New “Fire Vapor” Xbox Controller Announced, Out Now For $70
Microsoft has announced a new Xbox controller, the Fire Vapor Special Edition. It’s part of the Vapor series, and previous controller launches have included Stormcloud, Dream, and Noctural. But this newest Vapor controller is styled around the element of fire.
“Feel the power of fire in your hands,” Microsoft said in its description of the controller.
The Fire Vapor controller works with Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and it also allows you to control Xbox games streamed to your phone via Bluetooth. Additionally, it comes with a dynamic background for your Xbox that’s exclusive to this controller.
Like other Special Edition Xbox controllers, the new Fire Vapor controller sells for $70 USD. It’s being sold exclusively through the Microsoft Store, so you won’t see it at Target or Walmart.
Microsoft announced this new Xbox controller on the same day that it announced dramatic and difficult news for its studios. The company is closing four Bethesda studios, including Arkane Austin, the developer of the vampire game Redfall. Related to that, support for Redfall is ending, and Arkane will not deliver the promised DLC.
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Killing Floor 3 Gets First Dev Diary For The Franchise’s 15th Anniversary
It’s been 15 years since a tiny team of modders first released Killing Floor, kickstarting the popular, blood-soaked horror franchise. Now, the game’s veteran devs have dished on the upcoming Killing Floor 3, discussing just how much has changed at studio Tripwire Interactive in those 15 years.
In the developer-diary video, some of Tripwire’s veteran devs reminisce on the history of the Killing Floor franchise, from its origins with a tiny team creating on a restrictive schedule and budget, to the increased size and scope of Killing Floor 2.
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When it came to creating the third game in the franchise, the developers are looking to find the perfect balance between old and new. “I knew I wanted it to return to [Killing Floor 1’s] level of horror, have some cult elements, but become a little more mainstream,” said studio creative director Bryan Wynia, who only joined Tripwire after the release of Killing Floor 2, but has been a fan of the franchise for a lot longer.
Wynia briefly touches on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the Killing Floor 3 development process–though in this case it actually turned into an unexpected positive. With the entire studio switching to remote work, it meant Tripwire could now “open the floodgates to people that wanted to be part of the team.”
At that point in development, the Tripwire team was working on early concepts for Killing Floor 3, experimenting with fun new ways the game could play. While early prototypes for the game were just rough, greyboxed levels, it was enough for the team to get a feel for what Killing Floor 3’s gruesome reveal trailer might look like when it was ready to reveal it last year.
“It’s been 10 years [since Killing Floor 2]; let’s step the game right up and give people some new challenges,” Tripwire VP Alan Wilson concludes in the anniversary video, which shows off plenty of footage of the new sequel in development.
Killing Floor 3 is set in the year 2091, 70 years after the events of Killing Floor 2. Taking the role of an operative from rebel group Nightfall, the player can join up to five teammates in their fight against megacorp Horzine and its army of obedient bio-engineered monstrosities called Zeds.
Outfit The ROG Ally With A Slick Set Of New Accessories From Dbrand.
Gaming peripherals manufacturer Dbrand has announced new gear for the ROG Ally, which it’s calling Project Killswitch. This is a new grip for the handheld gaming PC that adds a more ergonomic design and extra durability, as well as a kickstand and optional parts like grippy thumbstick covers, travel cover, and a tempered glass screen protector.
Essentially, this is a comprehensive collection of gear to make playing your ROG Ally more comfortable while also keeping it protected.
Priced at $60 for the essentials kit–or “0.0000000085642857% of the annual defense budget,” according to Dbrand’s math–and $75 for the travel kit, this bundle also includes an optional skin for customization.
The screen protector can also be added to either bundle for $20 extra. Dbrand says the cover has a precise fit over an ROG Ally, and the kickstand comes with built-in microSD card storage. This isn’t the first time the company has made cases, as it has a line of Steam Deck accessories available as well. If you prefer console gaming, the Darkplates for PS5 consoles are also pretty great.
Now could be a good time to consider getting an ROG Ally, as with a mid-gen refresh on the horizon, prices could drop soon. The system is a pretty powerful machine–especially if you opt for the Z1 Extreme version–and can handle demanding games relatively well.
