BioWare is officially closing down after more than three decades of video game development on franchises like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and more.

BioWare Confirms That Development is Ending on The Next Mass Effect

Although BioWare and Electronic Arts had teased a new Mass Effect project back at the 2020 Game Awards, it sounds like the project is not going to have a chance to make it across the finish line.

A surprising post from BioWare arrived this afternoon and confirmed that after 30 years of work, the studio is closing and development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.

“For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio. It has been a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life.Baldur’s Gate. Neverwinter Nights. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Dragon Age. Mass Effect. Anthem.

Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.

There is nothing easy about writing those words. Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition.

What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember. These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own.

From all of us at BioWare, thank you for being the most meaningful part of our story.”

Bloomberg reported that Electronic Arts is laying off roughly 400 employees, closing down BioWare, and making the decision to cancel the next Mass Effect game.

Kotaku has also reported that, “a letter to EA staff also included the news that it would cancel a project related to The Sims franchise code-named Project Lotus, to instead focus on another project code-named Evergreen.”

At this point, it’s unclear what the future holds for the multiple powerful IP that existed under the BioWare umbrella. Hopefully this isn’t the end of Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and the others iconic games that the team developed over the last three decades.

Be sure to check back soon for more news and updates as additional details are revealed.

This is a developing story…

The post BioWare Is Shutting Down After 30 Years, and the Next ‘Mass Effect’ Is Canceled appeared first on VICE.

A little more than three decades after its console release, this retro local co-op vertical-scrolling shooting game is arriving on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.

Raiden Project Releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 October 22

This week’s addition to the Console Archives collection is an exciting two-for-one. The Raiden Project includes both Raiden and Raiden II. For those unfamiliar with these 1990s titles, they originally released as arcade titles, but were ported to home consoles and PCs in the mid 1990s.

“As a pilot of the ultra high-altitude fighter-bomber “RAIDEN” and “RAIDEN II”, fight to save Earth from the invasion of Alien that suddenly appeared! This title is a full-fledged vertical-scrolling shooting game that includes both “RAIDEN”, an arcade vertical-scrolling shooting game released in 1990 that gained explosive popularity, and “RAIDEN II”, which was released three years later and was also very popular.”

As always, the Console Archives release will attempt to recreate the original experience with a handful of modern conveniences and quality-of-life improvements for Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 owners.

The Console Archives version of Raiden Project will be available on either console for $11.99. Players should keep in mind that the game includes only the Japanese version; the English version is not included. That means that all in-game text is in Japanese only.

Additionally, if you are unable to find the games listed here in the online store, please be aware that these products may not be available in your area.

Here are some of the key features:

• customizable button layouts
• rapid-fire settings
• multiple save points
• screen layout adjustments and filters that recreate the the nostalgic atmosphere of CRT TVs, allowing players to customize the visual experience to their preference

The Raiden Project is the latest in a string of popular releases in the Console Archives line. Other recent additions include The Drug Store, Crazy Climber, Bubble Bobble, and lots more.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more retro gaming news and updates.

The Console Archives version of Raiden Project releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 on October 22, 2026.

The post 1995 Scrolling Shooter Arrives on Modern Consoles This Week appeared first on VICE.

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Final Fantasy Resonance launches on October 22, but some North American players can start playing tonight. Here is when the HD-2D RPG unlocks on consoles and PC, including a breakdown of launch times in each major region.

When Does Final Fantasy Resonance Release?

The Final Fantasy Resonance release date is Thursday, October 22, 2026. However, North American console players can start playing on Wednesday, October 21, at 9:00 PM PT / October 22 at 12:00 AM ET.

That means players on the West Coast can jump into Square Enix’s latest RPG tonight, even though its official release date is tomorrow. However, when you can start playing depends on your platform and region.

PS5 and Xbox release schedules point to a midnight regional launch, with North America unlocking at midnight Eastern. However, the Steam version has a separate worldwide unlock scheduled for October 22 at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET. Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 players should check their eShop countdown, as their exact unlock times have not been verified here.

