Austin Wood
Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with 12DOVE since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.
Latest articles by Austin Wood
Genshin Impact 5.0 Mualani release time – Here's when the new Natlan 5-star Hydro character comes out and who's on her banner
By Austin Wood published
news Genshin Impact version 5.0 brings Natlan, the debut Mualani banner, and also Kachina
Poker roguelike Balatro gets a free update featuring iconic indie games like The Witcher 3, Vampire Survivors, and Among Us, and yes you read that right
By Austin Wood published
news The Witcher 3 has come to Balatro – surprise!
Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed vet says sequels rule because that's when devs "can make the game they really wanted to make the first time"
By Austin Wood published
news "Long live the second game!"
Why doesn't Monster Hunter Wilds bring back underwater combat? Former series producer reckons it's like making a whole extra game: "It's really, super hard"
By Austin Wood published
news At least we're getting some more leviathans in Monster Hunter Wilds
Dying Light dev says we're all too obsessed with "the number of hours a game can offer" and shorter games like the 18+ hour Dying Light: The Beast feel like "the future"
By Austin Wood published
news "It gives you those shorter development cycles, and also the ability to try different things."
Nintendo isn't big on generative AI, and with Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was careful with automated art – "The game could potentially end up losing something valuable"
By Austin Wood published
news Nintendo wanted lots of caves in Tears of the Kingdom, but wanted them to feel special
New Genshin Impact character Xilonen announced for update 5.1 – the open-world RPG's next Natlan hero and latest Geo 5-star is also another cat-girl
By Austin Wood published
news Genshin Impact update 5.1 will be the second chapter of the Natlan region
After 6 years living as a monk and a total of 19 years later, MMO player returns to Old School RuneScape and proves the classic phrase: you don't quit, you take breaks
By Austin Wood published
news "Bro's 99 Prayer IRL"
I've never seen a survival game like this mountain climbing sim from the developers of Furi, one of my favorite boss rush games of all time
By Austin Wood published
news Cairn is a "survival-climber" with a few bits of Resident Evil under the hood
"Unfortunately indie devs need to eat": Dev on bizarre-o dungeon-crawler learned "next time, make a roguelike" since many players won't buy new ideas over "safer choices"
By Austin Wood published
Features Some of the most exciting indie games are also among the riskiest to make
Space Marine 2 lead says Doom 2016 was a big inspiration, just as the original Doom inspired Space Marine 1 which in turn inspired Doom 2016: "It's a grand circle of coolness"
By Austin Wood published
news "A lot of gamers, I believe, do not understand how influential Warhammer 40,000 was"
Dev of slept-on tactical RPG says it "sold badly" despite glowing reviews: "My next project will be more focused on 'Does this sell'"
By Austin Wood published
news "Making under minimum wage is embarrassing. Even if it means you get to make games."
Helldivers 2 creative director holds surprise Discord Q&A, says "the criticism is valid" and "the worst thing would have been if we f**ked up and no one cared"
By Austin Wood published
news Johan Pilestedt fields a lot of questions from the Helldivers 2 community
Monster Hunter World turned a cult classic into a phenomenon, and Capcom wants Monster Hunter Wilds to go even further beyond: "There are certain things you have to have in place to be a global level hit"
By Austin Wood published
news Monster Hunter series lead Ryozo Tsujimoto says Monster Hunter Wilds is in a better spot
As Borderlands 4 eyes Steam, Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford addresses prediction Steam may be "dying" by now: "I’m a Steam customer, but sure wish they had more and better competition"
By Austin Wood published
news Pitchford reckoned Steam would feel more pressure from stores like Epic
Genshin Impact is somehow coming to Xbox before Switch over 4 years after it was announced for Nintendo's console, with a $10 bundle nobody should buy
By Austin Wood published
news Genshin Impact hits Xbox Series X this November
Countless roguelike fans explode as Risk of Rain 2 confirms return of iconic Chef in Seekers of the Storm, August 27 DLC launch, and free PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade
By Austin Wood published
news Risk of Rain 2 DLC Seekers of the Storm is out next week and costs $14.99
Monster Hunter Wilds is dropping banger after banger at Gamescom: gender-neutral armor, skippable cutscenes, built-in weapon skills, single-player pause, 3D map, and more
By Austin Wood published
news Hunting horn and bowgun mains rejoice, and for the other 11 lance mains, please join me in celebration
Black Myth: Wukong is not a Soulslike, but its take on healing flasks is so cool that I want other games to copy it
By Austin Wood published
Features Black Myth: Wukong makes your drink more than just a drink
Open-world roguelike Hyper Light Breaker delayed to 2025 so the devs can get it "polished" without sacrificing their "mental and physical health"
By Austin Wood last updated
news The devs rightly don't want to sacrifice mental or physical health
Fable mastermind Peter Molyneux takes to Gamescom to ask "what the hell was I doing" and announce he got "the old team back together" for a new open-world god game
By Austin Wood published
news Masters of Albion is Molyneux's latest oddity
Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2024
By Rollin Bishop last updated
LIVE Opening Night Live 2024 has come and gone, but what a showcase it was
New Monster Hunter Wilds trailer reveals the scariest spider boss this series has cooked up in 20 years – meet Lala Barina and the lightning wyvern Rey Dau
By Austin Wood published
news And the all-important steak cooking animation
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