It also has a sharp 120Hz screen, 512GB of internal storage, and since it runs on Windows you can install games from a variety of storefronts on it. It doesn’t have the best battery life, and there have been reports of it ejecting microSD cards, but overall this is a good alternative to the Steam Deck.
Currently, Best Buy is offering the entry-level Asus ROG Ally Z1 for $500, while the higher-spec ROG Ally Z1 Extreme is priced at $700.
GTA 6 Release Date Now Set For Fall 2025
Big news for Grand Theft Auto VI today, as Take-Two has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will be released in Fall 2025. Previously, the game was targeting a release at some unspecified point in the year. This could be a delay for GTA VI, as Take-Two had previously indicated a release earlier in 2025.
“Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games’ previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.”
Pretty much every Rockstar Games release in the past decade has been delayed beyond its original date, so fans hoping to play GTA VI in Fall 2025 might want to emotionally prepare themselves for a potential delay.
GTA VI is reportedly now in the final stages of development. Rockstar Games required most staffers to return to the office beginning April 15 to finish the game and to help prevent leaks. Not all Rockstar workers are happy about this, though, as some say the return-to-office mandate removes a lifeline.
GTA VI is in development at Rockstar North in Edinburgh, Scotland, with Rockstar’s teams around the world supporting the game’s development. Rockstar Games parent company Take-Two has said the developer is seeking “perfection.”
In other news, prolific voice actor Troy Baker recently confirmed he is not voicing the male lead in GTA VI.
Rockstar parent company Take-Two recently announced a cost-cutting plan that resulted in hundreds of layoffs and multiple game cancellations. The games industry at large has seen huge numbers of layoffs so far in 2024.
CoD: Warzone And MW3 Season 4 Confirms The Return Of Iconic Rifle
Activision has released a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Season 4 update for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. The season is confirmed for May 29, and the big update brings the return of Warzone’s popular Kar98k bolt-action rifle.
The brief video clip doesn’t give much away, with quick images of clocks, timers, and keypads. These teasers could be referring to the bunkers in Warzone, which haven’t been unlocked yet, and they could be preparing to open in Season 4. The images could also be teasing an upcoming reveal for Call of Duty 2024. The new game reveal may or may not be tied to the Warzone bunkers, which is something we’ve seen in the past with Call of Duty in-game reveal events.
In addition to the Season 4 clip, Activision also sent packages to Call of Duty influencers that contained teasers to reveal the popular Kar98k rifle is returning. It’s uncertain if this will be the marksman-rifle version seen in Modern Warfare 2019 or Call of Duty: Vanguard’s sniper-rifle version, but it was described in the teasers as being a bolt-action rifle, which makes sense, seeing as it’s a real weapon used by Germany in WW2.
More details will likely arrive in the coming days leading up to Season 4’s launch. In other Call of Duty news, Warzone’s recent update has added a secret “Sally” pistol weapon blueprint, which seems to be teasing Treyarch’s rumored Black Ops 6.
CoD: Warzone: How To Unlock The Black Ops 6 “Sally” Weapon Blueprint
The latest update to Warzone seems to have slipped in a secret weapon blueprint that teases this year’s upcoming Call of Duty game, which is rumored to be Treyarch’s Black Ops 6. Here we’ll explain how you can unlock the “Sally” weapon blueprint for the 9mm Daemon.
The Sally weapon blueprint explained
The Sally weapon blueprint is an akimbo version of the 9mm Daemon pistol, and the cosmetic is skinned to look like the iconic pistols from the cover of 2010’s Call of Duty: Black Ops. In Black Ops 1’s Zombies mode, the M1911 starter pistol could also be Pack-a-Punched to become the powerful “Mustang and Sally” akimbo variant.
Treyarch has tweeted a response to a player’s mention of Warzone’s secret weapon blueprint, so it is very likely a purposeful tease of their upcoming title.
How to get the Sally weapon blueprint
To unlock the Sally blueprint, you’ll need to find the 9mm Daemon in a match of Warzone and get a kill with the gun. Getting your first kill with the pistol will complete the secret challenge called “She Never Lets Me Down,” and the blueprint will be available for use in both MW3 and Warzone.
