Triangle Strategy Preorders Are Available Now

After shortening its name, Square Enix officially opened preorders for the long-awaited Triangle Strategy. If you’re looking to preorder the game ahead of its March 4 release on Nintendo Switch, here’s everything you need to know.

Triangle Strategy preorder bonuses

No preorder bonuses are currently available for Triangle Strategy. Nintendo games rarely include additional content for reserving an advance copy, and there are no retailer-exclusive bonuses. We’re still a few weeks out from its official release, so we’ll keep you posted if anything pops up.

Unsurprisingly, Triangle Strategy is a turn-based strategy game. You’ll take command of multiple characters as you work your way through a complex political narrative and an ongoing conflict involving three different forces. The action plays out on a battlefield reminiscent of Final Fantasy Tactics, although the game’s art style takes cues from Square Enix’s popular Octopath Traveler.

Much of the game remains a mystery, although a demo released in February 2021 gave fans their first hands-on experience with the long-awaited title. Square Enix said it used feedback from those sessions to improve the overall experience, and we can expect to see these updates when the Triangle Strategy arrives on March 4.

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Horizon Forbidden West Official Strategy Guide Gets Huge Preorder Discount

Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t launch until February 18, but Amazon is already offering an impressive preorder discount for its official strategy guide. The hardcover book won’t release until well after Forbidden West (it’s currently slated for a March 31 arrival), but anyone who plans to hunt for its Platinum Trophy should take a close look at the offer.

All of that info is wrapped up in a gorgeous hardcover package–with artwork of Aloy facing off against some of her new foes. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen for Horizon Forbidden West’s official strategy guide, so be sure to act on the deal while you can.

Still haven’t reserved your copy of the game? Check out our Horizon Forbidden West preorder guide for all of the details you need to know.

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New Destiny 2: The Witch Queen Trailer Is Locked And Loaded With Exotic Weapons And Armor

Destiny 2’s upcoming Witch Queen expansion may task Guardians with the goal of reclaiming the source of their power from an ancient Hive god, but for a number of players, that’ll likely be a secondary goal when compared to the hunt for some epic loot. Destiny 2’s selection of Exotic weapons make for some of the best firepower around, and the latest expansion will have plenty of new gear to add to your arsenal.

The latest trailer has shown off some wild new guns and armor, which range from a weapon that can hurl explosive worms at enemies to a new Exotic Hunter helmet that will make the class an even deadlier menace in PvP modes:

Grand Overture – Slug launcher charges full auto missilesParasite – Worm launcher with increasing damageOsteo Striga – Swarming projectiles trigger a toxic blastTitan Glaive: Edge of Action – Place protective shieldWarlock Glaive: Edge of Intent – Deploy healing turretHunter Glaive: Edge of Concurrence – Tracking chain lightningHoarfrost-Z Chest – Stasis Wall replaces BarricadeOsmiomancy Gloves – Additional Coldsnap with enhanced seekingBlight Ranger Helmet – Reflected projectiles deal increased damage

It has been a big week for Destiny 2 developer Bungie, as yesterday saw the announcement that Sony was planning to acquire the studio for $3.6 billion. While this isn’t the first time that Bungie has been up for sale, it’s a noticeable acquisition that shows just how serious Sony is with its digital strategy of investing in live-service games, a field that Bungie has become an expert in with Destiny.

In other Destiny news, you can expect the return of two terrific weapons in the new season of Nightfall Strikes, while the game’s overall grind is also being fine-tuned to deliver a more rewarding experience.

For more on Destiny 2 and everything else that’s about to be released over the next couple of weeks, you can check out our feature on the biggest games launching in February 2022.

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The Biggest Games Releasing In February: Elden Ring, Dying Light 2, And More

February used to be a month with only a handful of noteworthy new releases in years past, but lately, the most romantic month on the calendar has become a hub of anticipation as developers prepare to launch some of their biggest titles for the year. This month is absolutely stacked with highly anticipated titles, as everything from Destiny 2’s latest expansion to Elden Ring will be out in the wild. It’s also a big month for hardware, with Valve’s Steam Deck releasing at the end of the month.

To see which games aren’t arriving on schedule, be sure to check out our feature on every game delayed in 2022 so far. It’s small, but like a Gremlin fed after midnight, it’s growing.

