Fallout 76 Doesn’t Have Cross-Play Because “It Wasn’t Designed That Way” Says Todd Howard

AI is all the rage these days, and it seems that Microsoft is adding its take on the technology to some of its Xbox and PC games. At the company’s recent Surface and AI event, it showed off its new Copilot AI, which is Microsoft’s unique twist on what we’ve seen from big tech firms like OpenAI (ChatGPT) and Google (Gemini).

Over on X/Twitter, Microsoft posted a demo video of a player using Copilot to learn how to craft a sword in Minecraft. According to Windows Central, this AI will respond to natural language (like most LLMs) and will explain how to use the resources you have, and will even guide you to them. Microsoft emphasized that the data used for Copilot will remain on-device, and that it won’t be uploaded to the cloud or used to train language models further without the user’s consent.

As with all AI models, it sounds good in theory, but it remains to be seen if it actually works. So-called AI “hallucinations” (i.e. the model making up or reporting inaccurate info) have been a problem with LLMs from the very beginning, which could lead to some frustrating scenarios. But all-in-all, this is a potential game-changer for those who would prefer to avoid digging through game wikis and Google searches to find the answer to that tough puzzle.

At this event, Microsoft showed off what it calls “Copilot+ PCs,” which come loaded with proprietary AI technology. However, they will require better hardware to fully leverage that tech, including a neural processor and 16GB of RAM. Windows laptops with AI will start rolling out on June 18.

The classic board game Talisman: The Magical Quest Game is making a long-overdue comeback in a few short months. The 5th edition of the fantasy dungeon crawler is manufactured by Avalon Hill, a Hasbro-owned board game developer responsible for hits such as Betrayal at House on the Hill and HeroQuest. The most recent edition of Talisman is no longer in print, and finding a complete set for retail price hasn’t been easy. That changes on August 1, and you can already secure your preorder of Talisman’s 5th edition for $60 at Amazon.

If you’ve never played Talisman before, it’s an adventure board game with light RPG mechanics where up to six players compete to obtain the Crown of Command, slay the Elder Dragon and become the new ruler of the land. Each player chooses from one of 12 characters to play as, including the Thief, Elf, Wizard, and Prophetess. The original game launched back in 1983 and since then has seen multiple revisions, the last being the 4th edition in 2008. As mentioned, the 4th edition has been out of print for a while, and the game is expensive to grab from resellers. This new 5th edition printing will make picking up a copy of the game much easier–but considering it’s an Avalon Hill game of a classic that many newer board game enthusiasts haven’t had a chance to try, we wouldn’t be surprised if the first wave of preorders sold out.

While you wait for your order to arrive, you could check out the officially licensed video game adaptation of Talisman. The digital board game released back in 2014 and has a bunch of add-on content that’s available to purchase separately. You can save some cash on a bunch of Talisman digital content for PC at GameSpot’s sister site Fanatical. Talisman’s digital edition is also available on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

The tactical sci-fi franchise, BattleTech, is turning 40 this year, and it’s celebrating by launching a new edition of the original board game. Since its debut in 1984, the BattleTech franchise has branched out to video games, novels, TV, and more, but the series started as a tabletop board game dubbed BattleTech: A Game of Armored Combat. As such, BattleTech’s 40th Anniversary Edition will be worth checking out whether you’re a longtime fan who wants to commemorate the occasion or a newcomer interested in trying the classic game for the first time. It’s available to preorder now at Amazon for $60 ahead of its June 12 release.

If you’d prefer to check out BattleTech sooner, you’ll be glad to know that a variety of board games and expansions are on sale ahead of the 40th Anniversary Edition’s launch. Your best bet is to check out the original game, which is discounted to $48 (down from $60). However, there’s a cheaper BattleTech: Beginner’s Box for $24, so give it a look if you want something more affordable.

BattleTech isn’t the only classic board game that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. The fantasy adventure game Talisman: The Magical Quest Game, which originally released in 1983, is making a comeback. Unlike BattleTech, it’s not easy to find a reasonably priced copy of Talisman, as it’s been out of print for awhile and hasn’t received a new edition since 2008. Preorders are now open for the fifth edition of Talisman ahead of its August 1 release date.

