Latest news with #videoGames
The Verge
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Print your own Switch 2 modular accessories.
The Switch 2 is here: everything you need to know about Nintendo's new console See all Stories Posted Jun 27, 2025 at 10:52 PM UTC
CNET
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Steam Summer Sale: Snag 4 Major Borderlands Games for Under $25 Before Borderlands 4
If you want to catch up on the Borderlands series before Borderlands 4 comes out on Sept. 12, you're not going to find a better opportunity than this. Every mainline Borderlands game is steeply discounted for Steam's Summer sale, with many of them in the single digits. You can currently get Borderlands GOTY Enhanced, Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Borderlands 3 for a grand total of $22. The first game represents about half of that cost, so if you've already played that one or want to skip, you can get the other three for just $12. Various DLC are also on sale if you want to add to the base games. This is an absolute steal. Borderlands 2 is one of my all-time favorite FPS games, and despite being more than a decade old, I'd argue it's worth about $20 just on its own. For me, it's the pinnacle (so far) of the series' hero designs and enemy encounters -- for my money, Zer0, Gunzerker and Gaige are three of the most fun vault hunters the series has ever made. And the True Vault Hunter Mode and Ultimate Vault Hunter Modes (the new game plus modes) really add a lot of replay value by ratcheting up the strategy through increased importance of matching your elemental weapons to the right enemy health type -- think type matchups in Pokemon, except with guns. What I particularly love about the Borderlands series is the customization it offers. The games give you at least four vault hunter classes to choose from, and those classes offer additional options via skill trees that allow you to adjust the way your vault hunter plays. For example, Zer0 has options for sniping, stealth or melee. Add in different gun manufacturers whose weapons all have a different feel, plus different categories of guns -- pistols, SMGs, sniper rifles, etc. -- and elemental weapon types on top of that, and you end up with a veritable treasure trove of ways to tune your vault hunter's gameplay. Also, you can throw grenades that explode money. I almost crashed Borderlands 3 because I was exploding so much money. Team up with a friend and just start blasting. 2K Games/Gearbox Software The original Borderlands established the formula and some of the regular elements like soldier and siren classes, vending machines for gear and health, plus some of the recurring characters like de facto mascot Moxxi. Borderlands 2 refined that formula and introduced an amazing villain who added more narrative depth. The Pre-Sequel shook things up by taking us to space and giving us laser weapons. Borderlands 3 took a step back in terms of narrative and characters, but added some nice mechanical polish, like being able to mantle up ledges or slide into barrels to send them flying into enemies. All four of those games will take you in the realm of 100 hours total to beat if you stick to the main quests, or closer to 200 hours if you're the type to get sidetracked occasionally. Pro tip: Talk, finagle or blackmail some friends into playing with you. The games are significantly more fun with other players. For the complete Borderlands experience, you can also tack on the D&D-inspired spinoff game Tiny Tina's Wonderlands for $12 and Tales from the Borderlands, an acclaimed narrative choices game, for $15. With Borderlands 4 coming out in just a few months, you're not going to get a better chance to start or add to your collection. CATCH A RIIIDE, vault hunters.
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion' Shows Off Its New Heavy Armor
The newly revealed Heavy Armor in 'Titanic Scion'. In a new trailer for Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion, we get to see a much bigger type of mecha called Heavy Armor that is similar to the Arsenals from the first game. To make all of this a bit confusing, the smaller power armors we've already seen in Titanic Scion are already called Arsenals. That aside, the power armor in Titanic Scion can enter the Heavy Armor and 'pilot' it accordingly. This is actually similar to the setup in the first Daemon X Machina, except the pilots of those Arsenals technically lacked power armor (and I'm not counting the upgraded armor for the pilot as power armor here). It also seems that not only can Heavy Armors transform and fly around, but that their usage is limited, which gives me flashbacks to the first Lost Planet game on the Xbox 360 and the thermal energy-powered Vital Suits. In any case, this new Heavy Armor setup flips Titanic Scion on its previously powered armored head, and that is interesting, especially as there will be instances where you face down Heavy Armor in your power armor and vice versa. It also seems that the base character abilities are more fleshed out now, and that too will play a big part in the game. To be honest, the more that comes out about Titanic Scion, the more I'm on board with what it's doing. From everything I am seeing, it feels like this will be a proper evolution from the first Daemon X Machina, and that's a rare thing in gaming these days. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion is released on September 5 for Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, via Steam. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Sea Limited vs. Take-Two Interactive: Which Gaming Stock has an Edge?
