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  CultureNewsMorning Checkpoint

  Mega Man Designer Keiji Inafune’s Studio Behind The Mighty No.9 Kickstarter Debacle Is No More

  Also: a fan-favorite mode returns to Call of Duty after a seven year wait

  By Ethan Gach Published January 29, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Nintendo Is Going To Make It Really Hard To Share Screenshots In Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream

  It sounds like the company is worried about people sharing images of 'unpredictable moments' online

  By Zack Zwiezen Published January 29, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Idle Game From Arc Raiders Publisher Offering Full Refunds After Players Discover ‘Systematic Deception’

  MapleStory: Idle RPG publisher Nexon told players that someone has been fired for the issue and that it's working to 'regain the trust' of players

  Lewis Parker Published January 29, 2026
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  Tips & Guides

  These Final Fantasy Games Are Really Cheap And DRM-Free

  Square Enix's RPG series comes to GOG with four entries from 'different eras'

  By Zack Zwiezen Published January 29, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Miis Can Finally Be Gay (And Nonbinary)

  The breakthrough follows almost twelve years of controversy and wacky workarounds

  Amelia Zollner Published January 29, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Fans Hate Switch 2 Game Key Cards But A New Survey Suggests They’re Buying Them Anyway

  For most games it's the only 'physical' option available

  By Ethan Gach Published January 29, 2026
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  Tips & Guides

  8 Things We Just Learned From Nintendo’s Tomodachi Life: Living The Dream Direct

  The Switch and Switch 2 game is out April 16

  By John Walker Published January 29, 2026
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  OpinionImpressions

  This Chill Climbing Game Is So Frustrating It Sent Me Into A Mini-Crisis

  Cairn is probably a relaxing, methodical game for someone with more patience

  By Kenneth Shepard Published January 29, 2026
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  Entertainment

  Fallout Season 1 Is Completely Free To Watch On YouTube, But Only If You’re Quick

  The first two episodes are already up, with two more being added today

  By John Walker Published January 29, 2026
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  CulturePokemon

  Pokémon TCG’s Latest Set Suffers A Big Delay

  The rules have also changed to mean Ascended Heroes won't be legal for the European Championships

  By John Walker Published January 29, 2026
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  CultureOdds and Ends

  BabyTuber Thumbnails Are The Best

  The visual language of algorithm juicing on YouTube gets repurposed into something wholesome and hilarious

  By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Xbox Hardware Is Still Falling, Falling, Falling

  Microsoft's gaming division had a rough holiday quarter

  By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Former 2K Boss Leaves Amazon Game Studios As It Pivots To Party Slop

  Christoph Hartmann was a key hire back in 2018

  By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureTrailer

  Emberville Is A Mash-Up Of Diablo And Stardew Valley That Has Our Attention

  Fishing and farming meet some serious foe-slaying in this upcoming RPG

  Amelia Zollner Published January 28, 2026
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  Tips & Guides

  10 Tips To Know Before You Start Playing Code Vein 2

  Start your journey on the right foot in Bandai Namco's JRPG-flavored Soulslike sequel

  George Yang Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Target Employee Shows In Real Time How Tech Prices Are Going Up, Up, Up

  A PS5 SSD jumped over $400 overnight, according to one employee on Reddit

  By Zack Zwiezen Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNews

  Nintendo Responds To Dispatch‘s Censored Nudity Fiasco On Switch

  Platform requirements will make the Nintendo ports a little different

  By Ethan Gach Updated January 30, 2026
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  ReviewsMultiplatform

  Code Vein II: The Kotaku Review

  This open-world sequel is ideal for JRPG fans looking for an approachable entry point to Soulslikes

  George Yang Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNewsMorning Checkpoint

  Scott Pilgrim EX Just Skyrocketed To The Top Of My Winter Game List

  Also: RuneScape will be made with genAI but not the kind players can 'feel'

  By Ethan Gach Published January 28, 2026
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  CultureNews

  GOG Caught Using AI-Generated Artwork [Update]

  Another video game company is using AI to create art and possibly replace human workers

  By Zack Zwiezen Published January 28, 2026