Code Vein 2 features more weapons, a motorcycle, and even some time travel
How is Bandai Namco approaching that task? By doubling down on everything that made the first Code Vein a cult hit. Following its reveal at Summer Game Fest last week, Digital Trends got more detail on the upcoming Soulslike. Bandai Namco showed us a larger sequel with new combat systems, a more robust character creation suite, and even a bit of time travel. All of those upgrades look to pump Code Vein 2 up and help it stand out in a more crowded landscape.
The sequel is set in a new world living in the shadow of an apocalyptic event called the Resurgence. 100 years before the game begins, humans began turning into monsters. A ritual was performed to help stop the plague but it resulted in the creation of a sort of dark moon that only made things work. To avoid complete annihilation, humans and Revenants decided to join forces to stop it all. The story stars a human who has a Revenant heart who joins a monster-killing voyage. While Bandai Namco didn't have an exact time estimate to share, it says that the story is longer than the first game and features more exploration.
Recommended Videos
I saw plenty of gameplay clips, which affirmed that this is very much a Code Vein sequel. It's still filled with Soulslike boss fights against hulking enemies wielding giant bells, swords, and more. Rather than shaking that up too much, Bandai Namco has expanded the formula with some new additions. There are seven weapon types to choose from this time and two of those are new. I saw the Bayonet in action, a new weapon that works exactly the way you'd think it does.
Also new to combat is the addition of jails. These are essentially finishing attacks that are charged up during combat. That system pairs up with formae, equippable skills that can be either offensive or defensive, and stagger-based finishers to give players a lot more options during a fight. Players will also gain bequeathed formae from defeating bosses, giving them even more powerful skills to play around with. Bandai Namco is aiming to create a sequel that gives players more flexibility in their play style.
That philosophy carries over to character creation. It's not just that the suite contains way more customization options when making a character; it's also that players will have more control over their starting stats. In addition to the usual Blood Codes, which determine stats, players can choose boosters that will further tweak stats to their liking. Bandai Namco teases that boosters may come with some penalties, but it's staying tight-lipped on what that means for now.
Exploration has been expanded too, as players will have a bigger world to explore. It's so big, in fact, that players will be able to traverse it on a motorcycle. The open-world will contain plenty of points of interest, but the main hook is its dungeons that are scattered around. There's a big twist to it all, though. With the help of a Revenant companion, players will be able to time travel between past and present while in the world. Bandai Namco says that some things players do in the past will change the world in the present. It teased some dungeons that will require players to hop between timelines to defeat.
While Code Vein 2 doesn't look quite as fresh as its predecessor did in 2019, it's looking like a buffed-up sequel that takes a lot of fan feedback into account. With a greater emphasis on customization and an intriguing time travel hook, it could have what it takes to cut through a crowded landscape once again.
Code Vein 2 launches in 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Your Poker Crew Just Got Bigger: Zynga Poker Launches on Steam
Iconic mobile powerhouse now offers poker fans a new way to play as Zynga's first title to launch on the world's largest PC gaming platform from Valve SAN MATEO, Calif., August 15, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zynga Inc., a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) and a global leader in interactive entertainment, today announced that Zynga Poker, one of the largest and longest-running, free-to-play poker games, is now available to play on Steam with full crossplay functionality. Launched in 2007 as Zynga's first-ever game, the legendary title is raising the stakes as the label's first game to launch on Steam. With one account, players can now move freely between mobile (iOS and Android), web browsers at and now PC via Steam. For almost 18 years, Zynga Poker has been the go-to destination for millions of poker fans around the world, no matter the platform – from Facebook to mobile and now to Steam. Zynga Poker lets anyone jump in and play, delivering action-packed gameplay that brings an authentic experience straight to your screen. On Steam, the game showcases the same high-stakes energy and fresh features players know and love, including rotating poker modes and Multi-Table Tournaments. Existing players can pick up right where they left off, with collections, events, and friends carrying over for seamless cross-platform support. Watch Launch Trailer Here. "Since day one, Zynga's mission has been to connect the world through games, and with Zynga Poker, it's always been about delivering the best Texas Hold'Em experience possible to players, whenever and wherever they're playing," said Yaron Leyvand, Executive Vice President, Mobile Games, Zynga. "Bringing Zynga Poker to Steam gives our audience a chance to play, compete, and connect on the largest PC platform. This milestone reflects our awesome community that's kept the virtual tables full for nearly two decades." First-time players logging in via Steam will be rewarded up to 26,000,000 in-game chips, giving poker fans a solid stack to try their hand on the new platform. Challenge your Steam friends, keep your poker action all in one place, and experience the same trusted gameplay. Join in on the action and download Zynga Poker on Steam now! To find supporting assets, click here. Zynga is a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. About Zynga, Inc. Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment with a mission to connect the world through games and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO). With massive global reach in more than 175 countries and regions, the combined diverse portfolio of popular game franchises has been downloaded more than 10 billion times on mobile, including CSR Racing™, Dragon City, Empires & Puzzles™, FarmVille™, Game of Thrones: Legends, Golf Rival™, Hair Challenge™, Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells™, High Heels!™, Match Factory, Merge Dragons!™, Merge Magic!™, Monster Legends, Screw Jam, Seat Away, Toon Blast™, Top Eleven, Toy Blast™, Two Dots, Words With Friends™, and Zynga Poker™. Founded in 2007, Zynga is headquartered in California with locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit or follow Zynga on X, Instagram, Facebook, or the Zynga blog About Take-Two Interactive Software Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. We develop and publish products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, and Zynga. Our strategy is to create hit entertainment experiences, delivered on every platform relevant to our audience through a variety of sound business models. Our pillars - creativity, innovation, and efficiency - guide us as we strive to create the highest quality, most captivating experiences for our consumers. The Company's common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The statements contained herein, which are not historical facts, including statements relating to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.'s ("Take-Two," the "Company," "we," "us," or similar pronouns) outlook, are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projects," "seeks," "should," "will," or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for our future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including risks relating to the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games; the risks of conducting business internationally, including as a result of unforeseen geopolitical events; the impact of changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, including on our short-term investment portfolio; the impact of inflation; volatility in foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on key management and product development personnel; our dependence on our NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles; our ability to leverage opportunities on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S; factors affecting our mobile business, such as player acquisition costs; and the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games. Other important factors and information are contained in the Company's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled "Risk Factors," the Company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company's other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on Contacts Alexa Grandolfo Director, CommunicationsZynga (714) 746-4371 agrandolfo@ Alan LewisHead of Global Corporate CommunicationsTake-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (646)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Immutable and Ubisoft to Debut Might & Magic Fates at Gamescom 2025
SYDNEY, Aug. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Immutable and Ubisoft will unveil Might & Magic Fates for the very first time at Gamescom 2025 Hall 10.1 A.022 - Entertainment Area from August 20th in Cologne, Germany. Journalists and creators are invited to visit the booths for exclusive demos, developer interviews, and a first look at the live game. "This is a major milestone for Fates and an exciting moment for the Might & Magic universe," comments Immutable Co-founder & President Robbie Ferguson. "With Immutable's background and origin starting with trading card games, we're very excited to be collaborating with Ubisoft, one of the biggest gaming developers in the world." Set in the legendary Might & Magic universe, Fates invites players to build powerful decks, master unique mechanics, and battle with iconic heroes and creatures from across time in the Sea of Fates — a mystical realm where timelines collide and destinies are rewritten. With deep strategy, faction-based playstyles, and hundreds of cards to collect, Fates offers a competitive experience where victory is earned through skill, not spending. Might & Magic Fates also brings a high degree of deck-building freedom. Players are not restricted to their hero's faction and can use any available cards. The game delivers a true trading card game experience, including card trading in eligible regions via a secure external marketplace powered by Immutable's technology. Additional features include: Brand-new card types like Buildings Unique card effects and synergies A rewarding quest system designed to encourage engagement and mastery With Might & Magic Fates, Ubisoft aims to carry forward the legacy of one of its most beloved franchises while offering a fresh strategic card game experience. Journalists interested in scheduling a special demo or interview at Gamescom (Media day: August 20th), contact: About Immutable Immutable is a global leader in Web3 gaming, on a mission to bring digital ownership to every player. Founded in 2018 by brothers James and Robbie Ferguson, along with Alex Connolly, Immutable is building the infrastructure, platform, and growth solutions that empower developers to successfully launch and scale games. Immutable offers a full-stack gaming platform that includes Immutable Chain (a scalable Ethereum Layer 2 network), Immutable Passport (a gaming wallet and identity solution with over 5 million sign-ups), and Immutable Play (a growth and engagement platform designed to help games acquire and retain players). Immutable supports some of the most successful Web3 games and is actively developing a title in partnership with one of the world's leading video game companies, Ubisoft. With more than 650 well-funded games — the largest share in the market — and major backing from investors such as Bitkraft and King River Capital, Immutable is pioneering the future of player-owned economies and composable game assets. Join the Immutable community on Discord, Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram and YouTube About Ubisoft Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players' lives with original and memorable entertainment experiences. Ubisoft's global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin's Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy's The Division®. With a Ubisoft+ subscription, players can access new releases, premium editions and extra content on Day One on PC, console and cloud. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion. To learn more, please visit: © 2025 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are registered trademarks in the US and/or other countries. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Immutable Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Digital Trends
