Fallout 4’s Big Update, Stellar Blade’s Launch Day Patch, And More Of The Week’s Gaming News

Image: Bethesda / Kotaku, Arrowhead Game Studios / Sony, Aspyr / Crystal Dynamics, Bethesda / Valve / Kotaku, Nintendo / VenturianTale / Kotaku, Paramount, Microsoft, Square Enix, Toge Productions, Screenshot: Shift Up / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

This week’s gaming news saw Helldivers 2 continue its efforts at world domination, Fallout 4’s big next-gen patch cause problems as well as fix them, and much more.

Image: Bethesda / Kotaku

Fallout 4’s free next-gen upgrade for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC arrives nearly a decade after the post-apocalyptic sequel’s original release. Thanks to the massive popularity of the recent Amazon TV adaptation, fans are ready to clock back to the wasteland. Unfortunately, those who have the game in their library through PlayStation Plus are discovering the upgrade won’t be free for them after all. – Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Arrowhead Game Studios / Sony

I don’t know that many folks expected Helldivers 2 to be one of the biggest games of the year. Massive games like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, even Palworld, have come and gone in about the same time, but everyone still seems to be playing Helldivers 2 months after release. And for at least one person, that ubiquity is leaking into real life. – Moises Taveras Read More

Image: Aspyr / Crystal Dynamics

Well, this is weird. Pinups of Lara Croft appear to have gone missing in Tomb Raider I-III Remastered following a patch earlier this month to fix a bunch of bugs. Whether intentional or not, some fans are now calling it out as heavy-handed censorship of retro classics. – Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Bethesda / Valve / Kotaku

Fallout 4’s “next-gen” update has removed the settings menu from the game on Steam Deck and reportedly made it worse to play on Valve’s portable PC, upsetting many players. – Zack Zwiezen Read More

Screenshot: Shift Up / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

A juxtaposition of environmental elements that, taken together, can be interpreted as an allusion to the n-word will be removed from sci-fi action game Stellar Blade in a day one patch, Sony confirmed today. The company told IGN the offensive reference was “unintentional.” – Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Nintendo / VenturianTale / Kotaku

Garry’s Mod, a popular 2006 sandbox game that emerged from the modding scene around Valve’s Source software, has recently been issued takedown notices by Nintendo. As a result, Facepunch Studios, the developers of Garry’s Mod, are in the process of removing about 20 years’ worth of Nintendo-related content from the game. – Moises Taveras Read More

Image: Paramount

I had a lot of expectations for the Knuckles live-action mini-series that, it turns out, might have been a bit too lofty. But I don’t think the expectation that the titular echidna voiced by Idris Elba would be in a show with his name at the top was that outrageous. I’m sad to report that Knuckles is only around for a fraction of the show named after him. – Kenneth Shepard Read More

Image: Microsoft

After months of debate about Xbox’s future as some of its big console exclusives jumped ship to PlayStation 5, we have our clearest evidence yet of why Microsoft is experimenting with a new multiplatform approach: fewer and fewer people are buying Xboxes. – Ethan Gach Read More

Image: Square Enix

Final Fantasy XIV fans are having a debate over what the healer role should look like going forward. The MMO’s next expansion, Dawntrail, releases this summer and will bring with it a myriad of new features and changes to how the game will play. Recently a benchmark for the expansion was released which, on top of letting players gauge how ready their PCs are for Dawntrail, showed off some new skills for the game’s many jobs. This has led many to wonder if healers are too much, or not enough, of a DPS role. – Willa Rowe Read More

Image: Toge Productions

The latest bundle on indie game storefront itch.io, known for donating some of its proceeds to a good cause, is the Palestinian Relief Bundle. With Palestinians suffering unspeakable loss, along with starvation, a massive shortage of healthcare resources, and other humanitarian issues, the bundle is raising funds for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. The organization helps deliver essentials such as food, water, and medical aid to those in need. The Palestinian Relief Bundle has collected over 300 games, including indie darlings like Coffee Talk, and is asking only eight dollars, all of which go to the fund. It’s a great price that goes to a great cause and will net you some great games. But where do you even start with that many games to choose from? – Willa Rowe Read More