Starting next month, players can try <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/warhaven/">Warhaven</a>, Nexon's up-and-coming medieval fantasy game, for free. The Korea-based developer announced that Warhaven will run its global <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2107670/Warhaven/">beta test on Steam</a> from October 12 until November 2.
 
Nexon considers the <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/genre/multiplayer/">multiplayer</a> title one of its most ambitious projects, aiming to increase the popularity of sword-fight games. 
 
Among the highlights of Warhaven is a 16v16 full-contact combat involving swords, arrows, and magic. It also deviates from traditional PvP games with its quick revive and respawn methods, enabling players to continue in the battle. Surviving squadmates can respawn or revive nearby slain characters, Nexon said.
 
On their YouTube channel, Nexon has aired a series of Gameplay Previews with their developers trying out Warhaven.

<div class="video-responsive">
	<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pWeIotO8VEc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
 
<h2>Global Beta Test</h2>
 
Warhaven's beta test allows players to test six of its regular soldier characters-Blade, Spike, Arch, Guardian, Warhammer, and Spike.
 
Soldiers can transform into god-like Immortals who can "unleash havoc and turn the tide of war," developers added. They are Martyr, Hoet, Raven, and Darkgale, and each has a unique set of powers. The game also lets players team up regardless of their skill levels. Also, Squad Leaders can manage and publish Squad Goals.
 
Nexon also said they had included four different maps for the beta test mode, providing players more areas to explore and test their skills. These are Moshabarg, Gella, Podden, and Hwara.
 
"Each map has different missions to obtain victory," Nexon said. "To satisfy victory conditions in Warhaven, players must utilize the battlefield's various gimmicks and capture strategic locations available on each map," they added.
 
As of September 16, Nexon reported achieving 10,000 Steam Wishlists for Warhaven. They have yet to reveal the launch date for Warhaven.

<h3>Related pages</h3>
<ul>
	<li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/upcoming/" title="Upcoming PC Games">Check out all upcoming PC games</li>
	<li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/upcoming/" title="Upcoming PC and Console games">Upcoming PC and console games</a>
	<li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/new/" title="New PC and Console games">New PC and console games</a>
</ul>

The ambitious sword-fight game will run from Oct. 12 to Nov. 2.

Nexon Invites Players to Warhaven's Global Beta Test

One of the biggest events in the video game industry will be making a comeback in 2023. Organizers announced that the Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as E3, will return as a hybrid trade show next year.
 
A press release states that it will take place at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) from June 13 to June 16. As a hybrid exhibition, visitors can expect both in-person and digital activities.
 
Entertainment Software Organization (ESA) has partnered with <a href="https://www.reedpop.com/" title="ReedpPop" rel="nofollow">ReedPop</a> for E3 2023. ReedPop is the group behind several huge events like PAX, New York Comic-Con, Star Wars Celebration, and EGX.
 
"E3 is one of the global gaming industry's few opportunities to come together, unite as one loud voice, and show the world what it is creating," said Kyle Marsden-Kish, ReedPop Vice President of Gaming. E3 will also feature different industry and consumer spaces. From June 13 to June 15, E3 will host industry-level segments such as professional meetings for its E3 Business Days.
 
Consumers can go hands-on with up-and-coming titles and connect with developers and content creators during the E3 Gamer Days. The E3 Gamer Days will take place between June 15 and 16 and will be set up in a different hall than the industry area.
 
ESA launched the first E3 in 1995. Until 2017, it was exclusive to industry players and other professionals only. But even after opening its doors to the general public, the event's attendance has suffered a decline in recent years. The event's cancellation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic compounded this issue.
 
ESA managed to pull through the first virtual E3 in 2021, but it left members of the video game sector "underwhelmed," according to ScreenRant.
 
For 2023, organizers vowed to revive the "spirit of E3."
 
"Our vision is to reunite the industry by re-establishing the traditional E3 week, bring back that spark, and restore E3's role as a truly magical global showcase event for game creators and consumers," Marsden-Kish added.

<h3>Further reading:</h3>
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/post/genshin-impact-concert/">Concert For Genshin's 2nd Birthday</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/post/loose-nozzles/">Loose Nozzles: A 'Project of Love' Between Father and Son</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://whatoplay.com/post/best-ps5-sports/">Best Sports Games for PlayStation 5</a></li>
</ul>

E3 to Make a Comeback in June 2023

Hit RPG game <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ios/genshin-impact/">Genshin Impact</a> will be turning two this year. And Chinese developer miHoYo is set to hold another concert to mark its milestone.
 
