nothing terribly exciting. Just damned busy and/or sick. We also talk about our latest retro handhelds. I personally am having a love affair with the Retroid Pocket 5, and also picked up a Miyoo A30 just as an extremely cheap and extremely pocketable option. Eli has to GBA SP-alikes, the Miyoo Flip and the Anbernic RGXSomething or another (their naming conventions are pretty terrible). Next we share our thoughts on the controversial reveal of the Switch 2 and finish things off with some good old fashioned VR discussion. Sorry for the long wait, but it feels great to be back.
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.
Boy, that escalated quickly. Elden Ring Nightreign, as I write this, has been out less than a day. So, of course someone’s already put out a video demonstrating a duos mod for it.
To be fair, I guess Nightreign’s devs had arguably thrown down the gauntlet to the FromSoft modding community when the game’s director admitted that duos play hadn’t been a big focus in development and would only potentially get some TLC further down the line.
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Anyway, modder Yui – that’s the same person responsible for Elden Ring‘s Seamless Co-op mod and its various siblings for other FromSoft games – is unsurprisingly the person who’s managed to whip this out in uber-quick fashion.
In the video below spotted by IGN, they demonstrate a mod that’d allow you to hop into a Nightreign session with just two players instead of the usual three or one plucky solo Soulser that’ll have a much easier time once the next patch drops.
“As the modification runs without connecting to the matchmaking server, it is possible to use additional mods during gameplay,” Yui explained in the vid’s description, adding that they “Made it for fun.”
As of right now, they’ve not released this mod to the public meaning you can’t play it. I’d imagine if they do intend to put it out that it’s currently a work-in-progress that’ll need a lot of extra graft to fine-tune the likes of balancing – that being the main thing FromSoft’s had to work on in order to make sure the game works just as well for solo players as it does trios.
After all, more stabby blokes, more stabs inflicted on bosses, therefore bosses need to be able to take more stabs to not die too easily, and vice versa.
If you’re going HAM on Nightreign this weekend, make sure to check out our bunch of handy guides to help you get to grips with it, and our ranking of every Nightlord, The latter’s based on key factors like difficulty, spectacle, and how often they brush their teeth.
Oblivion Remastered modders continue to drop more and more interesting mods by the day, with an ever-advancing set of tools at their disposal to pull off whatever tweaks or additions strike their fancy.
There’s a deluge of interesting stuff arriving as the boundaries continue to be pushed, and depending on what you’re looking for, different stuff will catch your eye.
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One of the mods that made me personally do a double take when I came across it on Oblivion Remastered’s Nexus Mods page earlier this week was NaiadGirl’s ‘Martin Septim and the Terminator Gambit’, for obvious reasons. It’s a mod that sees you and Sean Bean be pursued wherever you go by a killer level 70 Terminator. From the moment you leave the sewers, there’s a murderous machine which only becomes defeatable once you finish the main quest right on your tail.
I was curious how much work had gone into pulling such a cool concept off at this still relatively early stage of Oblivion Remastered modding, so reached out to NaiadGirl. We talked Terminators and how she’s been finding modding the remaster as she’s made this mod and also tackled making the game’s iconic Oblivion gate battles and goblin wars more dynamic. Here’s my conversation with her:
VG247: What drew you to modding Oblivion Remastered? Did you have any previous experience modding classic Oblivion or other games?
NaiadGirl’s been venturing into those pesky gates for a good while. | Image credit: NaiadGirl
NaiadGirl: I’ve been a fan of Oblivion since I was a little girl, and the same goes for my wife. At first, we were skeptical about the remaster, but soon, we couldn’t help but be drawn in. I’ve been modding Bethesda games casually for over a decade now, but only recently took to making mods myself.
My only previous modding experience was with Deep Rock Galactic, another game that involves Unreal. My wife, on the other hand, has been making mods for years now! Since we both love Oblivion so much, we took to making mods for the remaster.
VG247: How have you generally found modding the remaster so far and getting to grips with tools like UE4SS and TesSyncMapInjector?
NaiadGirl: Modding the remaster has been a rollercoaster of emotions, with highs and lows. The old tools still work, more or less, but there are limitations. There are many features we still can’t work on or with, due to the lack of a proper modding toolkit for this new version of Oblivion.
UE4SS, OBSE64, TesSyncMapInjector; I can go on about the awesome tools people in the community have made. They’re all insanely impressive, and they make things possible that wouldn’t have been without them. I wish some of them had more in-depth documentation, but what can you do? Modding has always been a challenge, and part of the fun is hunting down answers to problems.
