• On the night of May 5, Helldivers 2 sales were halted on Steam in over 170 countries, a development noticed by users online.
• This change occurred amidst a scandal regarding Sony's requirement for mandatory linking to a PSN account to play Helldivers 2 on PC. In certain countries, registering such an account is impossible, leading to the restriction of sales in those regions.
• Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony have yet to comment on the situation. Previously, Johan Pilestedt, the head of the studio developing Helldivers 2, apologized to players for any inconvenience caused.
• On May 3, Sony announced the mandatory tethering of Helldivers 2 on PC to a PlayStation Network account, citing improved security measures and the ability to enforce bans with appeal options for offenders.
• Players widely criticized Sony's decision, resulting in Helldivers 2's Steam reviews dropping to "mixed" overall and "mostly negative" for recent reviews. Arrowhead's community manager clarified that it was Sony, not the developers, who made the decision regarding the PSN link requirement.

Insider V Scooper, renowned for confirmed movie leaks, shared possible details about the next Tomb Raider installment. Insider Gaming also took note of his tweets.

• According to the insider, the next Tomb Raider will boast a fully open world, a departure from the series' previous separate but spacious locations. Set in India, players will explore a vast world, utilizing motorcycles and other transportation options, with Lara Croft even able to skydive.
• If all goes smoothly, the game should launch within a year, although an official release date has yet to be finalized by the developers.
• V Scooper promised further details soon, sourced exclusively from a trusted contact.

Developed by Crystal Dynamics using the Unreal Engine 5, the next installment remains a single-player action-adventure, akin to its predecessors. Beyond this, details are scarce.

Crystal Dynamics previously released artwork of Lara Croft, sparking speculation about her updated appearance. However, the studio clarified that this depiction doesn't necessarily reflect her look in the upcoming game.

• Deadline has compiled a rating of the most failed movies of 2023. The list includes pictures that brought the greatest losses to their creators and movie companies.
• The leader of the anti-top was the movie "The Marvels", whose losses amounted to 237 million dollars. Deadline noted that the picture collected 218 million dollars with a budget of 279 million.
• In second place was "The Flash" with losses of 155 million dollars. The top three ranking closed the tape "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny", on which Disney lost 143 million dollars.
• Among the failed tapes were not Apple films. As explained in Deadline, the low fees "Killers of the Flower Moon" and "Napoleon" did not take into account - this is only a small part of the costs of the American corporation.
• The most failed movies of 2023 according to Deadline
  • "The Marvels" - loss of 237 million dollars.
  • "The Flash" - a loss of 155 million dollars.
  • "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" - $143 million loss.
  • "Wish" - $131 million loss.
  • "Haunted Mansion" - 117 million dollars.
• In early 2024, the head of Disney blamed the failure of the "The Marvels" movie on studio executives who had no control over the filming process.

Which mini-boss deserves to be promoted to a main boss?

Analyst Stephen Follows reported a nearly 40% decrease in the number of sex scenes in Hollywood movies since 2000. His research, which examined 250 of the highest-grossing films released over 23 years, revealed that the proportion of movies without bed scenes increased from 18% to 46% during this period. The decline in intimate scenes was most pronounced in action movies, dropping by 70%, with thrillers ranking second in terms of decline. Romantic movies were the least affected by this trend. However, the number of scenes featuring profanity, drugs, and violence has remained relatively stable since 2000.

Follows outlined several potential reasons for the decrease in intimate scenes:

• Changes in modern audience preferences.
• Distributors aiming to lower age ratings to reach broader audiences.
• Increased availability of "adult" content.
• Changing cultural norms leading movie producers to exercise caution with sexual content.
• Rejection of stereotypes, such as the necessity of sex scenes in action movies.
• The emergence of the role of intimacy coordinators.
• The growing popularity of streaming services and the resulting increase in overall content.

Follows highlighted that he initially analyzed 250 of the highest-grossing films at the request of The Economist magazine for an upcoming study. However, he expanded his analysis and found that the observed trends remained unchanged.