If you want to pick up other expansions or miniature collections for BattleTech to go alongside the 40th Anniversary Edition, be sure to check out all of Amazon’s current offers on expansions and miniatures sets..

BattleTech board games

Fanatical is running another Bundlefest this week, with new budget-friendly game bundles going live each day through Friday, May 24. The event kicked off with two great bundles, giving you an affordable way to add tons of games to your Steam library without dropping too much cash.

Along with game bundles, you can save an extra 20% on select learning bundles when using promo code LEARNFEST20. Eligible bundles include items like the Build Your Own Digital Coloring Artbook Bundle 3 and a variety of digital book bundles (look for the ones marked “Bundlefest”), including an introduction to game development bundle. A bunch of other game bundles outside of Bundlefest are also up for grabs, so be sure to browse the full catalog.

You’ll find all of this week’s Bundlefest collections below. New bundles go live each day at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.

Fanatical Bundlefest (May 20-24): Quick look

Killer Bundle 30

The Killer Bundle 30 pulls together hundreds of dollars’ worth of games for just $20. The collection includes Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition, Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, Vampire: The Masquerade Swansong, and over a dozen other titles. Note that the SSI Classics Collection includes 17 individually downloadable games, so technically you’re getting over 30 titles with this bundle. Every item in the bundle can be redeemed on Steam, making this a great way to add to your ever-growing library. Here’s the full list of games:

• Monster Train
• Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition
• Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen
• Frozenheim
• River City Girls Zero
• Drug Dealer Simulator
• SSI Classics Collection
• Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong
• Super Crazy Rhythm Castle
• Rain World
• Rain World: Downpour – DLC
• Sands of Aura
• GetsuFumaDen: Undying Moon
• Impostor Factory
• Unity of Command II
• Strategic Mind: The Pacific
• Pike and Shot: Campaigns
• Dust Fleet

Build Your Own RPG Bundle

The BYO RPG Bundle is available in three tiers. Buy eight or more games to get each game for $1.25, five or more games to get each for $1.40, or three or more games to get each for $1.66. You’ll get to choose from a catalog of 15 games, most of which are hit indies that may have flown under your radar. Coromon, a charming Pokemon-like, and Moonlighter: Complete Edition are notable inclusions, but here’s a look at the full list:

• Giants Uprising
• The Magister
• Defend the Rook
• What The Duck
• No Place Like Home
• Guild of Darksteel
• Moonlighter: Complete Edition
• This Way Madness Lies
• Magenta Horizon
• Peachleaf Pirates
• Jack Move
• Coromon
• Lost Castle
• Nigate Tale
• Warman

Even before the Disney and Fox deal closed, Disney CEO Bob Iger indicated the studio’s willingness to make Deadpool 3 with an R-rating in 2017. During the intervening years, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige often reiterated his intent to make sure Deadpool 3 had the same R-rating that its predecessors had. But that doesn’t mean Deadpool and Wolverine’s Ryan Reynolds wasn’t shocked when Disney and Marvel actually went through with it.

“I hope it doesn’t sound condescending, I’m really proud of [Disney and Marvel] for doing this,” said Reynolds during an interview with Fandango alongside his co-star Hugh Jackman and their director Shawn Levy. “I think it’s a huge step for them. I mean it adds a whole other color to this kaleidoscopic wheel that is that company and the different people that they have been entertaining for forever so I was surprised though that they let us go… hard R.”

“I mean there’s no other way to do it,” added Reynolds. “You know for this character and this world and particularly you know Logan being an R-rated film as well. I felt like that was the most kind of full-throated version of Wolverine or Logan that we’ve ever seen. So it really allowed us a lot of freedom, not exploiting the R rating, just to do R-rated stuff. But it’s really allowing us to kind of do anything and everything in a world where anything and everything is possible.”

Deadpool and Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26.

Activision will offer a free trial for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III just one day after the launch of Season 4. The trial will take place from May 30 to June 3.

Those who participate in the five-day trial will have access to both the Multiplayer and Zombies modes. A Call of Duty blog post explains that the reasoning behind the free trial is to expose as many players as possible to the new season.

Now Playing: Modern Warfare III & Warzone – Official Season 4 Launch Trailer