3 hours ago
- Digital Trends
The Switch 2's power and popularity are a double-edged sword for the industry
If I were a betting man, I would've put down everything I had on the Nintendo Switch 2 being a smash hit. It doesn't take an industry analyst to make that call so I don't give myself too much credit, but seeing it break all these early sales numbers has still been a bit of a shock. While I personally wish that Nintendo had done a bit more to make this console launch feel more special, it was clearly the safe move to make as direct an upgrade as possible over the wildly popular Switch to ride that wave. Last generation, third parties were far more hesitant to support the Switch right out of the gate. Nintendo was at its lowest point in history, coming off the debacle that was the Wii U, so it made sense to take a more wait-and-see approach to Nintendo's next console. Once it became clear that this little hybrid system had struck gold, we started seeing all these 'impossible' ports hitting the console to capitalize. We're already seeing that the industry at large — with the notable exceptions of Xbox and PlayStation — doesn't intend to make the same mistake twice. But that may have rippling consequences for everyone, not just Switch 2 players. Adjusting the bar Game development is complicated. If there's one thing that must be stressed upfront, it's that. I don't pretend to know the intricacies and discussions that happen behind the scenes, and fully recognize that development and porting processes are different from studio to studio and game to game. This article is mainly me ruminating on different ways I predict the Switch 2's success could impact games moving forward. Recommended Videos What set off this entire thought process for me was wondering how different the rest of this generation will look compared to the last when more studios will opt to develop their games with the Switch 2 hardware in mind. There were plenty of games that came out cross-platform right away on Switch and PS5, but a wide swath either started on Switch and later came to other platforms or vice versa. From what I understand, and how it appears from the outside, porting a game is a very different process than developing it from the ground up with that platform in mind. If more teams are looking to get in on the runaway success that is the Switch 2, then it would make sense to launch on that platform simultaneously with the others if possible. It might seem like a purely negative situation for devs to build games with weaker hardware in mind, but I disagree. In fact, I think we saw just the opposite for the majority of the PS5 generation thus far. Much to the chagrin of a certain segment of the fanbase, most of PlayStation's first party games have been available on PS4 and PS5, including God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon: Forbidden West. I have no proof to back this up, but I think that it is because these games were developed with the PS4 in mind that they played so smoothly on PS5. The latter had the option to run at 4K 30 or a dynamic 1800p at 60, while the former had similar settings plus a 120Hz mode. I'm clearly cherry-picking here since Sony's first party teams clearly have a deeper knowledge of the hardware, plus don't have to worry about porting to completely different systems. Add in other variables like game engines, budgets, and time, and this is by no means a sure thing. All I mean to show is that there is evidence to suggest that a lower-powered SKU can have a positive impact on games also available on stronger systems. There's also the dream of the Switch 2 being the universal console handheld. We've seen plenty of other handhelds enter the space since the first Switch, with Xbox partnering with ROG to release one later this year and rumors of a PlayStation handheld coinciding with the PS6 also on the table, but the market is still niche for everyone but Nintendo. If everyone jumps aboard the Switch 2 train, it could become the default portable system for everything but exclusives, which are already on their way to going extinct. I promised that there was a negative to all this by calling it a double-edged sword, so it's time to take off my optimistic goggles for a minute. The easiest stone to throw at my prior argument is that teams could treat the Switch 2 similarly to the Switch 1 and worry about crunching down their game after the fact to fit on the hardware. As impressive as some ports like Doom, The Witcher 3, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance are to even exist on the Switch, they came at the cost of some massive concessions. There are even worse examples like Mortal Kombat 1 that really drive this point home. Besides just looking and playing worse than its console counterparts, we've also seen Switch games lack features compared to the other versions. In Civilization VII, for example, the Switch version could only play with four players in the Antiquity & Exploration Ages, or six in the Modern Age, as opposed to other platforms supporting five and eight players respectively. Scope and mechanical concessions are much harder pills to swallow compared to graphics of frame rates because the game is, objectively, lesser than the other versions. That is another possibility we could see taken with the Switch 2. So, which way will the dominoes end up falling? I think the only safe assumption I can make here is that we will see plenty of examples of both scenarios. It all comes down to the individual teams and dozens of factors we players may never be privy to on how development shakes out. I only hope that we see more end up on the positive side of things than the negative.
