News:: Use Your Words adds some strategy and psychology to the Jackbox formula

I've made no secret that I enjoy the Jackbox series of party games, and playing them is something my group of friends always seems to enjoy when we get together. Being able to use your smartphone or other internet-capable device as a controller really lowers the barrier to entry and helps get people who don't consider themselves gamers to participate. What's more, the games have become popular on streaming sites like Twitch since it's possible to play along remotely.

Jackbox Games has released a Party Pack containing five games each of the last three years, but we haven't seen anyone else try to use the same formula until now. Use Your Words was successfully kickstarted in May of 2016 and is anticipating a March release on the PS4, Xbox One, Wii U and PC. One of the game's designers is popular YouTube performer Brent Black, better known as BrentalFloss. He's best known for his covers of classic game music with his own clever lyrics. Use Your Words is the first game project he's worked on.

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News:: Final Fantasy Stormblood, Guild Wars 2, Morrowind, Oh my

Is it MMO deals weekend? Yep. Certainly the most notable deals this weekend are focused on the undying genre. This week Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood became available for pre-order on Steam priced at $39.99 for the Standard Edition or $59.99 for the Collector's Edition. If you're a big time FFXIV fan enough for day one gaming on its June launch, heading over to GMG will get you an authorized MogStation key for 17% less - dropping the prices to $33.29 for Standard or $49.79 for Collector's.

For MMO that you don't have to wait six months to play? Those deals exist too on PC. Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns is 50% off with a drop to $25 for the Standard Edition or $37.49 for the Collector's. Also available for immediate gaming is early access title Conan Exiles for $23.99 - also at GMG after Deazlon's 20% off code - the only deal we've spotted thus far from an authorized Funcom distributor.

In almost identical fashion to Stormblodd, GMG has launched a similar 15% discount on the upcoming The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind expansion. If you already own TESO you can buy the upgrade for $39.99 on Steam or $33.99 at GMG for the same Steam key. Getting the whole package will cost you $50.99 at GMG (also 15% off) - though we recommend buying separately the base game + upgrade separately as it'll be cheaper.

Finally, a bunch of hardware deals are available for the weekend. PS VR bundles are now back in action as two new bundles are introduced - so you no longer need to pay scalper pricing (in select regions). For PC gamers, two Kaby Lake processors are on tap for cheap, and the Radeon RX 480 and 470 are at a great price point.

Top MMO Deals

• Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood - Digital Collector's Edition — $49.79  (list price $60)
• Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood — $33.29  (list price $40)
• Guild Wars 2: Heart Of Thorns Deluxe Edition — $37.49  (list price $75)
• Guild Wars 2: Heart Of Thorns — $24.99  (list price $50)
• Conan Exiles (Steam) — $23.99  (list price $30)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind Digital Collectors Edition (Steam) — $67.99  (list price $80)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind (Steam) — $50.99  (list price $60)
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Morrowind: Upgrade (Steam) — $33.99  (list price $40)

Top Hardware Deals

• PlayStation VR Until Dawn Bundle — $499.99  (list price $500)
• PlayStation VR Worlds Bundle — $499.99  (list price $500)
• PlayStation 4 Slim Uncharted 4 Bundle + Extra Controller — $249.99  (list price $360)
• Xbox One Black Wireless Controller — $36.99  (list price $60)
• Intel Core i7-7700K 4.20 GHz Processor (Kaby Lake) — $309.99  (list price $350)
• Intel Core i5-7600K 3.8Ghz Processor (Kaby Lake) — $204.11  (list price $240)
• ASUS ROG Strix Radeon RX 480 8GB Video Card — $184.99  (list price $290)
• ASUS ROG STRIX Radeon RX 470 OC Edition 4GB Video Card — $123.80  (list price $200)

Recent Releases

• 02/02: Diluvion (Steam) — $15.99  (list price $20)
• 01/26: Tales of Berseria (Steam) — $42.78  (list price $50)
• 01/24: Resident Evil 7 (Steam) — $40.04  (list price $60)

Upcoming Releases

• 02/07: Nights of Azure (Steam) — $25.57  (list price $30)
• 02/07: Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (Steam) — $25.57  (list price $30)
• 02/14: For Honor Gold Edition (Uplay) — $79.99  (list price $100)
• 02/14: For Honor (Uplay) — $47.99  (list price $60)
• 02/14: Sniper Elite 4 (Steam) — $44.99  (list price $60)
• 02/16: Realpolitiks (Steam) — $15.99  (list price $25)
• 02/21: Halo Wars 2 — $48.99  (list price $60)
• 02/28: Horizon: Zero Dawn (PS4) — $56.99  (list price $60)
• 03/21: Mass Effect Andromeda (Origin) — $47.99  (list price $60)