• On May 3, Sony announced that Helldivers 2 on PC would soon require PSN account tethering by the end of the month. This requirement has actually been in place since the game's release, but technical issues initially made tethering optional. Consequently, many players were unaware of this condition.
• The company's decision faced significant criticism from players, particularly because creating a PSN account is not possible in certain regions, such as Africa, the Baltics, and the Philippines. Although players can create an account by specifying a different region, Sony reserves the right to block accounts for providing false data.
• Some players who have been enjoying Helldivers 2 on PC via Steam may lose access because the PSN system does not support their region. As of May 3, Steam users have already posted over four thousand negative reviews of Helldivers 2, with many threatening to seek refunds if mandatory PSN account linking is implemented.
• Analyst Daniel Ahmad believes that such a requirement should have been imposed immediately or provided with a one-click solution, and he considers the players' reaction to be expected. Neither Arrowhead studio nor Sony has commented on the situation, but players are hopeful that the companies may reconsider the decision or make exceptions for regions where creating a PSN account is technically impossible.

• FromSoftware studio head Hidetaka Miyazaki recently shared details about the upcoming Elden Ring expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, in an interview with Chinese media. In it, Miyazaki revealed new aspects, including the introduction of secret characters and the expansion's narrative significance.
• Throughout Shadow of the Erdtree, players will uncover deeper layers of Elden Ring's lore. While the expansion won't conclude the main storyline, it will offer multiple endings based on player choices. Additionally, it will provide answers to many questions but won't reveal the full scope until its conclusion, as the developers are still undecided on the main story's resolution.
• The expansion introduces new weapons, combat skills, and spells usable in both the DLC and the main game, enriching the player's arsenal against bosses. Miyazaki mentioned that even seasoned players will find surprises in the new weapons and can develop fresh tactics against foes.
• Shadow of the Erdtree marks the first and final addition to Elden Ring, with no plans for further content updates. Players are advised to explore Shadow of the Erdtree before reaching the climax of the main story, although Miyazaki didn't specify the expansion's duration.
• Furthermore, the expansion will introduce characters indirectly connected to Elden Ring, such as St. Trina, who was only mentioned in the base game.

• In early May, DC announced Batman: Arkham Shadow for the Meta* Quest 3 VR headset. Unlike previous Arkham games developed by Rocksteady, this one is being developed by Camouflaj, the studio behind Marvel's Iron Man VR.
• In the Batman Arkham and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League franchises, Batman was voiced by Kevin Conroy, except for Arkham Origins, where Roger Craig Smith took on the role.
• Conroy passed away in 2022, leaving the question of who will voice Batman in future animated films, TV series, and the Arkham series, which DC plans to continue.
• For Arkham Shadow, it appears that the developers have turned to Roger Craig Smith once again. While he hasn't officially confirmed his involvement, he did retweet the announcement.
• Craig Smith has previously voiced Batman in Arkham Origins and some animated films like Batman Ninja, though not on a full-time basis.
• Best known for his roles as Ezio Auditore in Assassin's Creed, Mirage in Apex Legends, and Sonic, Craig Smith's potential return to the role of Batman has excited fans.
• Arkham Shadow is set to release in 2024, with more details expected to be revealed at Summer Game Fest in June. Fans have already noticed hints in the trailer suggesting a storyline set between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum, such as the "Vote for Dent" graffiti.

I definitely never use spears. I don't think I've ever committed to using one in a game for more than a few minutes.

Bethesda Studio has revealed the fourth major patch for Starfield, set to be the largest update since the game's release. Here are the main additions:

• Updated city and location maps, featuring visible markers for easier navigation during movement.

• Additional gameplay options, allowing players to customize settings such as enemy damage, food effects, merchant credits, and ammo weight, with experience gain adjusting accordingly.
• Introduction of an extreme difficulty level, requiring careful gameplay, especially at higher character levels.
• Spacecraft interior customization mode, enabling players to personalize all rooms of their flight vehicle.

• Character customization and appearance changes in "New Game+" mode, enhancing replayability.
• Xbox Series X will feature "Quality" and "Performance" modes, with selectable target frame rates.
• Various quality-of-life improvements, including the ability to disable the first-person camera during dialogs and improved inventory management.

Bethesda stated that they are actively working on future updates for Starfield, with promised vehicle transportation on planets expected in one of them. A video showcased one of the transportation means.