Final Fantasy Resonance Console Launch Times

For North American PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players, Final Fantasy Resonance launches at 9:00 PM PT tonight, October 21. Other regions follow a midnight regional release on October 22, according to the console launch schedule reported by Prima Games.

To make this easier to track, here is when players can start playing on PS5 and Xbox in each major region:

Region	Local date	Launch time
United States (PT)	October 21	9:00 PM PDT
United States / Canada (ET)	October 22	12:00 AM EDT
United Kingdom	October 22	12:00 AM BST
Germany	October 22	12:00 AM CEST
Finland	October 22	12:00 AM EEST
United Arab Emirates	October 22	12:00 AM GST
Singapore	October 22	12:00 AM SGT
Japan / South Korea	October 22	12:00 AM JST / KST
Australia (Sydney)	October 22	12:00 AM AEDT
New Zealand (Auckland)	October 22	12:00 AM NZDT

Unlike a simultaneous worldwide launch, these midnight regional unlocks happen at different moments. Your console’s store countdown is the best way to check the exact release time for your copy.

Final Fantasy Resonance PC Release Times

The Final Fantasy Resonance PC release time is Thursday, October 22, at 9:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM ET on Steam. Unfortunately, that means North American PC players will have to wait another 12 hours after the console version unlocks.

Steam has a simultaneous worldwide launch. As a result, the local date will already be October 23 in some regions, including Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Here is the Steam launch schedule converted into local times for every major region:

Region	Local date	Launch time
United States (PT)	October 22	9:00 AM PDT
United States / Canada (ET)	October 22	12:00 PM EDT
Brazil (São Paulo)	October 22	1:00 PM BRT
United Kingdom	October 22	5:00 PM BST
Germany	October 22	6:00 PM CEST
Finland	October 22	7:00 PM EEST
United Arab Emirates	October 22	8:00 PM GST
India	October 22	9:30 PM IST
China / Singapore	October 23	12:00 AM CST / SGT
Japan / South Korea	October 23	1:00 AM JST / KST
Australia (Sydney)	October 23	3:00 AM AEDT
New Zealand (Auckland)	October 23	5:00 AM NZDT

Can You Play Final Fantasy Resonance Early?

Some North American console players can play Final Fantasy Resonance on October 21 because of time zones. The 9:00 PM PT unlock is the same moment as midnight Eastern on October 22, so you do not need a special edition to get that three-hour head start on the calendar.

However, that timing does not apply to Steam. If you are playing on PC, you will need to wait until the separate worldwide launch at 9:00 AM PT on October 22.

Does the New Zealand Trick Work for Final Fantasy Resonance?

The New Zealand trick will not unlock the Steam version of Final Fantasy Resonance sooner. Its worldwide release happens at the same moment regardless of your region.

If you are sticking with your North American console copy, the time to watch is 9:00 PM PT tonight / 12:00 AM ET on October 22. If you are still on the fence about it, check out our Final Fantasy Resonance review.

The post Final Fantasy Resonance Release Date and Launch Times appeared first on VICE.

Magic: The Gathering officially spoiled a ton of new cards from the upcoming Star Trek set this week, including a very exciting cycle of rare lands.

Magic: The Gathering Star Trek Brings Back Shock Lands

For competitive Magic: The Gathering players, one of the most exciting parts of every set reveal is seeing which rare land cycle will be featured. The upcoming Star Trek set isn’t disappointing, with the inclusion of all ten shock lands.

Shock lands are a powerful staple in many Magic: The Gathering formats and offer players early game access to two different color mana at the relatively inexpensive cost of 2 life.