PC Game Deals

• Dragons and Titans: Elite Starter Pack (Steam) — $24.99  (list price $50)
• Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (Steam) — $17.99  (list price $60)
• Baldur's Gate: The Complete Saga (Steam) — $14.89  (list price $60)
• Total War: Attila (Steam) — $13.50  (list price $45)
• Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (Steam) — $11.99  (list price $40)
• Mount and Blade: Full Collection (Steam) — $10.34  (list price $45)
• Disgaea PC: Digital Dood Edition (Steam) — $10.34  (list price $22)
• ARK: Survival Evolved (Steam) — $9.89  (list price $30)
• The Secret World (Steam) — $7.49  (list price $30)
• Guild of Dungeoneering (Steam) — $7.49  (list price $15)
• Skyshine's Bedlam (Steam) — $6.99  (list price $20)
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor Bundle (Steam) — $4.59  (list price $20)
• Toren (Steam) — $3.49  (list price $10)
• Mass Effect 2 (Origin) — FREE  (list price $20)

Console Game Deals

• Best Buy: Buy 1, Get 1 50% off on Bandai Namco Games
• Titanfall 2 Deluxe Edition (PS4, Xbox One) — $39.99  (list price $80)
• Dishonored 2 (PS4, Xbox One) — $29.99  (list price $60)
• Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege (PS4, Xbox One) — $19.99  (list price $20)
• Fallout 4 (PS4, Xbox One) — $18  (list price $60)

PS4

• Steins;Gate 0 (PS4) — $33.38  (list price $60)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (PS4) — $24.99  (list price $60)
• No Man's Sky (PS4) — $17.16  (list price $60)
• Sword Art Online Re: Hollow Fragment (PS4) — $4.99  (list price $20)

3DS

• Monster Hunter Generations (Nintendo 3DS) — $19.99  (list price $40)
• Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo 3DS) — $13.17  (list price $20)

Laptop Deals

• 17" Alienware 17 i7-7700HQ, 16GB, 128B + 1TB, GTX 1060 — $1,455.29  (list $1,750)
• 15.6" Lenovo Y900 i7-6820HK, 16GB, 1TB + 128GB, GTX 980M — $1,449.99  (list $2,500)
• 15.6" Alienware 15 i5-7300HQ, GTX 1060, 8GB, 1TB HDD — $1,190.69  (list $1,350)
• 17" HP Omen 17-w163dx i7-6700HQ, 8GB, 1TB + 128GB, GTX 1060 — $1,099.99  (list $1,350)
• 13" Alienware 13 i5-7300HQ, GTX 1050 Ti — $1,014.29  (list $1,150)
• 15.6" Dell i7-6700HQ, 8GB, 1TB HDD, GTX 960M, 4K UHD Touch — $749  (list $1,099)

HDTV Deals

• 55" LG 55EG9600 3D Curved 4K OLED TV — $1,599  (list price $4,000)
• 75" Haier 4K LED TV — $1,299.97  (list price $2,000)
• 65" Samsung 4K Smart HDTV — $799.97  (list price $1,799)
• 55" Samsung Curved 4K Smart TV (Refurbished) — $549  (list price $1,500)
• 50" Hisense 50H6C 4K Smart TV — $299.99  (list price $450)
• 55" Toshiba 1080p Smart HDTV — $299.99  (list price $450)
• 49" Sceptre 4K TV — $295  (list price $380)

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

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News:: What game cancellation crushed you the most?

Game cancellations suck. In an industry that is 50% hype and 50% complaining about the hype, it's absolutely deflating when a game you were so looking forward is suddenly scrapped. Be in company infighting, too grand of a premise or simple economics; it can often feel like no excuse is good enough when you had your heart set on a particular title.

Last month, Xbox One owners looking forward to their own exclusive PlatinumGames title were disappointed when the plug was pulled on Scalebound. For as sad as it was for us in the west, I can't imagine how heartbroken the 37 people who own an Xbox One in Japan felt.

This got me thinking about game cancellations and the titles we were never meant to play. So I asked my fellow Destructoid writers what game are the most upset over never getting the opportunity to play.

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News:: PREPARE TO FRIENDSHIP: Dtoid's Master Gaming Contact List

_{[Are we going bi-weekly? Yes! Do I have a poor sense of time and have already messed that up? Also yes! The List will be updated into perpetuity -Panda]}

Good New Years, my friends/robots/Gardevoir

It has been made aware to me that, just perhaps, you all enjoy video games. It might even be said that you... like to game with others? Now now, don't be that way, I don't mean to lump you into some sort of box. You're all just such lovely folks, it pains me to watch you, struggling in vain to connect with each other, striving to engage in...

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News:: After Math: Do you think this is a game?

It's been a heck of a week for gamesmanship. Sony announced significant firmware upgrades for the PS4, Super Mario Run is collecting millions in coin and Nintendo revealed surprisingly affordable pricing for its Switch multiplayer system. Numbers, because how else are you going to keep score?

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