Gaming

Phasmophobia confirms 30 million sales as its Crimson Eye Halloween event returns

• 30 million sales milestone for co-op ghost-hunting game Phasmophobia
• Halloween event returns with challenging blood moon conditions and cosmetics
• Full 1.0 release scheduled for second half of 2027

Phasmophobia, the co-operative ghost-hunting game, has surpassed 30 million sales across PC and console since launching in Early Access in 2020. Developer Kinetic Games has marked this milestone by returning the Crimson Eye Halloween event, which runs until 1 November and introduces challenging blood moon weather conditions alongside…

Horror is big business

• Horror films and shows now regularly outsell major blockbusters despite lower production costs.
• Resident Evil Requiem sold 8 million copies since February, Capcom's 14th best-selling game.
• YouTube-origin horror films Obsession and Backrooms earned nearly $1 billion combined.

The horror genre has transformed from a niche market into a dominant force in entertainment, as demonstrated by 2026's unprecedented concentration of successful horror content across films, streaming platforms and video games. Horror is no longer a sideshow; it now competes with and often outperforms major blockbusters and…

Pressure mounts on McEntee over Garda crisis as Real Madrid beats Villarreal

Irish coalition colleagues express alarm at Minister McEntee's handling of the Garda whistleblower crisis, with no-confidence calls mounting. Real Madrid beat Villarreal but Vinícius Júnior's red card overshadowed the victory.

How to get inside the Emperor and obtain Emperor Modulator in ARC Raiders

• Find the Emperor Modulator in the Fallen Emperor location for endgame progression
• Craft a Conduit using three Couplers to enter the location
• Search all containers thoroughly as the Modulator location is randomised

The Fallen Emperor is a key location on the Pendola Pass map in ARC Raiders that contains valuable loot, most notably the Emperor Modulator, which is essential for progressing towards the game's endgame content. Accessing the Emperor requires preparation and strategy, making it an important milestone for players…

Gary Larson’s 10 Greatest ‘Far Side’ Comics, Ranked

• The Far Side's greatness measured by joke cleverness rather than cultural impact
• Larson combined obvious visual gags with subtle subversions and fourth wall breaks
• His comics trusted audiences to appreciate both broad and complex humour

The article assesses how to measure greatness in Gary Larson's 'The Far Side' comic strip, arguing it should be judged by the effectiveness and cleverness of individual jokes rather than cultural impact or philosophical depth. Larson's strategy was to create the funniest possible joke each day, trusting audiences…

13 Years Later, Little Finger’s Best ‘Game of Thrones’ Quote is Still a All-Time Great HBO Line

• Littlefinger’s quote captures ambition as a cycle of wanting more.
• Daenerys and Cersei’s changing goals echo the line.
• Littlefinger’s pursuit of power is tied to his lost love for Catelyn.

The article argues that Petyr Baelish’s line, “It doesn’t matter what we want. Once we get it, then we want something else,” is one of *Game of Thrones’* most revealing quotes. Spoken to Sansa in season 3, it captures how characters’ ambitions keep shifting, even after they achieve…

26 Years Ago, ‘Buffy’s Worst Character Got the Replacement He Desperately Needed

• A demon splits Xander into confident and insecure versions.
• The episode uses the crisis to explore his self-acceptance.
• Its themes echo doubts faced by other characters in season five.

In season five of *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*, “The Replacement” gives Xander Harris a story focused on his anxieties about adulthood and his place among the group. A demon’s beam splits him into two versions, forcing the often comic-relief character to confront his insecurity and ambition; the episode…

Australian Dramedy ‘Her Last Laugh,’ With ‘XO, Kitty’ and ‘Mortal Kombat II’ Actors, Heads to Busan Buyers (EXCLUSIVE)

• Australian dramedy about inheriting a casting agency heads to Busan International Film Festival market.
• Director Joy Hopwood's sixth Asian Australian film features XO Kitty and Mortal Kombat II actors.
• Sisters must save their mother's legacy within 12 months or lose it all.

Joy Hopwood's Australian dramedy "Her Last Laugh" has been selected for international sales at the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market, represented by Hong Kong-based Cappu Films. The film stars Peter Thurnwald from "XO, Kitty" and Ana Thu Nguyen from "Mortal Kombat II", alongside John…

‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ Gets a Super Mario Twist in Hilarious New LitRPG Series

• New LitRPG series Last Save Dave gains popularity as follow-up to Dungeon Crawler Carl
• Plumber Dave must compete across 1,000 worlds with "last save" mechanic inspired by Super Mario
• Series appeals to video game fans unfamiliar with traditional role-playing games

Last Save Dave, a new LitRPG series by James Michael Ploof, is gaining recognition as a spiritual successor to the bestselling Dungeon Crawler Carl. The novel follows Dave, an ordinary New York plumber chosen by a child god to compete against 11 other champions in collecting Talismans across…

BlazBlue: Central Fiction Announced for PS5, a Decade After Original Release

• BlazBlue: Central Fiction is coming natively to PS5.
• The port adds PC crossplay, four languages and improved training.
• Dates and upgrade details have not been confirmed.

Arc System Works is bringing its 2015 fighting game BlazBlue: Central Fiction to PS5 as a native release, though it has not announced a launch date. The update matters to players who still play the decade-old game, adding requested online and training features that could help sustain its…