Amanda Kay Oaks

I've actually never been a big GTA fan (my long-awaited release is Elder Scrolls 6, sob). So, I'm most excited to see everyone who has really been looking for this game finally get to play it!

Today, Warhorse finally confirmed that it IS making a new open-world Middle-earth RPG. Like many fans, I am pretty hyped. But I'm curious... what are you most hoping to see from a new open-world LOTR RPG? I want to be able to explore and see familiar sights and characters, but with a new story and lots of side quests. Basically, LOTR Skyrim is my dream. What about you?

That definitely makes sense! I love those specialized tags that help me know when a game is a good fit for sure.

I was just writing about the recently added & removed tags on Steam (more info here) and I'm curious... how do other gamers use tags on Steam? I will peruse them for more info on a game I'm already looking at, but I rarely find myself clicking on a tag and browsing that category. How do you use Steam tags, or do you?

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I'm definitely hoping we get some more reveals this year for Pokemon games and anime.

I've never even tried VR because I'm worried it'd give me motion sickness lol.

I feel that in my soul. When Fitness Boxing 3 announced the video option to "watch your form" I was like, please no thank you lol.

Glad it's not just me who doesn't like them

This is largely a question for Switch folks, though I know most consoles have some form of motion controls now. Do you enjoy playing games with motion controls? I recently tried out motion controls for Indiana Jones on Switch 2 and was reminded I only really like them for fitness games like Fitness Boxing. I'm curious how many people play more traditional games with motion controls.

This is a great question. I've done some comparison between the Switch 2 and Steam Deck, and honestly, the Steam Deck came out ahead for me. But I haven't looked super in-depth into the Lenovo Legion series yet, unfortunately. From the sounds of it, that one would be a bit easier if you're planning to stream PS5 games. There's also the PlayStation portal to consider if it's mainly PS5 games you plan to stream. That's probably the most budget-friendly option.

That's fair! Switch is definitely more of a family-friendly/niche platform than other consoles. For me it's a must because of Pokemon but if you're not a big first-party Nintendo person it might not make sense to rush to get a Switch 2 even with the price increase.

I've had the Apothecary Diaries theme stuck in my head on and off since I watched the show.

These photos look amazing! I take my books outside for photos sometimes for my bookstagram, but they're not nearly as well staged as these.

Yeah, based on the wording of the board's response, I think they also didn't believe GameStop could afford them. I kind of think the whole thing was mostly a publicity stunt from GameStop if I'm being honest.

After a week of speculation about what would happen if eBay accepted GameStop's buyout offer, we've got the decision. And it's a pretty resounding "no" from eBay. Personally, I think that's good news for collectors, since eBay owning TCG Player could've given GameStop a lot of sway in the market if the sale went through. What do you think about the whole situation? (More context here)

My PS5 has definitely been a little neglected this year with so many games on PC and Switch 2. Seems like a lot of the big PlayStation exclusives (like Marvel's Wolverine) are slotted for later in the year. That said, I did enjoy Avowed when it arrived on PS5 earlier this year. And it seems like folks are pleasantly surprised with the PS5 port of Starfield, too. The new James Bond game is out in a few weeks for PS5, too.

I keep waffling about reading Yesteryear! It sounds like one I could either love or hate. You'll have to tell me how you like it!

I know the feeling! It's hard to keep up with all the games coming out these days, let alone all the platforms you need to play them all!

Yeah it's tough. I'm not sure I could swing it in the budget if I didn't already have one.

The news we've been expecting has arrived, and the Switch 2 is getting a price hike starting in September. It's going up by $50, which sucks but definitely could be worse given how things are going with prices these days. Are you going to try and snag one before the price goes up? (More details on price changes here).

Remake is an interesting direction given how long it's been since a new Star Fox, but I'm curious about it for sure.

Most RPG fans have played the big ones, like Skyrim and Baldur's Gate 3. But what's a less well-known RPG you think more gamers need to check out? I wrote a roundup of some of the ones many RPG lovers recommend, but I'm curious to know what other great RPGs are flying under the radar.

I live in PA, but I'm really hoping to make the trip while the museum exhibit is in Chicago! It looks so cool!

I've always been more of a Marvel girl so this is a tough question! That said, I loved Hawkgirl in the Justice League cartoon as a kid, so probably her for nostalgia's sake.

Yeah, I guess that meme stock money has done more for them than we thought!