The last thing you ever see…provided you don’t make good use of that new sprint button. | Image credit: NaiadGirl
VG247: What inspired the premise for your Martin Septim Terminator mod and what was the process of putting it together like? Were there any elements of it that proved tricky to pull off, or anything you had to cut?
NaiadGirl: My inspiration for my Martin Terminator mod came from a game series I hold close to my heart: Resident Evil. It was originally going to just be the Pursuer itself, its name being ‘Nemesis’. I love the idea of something big and scary chasing you down while you’re already crushed under the pressure of saving the world. Eventually, I switched gears, and made it into a mod that included Martin.
What’s better than just you getting hunted by something scary? You and a friend getting hunted by something scary. Terminator rocks (at least two of them do), so I came up with the idea that Mehrunes Dagon had sent back in time a killer to save his butt at the end of the game. Putting it together had me looking at the code for the Conjurer that chases you down at the start of the [OG Oblivion] Spell Tomes DLC. After I had made a new NPC with the help of UE4SS and TesSyncMapInjector, I put together AI packages & two quest scripts to watch over everything.
Modding is a constant learning experience, and it’s so much fun, even if you can run into walls at times. Frustration quickly gives way to new inspiration. In the end, I didn’t have to cut anything! It’s a simple mod at the end of the day, but one that was incredibly fun to put together.
VG247: Aside from cheesing and running away, is there any other advice you’d give to players trying to beat the Septim Terminator challenge, even if it’s just to invest in spare underpants?
The thread of prophecy has been severed. | Image credit: NaiadGirl
NaiadGirl: I’ve been doing a lot of messing around with the Terminator in my latest playthrough. It’s tough, but not impossible to defeat (at least after the MQ is over!). Until you beat Dagon, you have to always be one step ahead of this machine marvel. It doesn’t care where you might be, because it will find you.
I was doing the Mythic Dawn Shrine quest, and by the time I had cut my way through the dungeon, freed the prisoner, and slept an hour to level up, there it was. The Argonian I worked so hard to protect was dead at its cold feet. I had no choice but to cut my losses and run. Plan your journey, hit stores up when you can, and always keep moving. It will kill indiscriminately if it finds you!
Once you finish the main quest, you have a few options: Dungeon traps, boss NPCs, crowds, or a duel to the death! You need to be at a fairly high level to defeat it! I would think there’s feasibility in taking it on at around level 25 on, if you plan your build well. The Terminator regens health, so always keep the damage on it!
You’ll need powerful equipment or a massive numbers advantage. I’m thinking I’ll slay my dragon at Cloud Ruler Temple, the place I have been keeping it away from at all costs. The Blades and I will make a final stand against Oblivion! I wish only the best of luck to would-be challengers. I love to hear stories about this fella.
VG247: What’s the Oblivion Remastered modding scene been like community-wise from your perspective so far? Have you had any interactions with other modders where you’ve gotten any helpful support/feedback on your mods or learned things you might otherwise not have?
NaiadGirl: The modding scene is filled with incredibly talented people. Many are willing to offer a helping hand, in my experience (within reason, of course!). Getting feedback on my mods is always greatly appreciated, and seeing the kind things people have said makes my day that much brighter.
Like I’ve touched on, modding is a constant learning experience, and you’re always finding something new that you didn’t quite know yet. Margaret, my wife, has quite a bit of Bethesda modding experience, and even she learns things through me as we work together. Modding is a beautiful, delicate dance, and it’s not one to be rushed. Take your time, do your research, and make something amazing with the community at your side!
We could end up dealing with even more terrifying modded threats than this, Grandmaster. | Image credit: VG247
VG247: What are your personal and general hopes for Oblivion Remastered modding going forwards? Are there any complex mod ideas you’re keen to try and make or any tools you’re hoping will pop up to make certain things easier/possible?
NaiadGirl: I have immense hopes for the modding scene going forward. Bethesda may be saying that mods aren’t officially supported, but I still hold onto the hope that we may one day get a proper Creation Set for Oblivion Remastered. They haven’t dropped the ball yet, and I would hope they wouldn’t now, with one of their all-time best creations. I truly believe a new kit is on the way, sooner or later.
If we do get official tools, modding is going to really pop off. You look at what we have now, and it’s only going to get bigger, and more accessible to the masses. Access to official tools will make a world of difference, and change things for the better. I’m hoping for an expansion on the Oblivion Remastered Script Extender (OBSE64) if the official tools give way. That won’t stop me from trying to make something crazy, though.
My next mod is focused on a pandemic outbreak. I’m very excited to continue my work on it, and share it with the world. I’m even more excited to see what the rest of the community can cook up. The community is insanely resourceful, and official tools or not, we’ll be making something beautiful together. Never stop making what you love.
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!