Dying Light 2 (Feb. 4)

Dying Light 2

After years in development, Techland’s Dying Light 2 is finally ready to infect the world with a look at how civilization will survive decades after the zombie apocalypse began. Set in a new dark age of human history, Dying Light 2 promises hundreds of hours of content, tough decisions that’ll have actual ramifications on the world around you, and a whole lot of parkour to master as you dodge and dive around all manner of deadly threats. Dying Light 2 is launching on February 4 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Sifu (Feb. 8)

Sifu

How far would you be willing to go to enact your revenge? In Sifu, that’s a question that you’ll answer with kung fu and a magical talisman that’ll save you from death by subtracting a few years off of your lifespan as you kick and chop your way through hordes of enemies. Developed by Slocap–the studio behind Absolver–players will have to put their lives on the line as they master dozens of martial arts moves while hunting down five dangerous assassins. Sifu arrives on PlayStation and PC on February 8.

Horizon Forbidden West (Feb. 18)

Horizon Forbidden West

Sony is kicking off 2022 with a trip forward in time, reuniting players with plucky adventurer Aloy in Horizon: Forbidden West. Set centuries from now and in a world where giant robot machines have usurped humanity’s position at the top of the food chain, Forbidden West sees Aloy embark on a quest to find the source of a mysterious plague that is a threat to both organic and mechanical life. Developer Guerilla Games is expanding the world of Horizon, and you can expect new biomes to explore, skills to master, and enhanced combat options to take advantage of–which you’ll definitely need if you want to survive a tangle with giant robot snakes. Horizon Forbidden West is a PlayStation exclusive.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (Feb. 22)

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

2022 is shaping up to be a big year for Destiny 2, as the next chapter in Bungie’s cosmic sandbox introduces a deadly new Hive threat led by the Witch Queen Savathun. Faced with the threat of undying Hive forces known as the Lucent Brood, players will need to explore new locations, master the power of Glaive-type weapons, and uncover Savathun’s true goal. All that, as well as new Strikes, Raids, PvP content, and a year’s worth of seasonal events that’ll roll out in the aftermath of the Witch Queen’s campaign.

Elden Ring (Feb. 25)

Elden Ring

Easily one of the most anticipated releases of the year, Elden Ring combines From Software’s talent for challenging action and role-playing depth with contributions from Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin in the lore and narrative world-building department. Set in a vast open-world, Elden Ring prioritizes combat and exploration in the six main areas of the Lands Between, rich customization options, and deadly battles against gruesome enemies. Elden Ring launches February 25 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.

Steam Deck (Feb. 25)

Originally scheduled for launch last year, Valve’s Steam Deck console is finally hitting markets during one of the busiest PC gaming months of 2022. It might turn out to be a smart move, as fans will be able to show off not only what their favorite games look like on the handheld PC, but also the latest titles as detailed above. Available in a range of configurations, the Steam Deck will cost anywhere between $400 to $650 depending on the model you choose. Just remember to avoid opening the console up, in case you value your life. If you managed to get in the earliest wave of reservations, the Steam Deck will start shipping on February 28.

Life is Strange Remastered Collection (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Stadia) – February 1Dying Light 2 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) – February 4Maglam Lord (PS4, PS5, Switch) – February 4Sifu (PC, PS4, PS5) – February 8OlliOlli World (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch) – February 8Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, Kingdom Hearts 3 + Re:mind (Switch via Cloud) – February 10CrossfireX (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) – February 10A Memoir Blue (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch) – February 10Edge Of Eternity (PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S – February 10Lost Ark (PC) – February 11Not Tonight 2 (PC) – February 11Infernax (PC, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch) – February 14Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch) – February 15Touken Ranbu Warriors (PC, PS4, PS5) – February 17The King of Fighters 15 (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – February 17Total War: Warhammer 3 (PC) – February 17Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection (Switch) – February 17Horizon: Forbidden West (PS4, PS5) – February 18Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) – February 22Martha is Dead (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) – February 24Atelier Sophie 2: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Dream (PC, PS4, Switch) – February 25Grid Legends (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) – February 25Elden Ring (PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S) – February 25Steam Deck launch – February 25Leap (PC via Steam Early Access) – February TBC

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Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal Will Be Reviewed By The FTC

Microsoft’s Xbox division may be busy making certain that its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard proceeds smoothly, but the deal still has a few legislative barriers to overcome. One of the biggest hurdles in Microsoft’s path is the Federal Trade Commission, which will hold an antitrust review of the company’s plan to add some of the biggest gaming intellectual properties to its portfolio.

