Gaming

Pokopia Halloween event rewards furnishings and introduces Gourgeist

• The first Halloween event adds seasonal furnishings and Gourgeist.
• Startle Pokémon with Camouflage disguises to earn pumpkin candies.
• All nine furnishings cost 20 candies; buying them all unlocks a photo frame.

Pokémon Pokopia’s first Halloween event, “Pumpkaboo’s Sweet Surprises”, lets players earn seasonal furnishings by startling Pokémon with disguises. It also introduces Gourgeist, which players can attract by creating one of two event habitats. The event runs from 17 October at 5am to 1 November at 4.59am, according to…

10 Perfect Detective Thrillers That Get More Intense With Every Episode

• A guide to ten gripping mystery series.
• The shows explore personal and institutional troubles.
• Picks range from spy dramas to Nordic noir.

The article recommends ten mystery and detective series for viewers who enjoy sustained investigations, misdirection and stories that grow more intense over time. It argues that the genre’s appeal lies not only in solving crimes, but also in how investigations expose grief, guilt, institutional corruption and other aspects…

MapQuest maps surveillance as Meta turns business data towards AI

Meta’s terms appear to permit crawling linked websites to train AI, while MapQuest adds known cameras and number-plate readers to its map. Sony faces fan friction over disc-based PlayStation games, and Smallville’s legacy is celebrated.

Rockstar Officially Comments on GTA 6’s Approach to Trump & COVID-19

• GTA 6 will not directly satirise Trump or COVID-19.
• Rockstar wants the game’s satire to feel timeless.
• Release is scheduled for 19 November on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Rockstar Games says Grand Theft Auto 6 will avoid directly satirising Donald Trump’s rise to power and the COVID-19 pandemic. Studio head Rob Nelson said the aim is to keep the game’s humour relevant over time, since specific political events and internet memes can quickly feel dated. The…

PS5 JRPG Atelier Karia Adding GTA San Andreas-Style Weight Mechanic After Overwhelming Fan Vote

• *Atelier Karia* is adding an optional weight mechanic.
• 78.9% of surveyed players supported the feature.
• The game is due out in 2027.

Gust is adding an optional weight mechanic to the PS5 role-playing game *Atelier Karia* after strong support in a player survey. When enabled, Karia’s body shape will change as she eats, extending the game’s existing food-based gameplay. The survey found that 78.9% of players wanted the feature, with…

Austin Abrams Still Won’t Admit Which Was Tougher to Shoot, ‘Whalefall’ or ‘Resident Evil’

• Abrams stars in two recent survival films.
• *Whalefall* required cramped, physically demanding set work.
• He won’t say which shoot was tougher.

Austin Abrams is starring in two demanding survival films released close together: *Whalefall* and *Resident Evil*. In *Whalefall*, he plays a diver swallowed by a sperm whale while searching for his late father’s remains, and he still declines to say which film was harder to shoot. For *Whalefall*,…

8 Call of Duty Games Still Missing from Game Pass

• Eight notable Call of Duty games are still missing from Game Pass.
• Black Ops and World at War are among the absent classics.
• The article says subscribers should be able to play more of the series’ history.

The article argues that Microsoft’s purchase of Activision raised expectations that classic Call of Duty games would come to Xbox Game Pass, but many popular entries are still only available to buy. It highlights eight missing games and says adding them would give subscribers access to some of…

‘Street Fighter’ Socking $30M, ‘You Can See Everything’ Beaming 2nd Best Opening For Documentary At $12M – Friday Box Office Update

• *Street Fighter* is forecast to open at $30 million.
• *You Can See Everything* is projected to make $12 million.
• *Whalefall* is tracking below expectations.

*Street Fighter* is heading for an estimated $30 million opening weekend in the US and Canada, near the lower end of expectations. Its $12.5 million Friday includes previews, and its opening is close to the original 1994 film’s unadjusted $33.4 million total, making the new release’s performance an…

Street Fighter: How Can There Be an Ending Explained When There Is No Ending?

• Bison uses the tournament to target Ryu’s Hado Power.
• Ken wins two bouts but misses the final.
• Joe is crowned champion without fighting on screen.

The article explains the new live-action Street Fighter film’s tournament and its animated mid-credits scene, while arguing that the story feels unfinished. The tournament is largely a distraction from M. Bison’s plan to capture Ryu and take his Hado Power, and several bouts are skipped or barely shown.…

Resident Evil 2 on Switch 2 Is My New Favorite Way to Play Capcom’s Horror Masterpiece

• The Switch 2 port looks sharp and runs smoothly.
• HDR gives the game’s lighting extra impact.
• A smaller screen makes the scares easier for the reviewer.

Capcom’s *Resident Evil 2* remake runs impressively on Switch 2, and its handheld screen makes the horror easier for this reviewer to handle. The port’s smooth performance, strong visuals and HDR support offer a compelling way to play the survival horror game. The story follows Leon Kennedy and…