The following lands have all been confirmed in the Star Trek set visual spoiler:

• Blood Crypt
• Breeding Pool
• Godless Shrine
• Hallowed Fountain
• Overgrown Tomb
• Sacred Foundry
• Steam Vents
• Stomping Grounds
• Temple Garden
• Watery Grave

Collectors will also be able to hunt down 10 special LCARS shock lands with unique art:

“Explore 10 different and strange new worlds with the 10 LCARS shock lands. Each LCARS shock land features a special frame that captures the Enterprise’s on-board computer, and the artwork depicts one of the many unforgettable planets explored in Star Trek. Whether you’re navigating Standard with Steam Vents or charting a course through Legacy with Watery Grave, you’ll want to add these lands to your personal database.”

Non-foil and traditional foil LCARS shock lands appear in Play Boosters and Collector Boosters. Surge foil versions of these cards appear only in Collector Boosters.

The inclusion of the full art LCARS shock lands is a very exciting addition that may add a bit of motivation for players to collect cards from this set, even if they already have a full set of shock lands from previous printings.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Magic: The Gathering news and updates as the Star Trek set release date approaches.

Magic: The Gathering is available now at local game shops and digitally through Magic Arena. The Magic: The Gathering – Star Trek set releases November 13, 2026.

The post Magic: The The Gathering Star Trek Brings Back Incredibly Popular Rare Lands appeared first on VICE.

The Crimson Desert DLC release date and launch times have been revealed. Here is when players will be able to jump into the Charting the Unknown DLC, how to unlock it, as well as the new features confirmed for the expansion.

Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown DLC Release Date and Launch Times

The Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown DLC release date is Thursday, October 29, 2026. The expansion will be available on all major platfforms such as PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

According to Pearl Abyss, the Crimson Desert DLC will release at 3:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM ET. That means the expansion will get an afternoon launch for North American players. However, that also means some regions will be getting the expansion on October 30 due to time zones.

To make this easier to track, here is a timetable showing when the Crimson Desert DLC goes live in every major region:

Crimson Desert DLC Release Times (All Region)

Region	Local date	Launch time
United States (Los Angeles)	October 29	3:00 PM PDT
Mexico (Mexico City)	October 29	4:00 PM CST
United States / Canada (New York / Toronto)	October 29	6:00 PM EDT
Brazil (São Paulo)	October 29	7:00 PM BRT
United Kingdom (London)	October 29	10:00 PM GMT
Germany (Berlin)	October 29	11:00 PM CET
South Africa (Johannesburg)	October 30	12:00 AM SAST
Finland (Helsinki)	October 30	12:00 AM EET
United Arab Emirates (Dubai)	October 30	2:00 AM GST
India (New Delhi)	October 30	3:30 AM IST
China / Singapore	October 30	6:00 AM CST / SGT
Japan / South Korea	October 30	7:00 AM JST / KST
Australia (Perth)	October 30	6:00 AM AWST
Australia (Brisbane)	October 30	8:00 AM AEST
Australia (Sydney)	October 30	9:00 AM AEDT
New Zealand (Auckland)	October 30	11:00 AM NZDT

All New Features in Crimson Desert Charting the Unknown DLC

Pearl Abyss has released a new six-minute overview trailer showing off what players can expect from Charting the Unknown. And if you’ve been looking for a reason to jump back into Crimson Desert, the expansion is adding quite a bit.

From romance and marriage to shipbuilding and underwater exploration, here are the new features revealed for the Crimson Desert DLC:

• Romance and marriage: Build relationships with characters throughout Pywel, with some connections eventually leading to romance and marriage.
• A livelier Greymane camp: Characters you’ve grown close to can visit your camp once it has been upgraded enough.
• Shipbuilding: Unlock shipbuilding after establishing the Greymane camp and completing the related questline.
• Ship customization: Customize your ship before setting sail.
• New islands: Discover islands occupied by enemy factions, take on new challenges, and establish strongholds.
• Pirates and naval combat: Face pirates off the coast of Delesyia and battle enemy ships at sea.
• Underwater exploration: Craft a diving suit to spend more time exploring below the surface.
• Sunken ruins and treasure: Discover underwater ruins, treasure, and resources.
• Underwater mounts: Explore the ocean with mounts including penguins and turtles.
• Business management: Lease facilities and assign equipment and comrades to help run your operations.
• Expanded housing: Design your residence with additional layouts and customization options.
• Claimable castles: Liberate castles, claim them, and decorate their interiors and courtyards.
• Garden of Trials: Fight bosses in consecutive challenges to earn special rewards.

