Games

A big reason people love Tears of the Kingdom is that it lets you explore almost anywhere from the start, driven purely by your own curiosity. While the previous game, Breath of the Wild, already had a huge map, Tears of the Kingdom expanded it even more with the addition of Sky Islands and the Depths. However, older Zelda games did a great job of making exploration feel like a key part of getting better at the game, instead of just offering endless side paths. For example, Twilight Princess from 2006 made you work to unlock areas of Hyrule, making the world itself feel like a reward that gradually revealed itself over time, unlike the vast, immediately accessible space in the newer game.

Episode 1153 of One Piece concluded the exciting events on Egghead Island. While the episode was full of highlights, the confrontation between Emet, a massive robot, and the Five Elders – the highest leaders of the World Government – was particularly impactful. The robot bravely challenged their authority and performed remarkably well.

2025 was a fantastic year for gaming, with both big-budget AAA titles and smaller independent games making a huge impact. For the first time ever, The Game Awards had an equal number of indie and AAA games nominated for Game of the Year. While Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ultimately won the top prize, the other nominees were a strong group including Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Blue Prince, a unique first-person puzzle adventure, was nominated for Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie, but Expedition 33 took home both awards. Blue Prince stands out with its clever mystery and addictive roguelike gameplay, and many players believe the story doesn’t truly end with the main plot – there are still plenty of secrets to uncover.

Unlike other gaming platforms, Xbox won’t be releasing its annual ‘Wrapped’ summary this year. Reports suggest this is because Microsoft is prioritizing other marketing efforts.

I’m so hyped for OD, the new game Hideo Kojima is making with Xbox Game Studios! Right now, all we really know is it’s going to be a horror game, and there was that really creepy ‘Knock’ teaser a while back. But it looks like that teaser actually had a lot more hidden in it than we first thought!

Finding the key can be difficult, and even once you have it, it’s not always obvious where to use it on the map. This guide explains how to use the Spaceport Warehouse Key in Arc Raiders.

This year, Epic Games Store started giving away free games with the hugely popular Hogwarts Legacy. Players had a whole week to add it to their collections! Hogwarts Legacy is a large, open-world action role-playing game set in the world of Harry Potter, and it was the best-selling game of 2023, selling over 40 million copies. It was a great deal for players to get it for free. Hogwarts Legacy was available as a free game until December 18th, when it was replaced by Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel. This marked the beginning of daily free game giveaways, and Jotunnslayer: Hordes of Hel has now been swapped out for Eternights.

Today we’re chatting with voice actor Erika Ishii about her career, including her work on Dropout shows, the games and voice actors she admires, and her passion for the character Blue Prince. Read More 2025-12-19 19:05

We’re excited to offer more in-depth content that explores the world behind video games – the industry we all enjoy. To do this, we’re launching a new YouTube channel called Pause for Thought. We’ll be interviewing the people who make games happen – including voice actors, developers, streamers, and content creators – anyone who helps shape the gaming experience.

Erika Ishii isn’t just known for her voice work in video games – she’s also a regular performer on Dropout, a comedy streaming service created by the team behind CollegeHumor. Dropout has become a popular online destination for consistently fresh and funny content. Shows like Dimension 20 and Game Changer are particularly successful, often featuring hilarious, unscripted moments as performers react to unexpected challenges. Game Changer, for example, is based on game show formats, but with a twist – the rules are different every episode, keeping everyone on their toes. Beyond the entertainment itself, Dropout also stands out for its commitment to its creators, sharing profits with them to help improve their livelihoods.