Sea Limited SE and Take-Two Interactive TTWO are well-known video game providers. While SE's Garena Free Fire is hugely popular, TTWO rides on franchises including Grand Theft Auto (GTA) and Red Dead Redemption. Both stocks have been benefiting from rising consumer spending on mobile games, which, per SensorTower, reached approximately $6.85 billion in May, reflecting a 5.4% increase on a monthly basis. Per Statista, video game revenues are expected to see a CAGR of 7.01% between 2025 and 2030, hitting $733.22 billion, with mobile game revenues witnessing a CAGR of 5.4% to hit $163.98 billion by 2030. This offers major growth opportunities for both Sea Limited and Take-Two Interactive. So, SE or TTWO, which of these gaming stocks has the greater upside potential? Let's find out. The Case for SE Stock Sea Limited is riding on strong Garena (Digital Entertainment) revenues, which increased 8.2% year over year to $495.6 million in the first quarter of 2025. Bookings soared 51.4% year over year to $775.4 million, driven by the success of SE's flagship game, Free Fire. According to SensorTower, Garena Free Fire was the second most downloaded mobile game globally in May 2025, driven by the game's growing popularity in markets like India, Brazil and Indonesia. Garena's collaboration with Naruto Shippuden contributed to increased user engagement. While quarterly active users increased 11.3% year over year to 661.8 million, quarterly paying users were 64.6 million, up 32.2% year over year. Paying user ratio was 9.8% compared with 8.2% for the first quarter of 2024. Expanding gaming portfolio benefits Garena. In April, Sea published Delta Force Mobile, a first-person tactical shooting game, across markets in Southeast Asia, MENA, and Latin America that attracted more than 10 million downloads. The launch of Free City is also noteworthy. The company remains on track to achieve double-digit growth for Garena's user base and bookings in 2025. The Case for TTWO Stock In fourth-quarter fiscal 2025, Take-Two Interactive's NBA 2K25 posted a near-record performance and exceeded the company's forecast. To date, the title has sold nearly 10 million units, a 7% increase compared to NBA 2K24 during the same timeframe. The Grand Theft Auto series exceeded the company's expectations, and at the end of the fiscal fourth quarter, GTA V had sold in more than 215 million units. Red Dead Redemption 2 also outperformed, with net bookings growing 23% year over year. However, Take-Two Interactive's reliance on a few franchises is a headwind. The much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, originally expected to drive fiscal 2026 performance, has been pushed to May 26, 2026, falling into fiscal 2027. This delay represents a critical blow to near-term revenue expectations and highlights the company's inability to maintain consistent release schedules. TTWO's fiscal 2026 guidance of $5.9-$6 billion in net bookings represents a modest 5% growth. Take-Two Interactive's decelerating growth trajectory, combined with increasing cost pressures, makes the stock risky for investors. The company's guidance indicates that recurrent consumer spending will remain flat in fiscal 2026. Mobile revenues are expected to decline, along with Grand Theft Auto Online 's performance. Operating expenses have surged, with TTWO reporting a 3% year-over-year increase in fiscal 2026 expectations, primarily driven by higher marketing costs. TTWO's development costs continue escalating, with capital expenditures of approximately $140 million planned for fiscal 2026. Price Performance and Valuation of SE and TTWO In the year-to-date period, Sea Limited shares have surged 46.8%, outperforming Take-Two Interactive, which has appreciated 31.2%. Stock Performance: SE vs. TTWO Valuation-wise, both SE and TTWO shares are currently overvalued, as suggested by a Value Score of D and F, respectively. Valuation: SE vs. TTWO In terms of forward 12-month Price/Sales, Sea Limited shares are trading at 3.78X, lower than Take-Two Interactive's 6.22X. How Do Earnings Estimates Compare for SE and TTWO? The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sea Limited's 2025 earnings is pegged at $2.68 per share, unchanged over the past 30 days. This indicates a 41.8% increase year over year. The consensus mark for Take-Two Interactive's fiscal 2026 earnings is pegged at $2.93 per share, which has declined 10.4% over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a whopping 42.93% jump year over year. SE Edges Past TTWO on Diversified Business Model Although Take-Two Interactive boasts of a greater number of well-known gaming franchises, Sea Limited rides on Free Fire's popularity, as well as growing