The expansion also introduces new storylines for Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane, alongside an ocean-focused adventure. However, some of this content requires progress through the main game before you can access it.

How to Unlock Crimson Desert DLC Content

Before the Crimson Desert DLC release date arrives, you may want to make some progress through the main story. While you can dive underwater without meeting any special conditions, several other additions have specific requirements.

Here is what Pearl Abyss says you need to unlock the expansion’s main content:

DLC content	Unlock requirement
Kliff, Oongka, and Damiane’s new storylines	Complete the main story, then access them through the Journal menu.
Ocean storyline	Complete “Howling Hill” in the main story.
Shipbuilding	Establish the Greymane camp at Howling Hill, then complete the related questline.
Upgraded housing	Establish the camp and complete Luke’s Request under the “Grounds of the Sunrise” Greymanes Faction quest.
Claimable castles	Complete the main story and relevant quests, then liberate the required strongholds.
Business management	Establish the camp and complete the faction quest needed to liberate the relevant region.
Garden of Trials	Complete the main questline.

So, if you’re mainly jumping back in for the new character stories or boss challenges, you’ll want to finish the campaign first. Pearl Abyss also says additional details will be shared in the patch notes when Charting the Unknown launches.

The post Crimson Desert DLC Release Date – Charting the Unknown Launch Times appeared first on VICE.

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November is right around the corner and Pokemon GO players can now get an early look at the full event calendar and all the exciting Battle Raid bosses that are arriving in the coming month.

All Pokemon GO Events in November 2026

The fall is always an exciting time in Pokemon GO as the mobile app offers tons of events and activities to bring real-world holidays and celebrations into the game.

Pokemon GO players will be wrapping up their Halloween activities in the opening days of November and then quickly moving forward to a lot of other exciting events.

Here is a full breakdown of all confirmed November 2026 events:

• Halloween Part 2
  • November 1-5
• Into the Wild
  • November 9-13
• Global GO Wild Area
  • November 14-15
• Minior Showers: Leonidis
  • November 14-19
• Dynamax Trails
  • November 16-23
• November Community Day
  • November 21
• Twilight Wishes
  • November 24-30
• Super Mega Raid Day
  • November 28

Pokemon GO November 2026 Battle Raid Schedule

In addition to the busy event calendar, Pokemon GO players will also be able to spend November battling against exciting Battle Raid bosses. Here is a breakdown of all the confirmed bosses that are on the way:

Tier 5 Raids

• October 28 – November 3
  • Origin Giratina
• November 4-8
  • Altered Forme Giratina
• November 9-24
  • Cresselia
  • Darkrai
• November 25 – December 1
  • Normal Deoxys
  • Speed Deoxys
  • Attack Deoxys
  • Defense Deoxys

Shadow Raids

• Shadow Incarnate Forme Landorus will appear in weekend Shadow Raids through November 3.
• Shadow Incarnate Forme Tornadus will appear in weekend Shadow Raids from November 3 to December 1.

Mega Raids

• October 28 – November 8
  • Mega Sableye
• November 16 – 24
  • Mega Banette
• November 25 – December 1
  • Mega Metagross

November Raid Hours

• November 4
  • Altered Forme Giratina
• November 18
  • Cresselia
  • Darkrai
• November 25
  • Defense Deoxys
  • Normal Deoxys
  • Speed Deoxys
  • Attack Deoxys

That’s a ton of new information to take in, but it should give Pokemon GO players what they need to start preparing their calendars for the upcoming month of battles and events.

Be sure to check back soon for lots more Pokemon GO news and update as the November events kick off.

Pokemon GO is available now in most regions on mobile devices.

The post Pokemon GO – Full November 2026 Event and Raid Schedule appeared first on VICE.