According to a person familiar with the matter and interviewed by Bloomberg, the FTC plans to analyze the takeover and see what impact it will have on its competition. Such matters are sometimes overseen by the Justice Department, although both agencies are responsible for antitrust reviews of mergers.

According to the report, the FTC will investigate Activision’s gaming portfolio with Microsoft’s consoles and hardware systems to see if the takeover could harm its rivals by cutting off access to some of the biggest games that are released globally. The FTC’s authority is only for the US though, and it’s likely that other international organizations with similar authority will also need to be won over for the deal to be approved.

Recently, the FTC has stated that it plans to more aggressively police such deals, especially when it concerns the biggest technology companies in the country. FTC Chair Lina Khan has already used the agency’s power to block two massive takeovers, particularly Nvidia’s plan to buy Arm Ltd. and Lockheed Martin Corp.’s move to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc.

While Microsoft still plans to honor current multiplatform agreements and release several Call of Duty games for the next few years, it remains to be seen if the series becomes an Xbox-exclusive or if it even sticks to an annual release date schedule.

It’s worth noting that when Minecraft came out, Microsoft continued to publish the game on competing platforms and became one of the largest publishers on PlayStation due to its popularity.

The acquisition of Bethesda was a different story though–not counting previous deals with Deathloop that were honored–as the upcoming Starfield will be a PC and Xbox Series X|S exclusive.

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PC Modder Turns Doom Eternal’s BFG 10,000 Into The Ultimate Gaming Rig

Most modern PCs are manufactured in a way that shows off the hardware running inside of them, but few gaming rigs can top the appeal of a custom design. Especially when that one-of-a-kind rig is modeled after Doom’s iconic BFG weapon. The ultimate-and biggest–gun in any version of Doom, this weapon of mass demonic destruction was the inspiration for a new build by Mark Celica of Mark’s Fabrication. Taking several design cues from the Doom Eternal version, Celica created a unique work of art that you can see more of in the video below.

“I found that its original shape had a rich and curvy sci-fi style, and after I added some elements of my own, I think it felt more in line with my own style,” Celica said. “What’s special about it are the laser lighting effects and the design which enables it to lift. I used an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card in this computer mod, an Intel i7 10700K for the CPU, the motherboard is an ASRock Z490, and I used 16GB of ZADAK memory.”

The end result is a titanic frame housing multiple parts on a spinning base. Similar to the BFG cannon seen in Doom Eternal–you can’t just shoot a hole into the surface of Mars–the build shines with lights, lasers, and awe-inspiring presence.

As for the game its based on, Doom Eternal’s devilish 6.66 update recently added a horde mode to the game. If you’re looking to take on the limitless forces of hell in this challenging mode, you can check out our guide on milestone rewards and top tips to memorize before you start playing.

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Team17 Publicly Condemned By Former Business Partner For Selling NFTs

Indie developer Aggro Crab Games has put out a strong statement against NFTs. The studio condemned one of its business partners, publisher Team17 after it had announced it would begin selling NFTs. Aggro Crab has only worked on one game together with Team17 so far, and that was 2020’s Going Under.

The statement reads, “We believe NFTs cannot be environmentally friendly, or useful, and really are just an overall ****ing grift. Please do not harass employees at Team17 or the devs under their umbrella, as this decision seems to have taken everyone off guard and likely came from the very top.”

“Needless to say, we will not be working with them on further titles and encourage other indie developers to do the same unless this decision is reversed. I ****ing hate it here,” says founder Nick Kaman and creative director Caelan Pollock.

sigh pic.twitter.com/I4PIQB6o1H

— AGGRO CRAB (@AggroCrabGames) January 31, 2022

The backlash from the online community was strong enough that the publisher has since deleted its Tweet of the NFT announcement. NFTs have been a hot-button topic in the games space, with companies such as Ubisoft going all-in on the venture, while audiences and developers remain skeptical about them.

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