This will only unlock the Sally blueprint for whoever picks it up and gets a kill with it, but after you or a teammate unlocks the weapon, it can then be dropped mid-match for any remaining teammates to try and unlock the blueprint for themselves.
The 9mm Daemon is very rare ground loot that can reportedly be found across various modes in standard battle royale and Resurgence. This gun can be found as loot on the ground or scavenged from supply boxes.
Some players claim that the spawn rates are better in Warzone’s Fully Loaded LTM for Rebirth Island, but there don’t seem to be any guaranteed spawn locations for the 9mm Daemon.
For more on Warzone, make sure to check out our full guide for completing Rebirth Island’s Champion’s Quest nuke challenge. Here’s how you can get Season 3’s “Redacted” weapon blueprint in Warzone.
Madden NFL 25 Preorders Are Live – Here’s How To Get A Free $10 Gift Card
Another football season, another installment of Madden. And while the 2025 NFL season is still quite a way off, preorders for Madden NFL 25 are already open ahead of its August 16 release, and you can get a free $10 gift card with your preorder at Best Buy. Three versions of the game are up for grabs–one of which comes bundled with a copy of EA Sports College Football 25 (which releases July 16), making it a great way to save money if you know you’ll be picking up both later this year. We still don’t know a whole lot about this installment of the iconic franchise, though EA Sports will likely give it the usual refresh with improved mechanics and animations, an updated Ultimate Team mode, and more.
Read more: Check out our EA Sports College Football 25 preorder guide for details on editions and bonuses for the revived NCAA football sim series.
Madden NFL 25 Preorder Bonuses
All Madden NFL 25 preorders come with bonus in-game content. The pricier the edition you pick, the more in-game goodies you’ll get. If you opt for the standard edition of Madden NFL 25, you’ll get the Cover Athlete Elite Player Item (TBA), two strategy items, Superstar Drip Gear (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S only), and the Legendary XP Boost (also exclusive to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S).
$70
Preorder the Madden NFL 25 standard edition to get the base game, Cover Athlete Elite Player Item, 2 Strategy Items, Superstar Drip Gear, and Legendary XP Boost. Preorders are currently live at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. As mentioned above, if you preorder at Best Buy, you’ll get a $10 gift card with your order.
The Xbox disc-based version of the game comes with Xbox Series X and Xbox One versions of the game thanks to dual entitlement. On PlayStation, the PS4 disc has a free upgrade to PS5, whereas the PS5 disc only works on PS5.
Madden NFL 25 at Amazon:
$100
If you want to snag a couple of extra digital goodies or get on the gridiron early, the Madden NFL 25 deluxe edition might be a good investment. Along with the base game and everything included in the standard edition, you’ll also get the following:
- Three days early access starting August 13
- 4,600 Madden Points
- Early Access Ultimate Team Challenges
- AKA Player Item
- Cover Athlete Elite Player Item
- Choice of 2 Strategy Items
- Superstar Drip Gear (PS5 and Series X|S only)
- Legendary XP Boost (PS5 and Series X|S only)
$150
The most exciting preorder is the Madden NFL 25 MVP Bundle. Not only does this get you the Madden NFL 25 Deluxe Edition, but you’ll also get the EA Sports College Football 25 Deluxe Ddition. That’s a $200 value. So if you know you’ll be playing both titles this year, consider stepping up to this discounted bundle.
- Three days early access starting August 13
- 4,600 Madden Points
- Early Access Ultimate Team Challenges
- AKA Player Item
- Cover Athlete Elite Player Item
- Choice of 2 Strategy Items
- Superstar Drip Gear (PS5 and Series X|S only)
- Legendary XP Boost (PS5 and Series X|S only)
EA Sports College Football 25 Deluxe Edition
Note: EA Sports College Football 25 is only available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You should not buy this bundle if you play Madden on PS4 or Xbox One.
- Three days early access starting July 16
- 4,600 College Football Points
- Heisman Hopeful Ultimate Team Pack (1 player item out 5)
- Alma Mater Ultimate Team Pack (1 player item out of 134)
- Cover Athlete Ultimate Team Pack (1 player item out of 3)
- Bring Glory Home Ultimate Team Uniform Item