Shopee (e-commerce) and Monee (fintech) businesses. Shopee's growing footprint in Asia and Brazil, as well as Monee's expansion into Brazil, one of South America's most underserved credit markets, signals a strategic pivot toward sustainable growth. Sea Limited currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), which makes it a stronger pick compared with Take-Two Interactive, which has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Research Chief Names "Single Best Pick to Double" From thousands of stocks, 5 Zacks experts each have chosen their favorite to skyrocket +100% or more in months to come. From those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian hand-picks one to have the most explosive upside of all. This company targets millennial and Gen Z audiences, generating nearly $1 billion in revenue last quarter alone. A recent pullback makes now an ideal time to jump aboard. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months. Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Sea Limited Sponsored ADR (SE): Free Stock Analysis Report
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Xsolla and Affirm partner to help game developers offer players a smarter, more flexible way to pay
Article content LOS ANGELES — Xsolla, a global leader in video game commerce, today announced a new partnership with Affirm (NASDAQ: AFRM), the payment network that empowers consumers and helps merchants drive growth. Through this partnership, Affirm's transparent and flexible payment options are now available to game developers using Xsolla's payments tools in the U.S., with plans to expand to Canada and the UK in the coming months. Article content Xsolla powers checkouts for thousands of game developers, and now Affirm is automatically available to their players—enabling them to split purchases into interest-free biweekly payments or longer-term monthly installments for carts starting at $50. Whether players are buying games or in-game content, they can select Affirm at checkout, complete a quick eligibility check, and if approved, choose a personalized payment plan with no late or hidden fees—ever. Article content Article content 'At Xsolla, we're dedicated to building the best commerce and payment solutions for the video game industry—making it easier for developers, from indie studios to enterprise teams, to connect with players around the world,' said Chris Hewish, President, Communication & Strategy at Xsolla. 'By integrating Affirm's customer-first payment options—known for their flexibility and predictability—we're empowering developers to offer gamers a smarter way to pay for the content they love while driving deeper engagement and long-term growth.' Article content 'At Affirm, we're reshaping how people pay by putting transparency and personalization at the center of every transaction,' said Pat Suh, Senior Vice President of Revenue at Affirm. 'Partnering with Xsolla brings these principles to the gaming world. For developers, it means offering their communities a trusted payment option that can help drive engagement and growth. For players, it delivers more control and choice in how they pay for the content they love.' Article content About Xsolla Article content Xsolla is a global video game commerce company with a robust and powerful set of tools and services designed specifically for the industry. Since its founding in 2005, Xsolla has helped thousands of game developers and publishers of all sizes fund, market, launch, and monetize their games globally and across multiple platforms. As an innovative leader in game commerce, Xsolla's mission is to solve the inherent complexities of global distribution, marketing, and monetization to help our partners reach more geographies, generate more revenue, and create relationships with gamers worldwide. Headquartered and incorporated in Los Angeles, California, with offices in London, Berlin, Seoul, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Raleigh, Tokyo, Montreal, and cities around the world. Article content About Affirm Article content Affirm's mission is to deliver honest financial products that improve lives. By building a new kind of payment network—one based on trust, transparency, and putting people first—we empower millions of consumers to spend and save responsibly, and give thousands of businesses the tools to fuel growth. Unlike most credit cards and other pay-over-time options, we never charge any late or hidden fees. Follow Affirm on social media: LinkedIn | Instagram | Facebook | X. Article content AFRM-PA Article content Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: Article content Article content Article content Article content
