Gaming

Here's what shook the video game world in 2023 — and how 2024 is looking

5:04pm January 05, 2024

by Sarah Handel

NPR's Juana Summers talks with Shannon Liao, deputy Gaming Editor of Inverse, about massive mergers, layoffs and emerging technology that shook the video game industry in 2023.

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Willis Gibson at the 2023 Classic Tetris World Championship

A 13-year-old in Oklahoma may have just become the 1st person to ever beat Tetris

5:34pm January 03, 2024

by Diba Mohtasham

Before last month, no human had ever been known to beat the original Nintendo version of Tetris. Artificial intelligence had done so, but then came Willis Gibson, who only needed 39 minutes.

Our NPR colleagues weigh in on their favorite video games of the year

5:29pm January 03, 2024

by Vincent Acovino

There were a lot of great video games that came out last year. Our colleagues at NPR share some of their favorites.

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Wield the power of the gods in Asgard's Wrath 2.

Arts

In 'Asgard's Wrath 2,' VR gaming reaches a new God mode

12:03pm December 14, 2023

by Will Mitchell

Meta Quest fans have been asking for an exclusive longform, big-budget game for years. Asgard's Wrath 2 delivers with diverse gameplay and a divine cast.

E3, once the 'Super Bowl of video games,' has been canceled for good

5:20am December 13, 2023

After two decades, an event once called "the Super Bowl of video games," has been canceled. And this time, the Electronic Entertainment Expo is gone for good.

An attendee tries the Meta Quest 3 in a demonstration room at a tech conference in September 2023. The headset is among the products listed on ParentsTogether's 2023 tech toys "Naughty List."

Parent and consumer groups warn against 'naughty tech toys'

5:00am December 13, 2023

by Chloe Veltman

The smart toy sector is worth close to $17 billion. But some parent and consumer support groups say these tech-driven toys are not safe for play.

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The Game Awards founder and host Geoff Keighley alongside The Great Gonzo in an interstitial bit between rapid-fire awards.

The biggest takeaways and full winners from The Game Awards

12:56am December 08, 2023

by James Perkins Mastromarino

Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2 swept the night, while celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Jordan Peele, Timothée Chalamet and Simu Liu added star power to the frenetic Awards show.

2023's best games — picked by the NPR staff

10:30am December 07, 2023

NPR polled staff and contributors for their favorite games of 2023. The year was marked by record-selling titles and industry shake-ups that included thousands of layoffs.

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The two protagonists from the much anticipated GTA VI.

The first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 is out. Here's why the hype is huge

4:54pm December 05, 2023

by Manuela López Restrepo

It's been a decade since the last Grand Theft Auto game, and fans have finally gotten what they've been asking for. No, not a new game — but a real trailer and a promised release year.

Chained Echoes, Sea of Stars, Cassette Beasts

Retro role-playing video games are all the rage — here's why

5:00am November 30, 2023

by George Yang

Franchises like Final Fantasy are moving on from old-school mechanics and aesthetics, but indie developers are taking up the retro RPG mantle.