HoYoverse said Genshin Concert 2022- Melodies of an Endless Journey would take place on Oct. 2. The 75-minute virtual event will air on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/genshinimpact">Genshin's YouTube channel</a>. HoYoverse also confirmed partnering with notable artists for the upcoming event. Renowned music producer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shir%C5%8D_Sagisu">Shuro Sagisu</a> will serve as its Music Director.
 
The concert will include HOYO-MiX, the Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, and award-winning composer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E%C3%ADmear_Noone">Eímear Noone</a>. HOYO-MiX is the in-house musical production team of HoYoverse.
 
<h2>Music</h2>
 
For Genshin Concert 2022, fans will be journeying through a reimagined musical landscape. Organizers also revealed that the concert would incorporate authentic renditions and classical symphonies. Furthermore, they decided to introduce a fusion of pop music, rock, and jazz.
 
"(We're hoping) we can create a refreshing and fun experience for the players," Sagisu said. HOYO-MiX composer and music producer, Yu-Peng Chen, said music played a crucial role in Genshin's meteoric rise. She said continuing their tradition of holding an anniversary concert is only fitting.
 
"In the past year... we've strived to enrich the Genshin Impact music with inspirations drawn from all over the world. I'm excited to see how these soundtracks resonate with musicians and players across the world," Chen comments.
 
Genshin Impact began welcoming players in 2020 when lockdowns were still in place. Mobility restrictions forced people to rely on gadgets and the internet for entertainment. As a result, mobile video games enjoyed wide success.
 
Many experts consider Genshin a blockbuster hit in the lucrative gaming industry. A year after its launch, Genshin made miHiYo US$ 3 billion in revenues, the highest so far from any video game.
 
As of August 2022, Genshin has an estimated 63 million monthly active players.

A 'reimagined musical landscape' awaits fans.

Concert for Genshin's 2nd Birthday Set This Oct. 2

Players can now explore the town of Moonbury, and save its people from mysterious illnesses. The alchemy-themed RPG <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit on PC">Potion Permit</a> is now out and available for download, PQube and MassHive said on September 22.
 
They said that the open-ended sim game is playable on <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps4/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit PS4">PlayStation 4</a>/<a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps4/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit on PS5">5</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-one/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit Xbox One">Xbox One</a>/<a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-series-x/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit Xbox series x">Series X|S</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/switch/potion-permit/" title="Potion Permit Switch">Nintendo Switch</a>, and Amazon Luna. 
 
"Physical copies for PS4/5 and Nintendo Switch can (also) be purchased at major retailers," the developers added.
 
Potion Permit's chibi, pixel-style lore starts at the quaint fictional town of Moonbury.
 
Wary of the outside world, it relies on its own healers to ensure everyone is safe. That is, until a local witch doctor failed to find a way to treat the mayor's ill-stricken daughter. So, it is up to the "most accomplished chemist" of the Medical Association, with their canine companion, to find the cure and save the entire town. 
 
Players must travel through Moonbury's unique regions amid rains, blizzards, and blazing heat. They must also convince residents of the power of modern alchemy.
 
Fans of 16-bit artwork and cozy sim-life games might also be delighted to learn that they can build their own home and befriend locals in Potion Permit. In fact, developers confirmed that gamers could unlock a Potion Permit Romance for their romantic quests.
 
"There will be plenty of downtime in Potion Permit. Explore the town, rest in the local tavern or bath house and go fishing," portions of the press release reads.
 
Potion Permit is MassHive's latest project. <a href="https://whatoplay.com/developers/masshive-media/" title="MassHive Media">MassHive</a> is an independent studio based in Indonesia.
 
The game's publisher, PQube, is also an independent gaming house. Its portfolio includes <a href="https://whatoplay.com/switch/kitaria-fables/">Kitaria Fables</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps5/tormented-souls/">Tormented Souls</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps4/cat-quest/">Cat Quest</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/new-super-luckys-tale/">New Super Lucky's Tale</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps3/blazblue-calamity-trigger/">BlazBlue</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/galgun-returns/">Gal*Gun</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/android/white-day/">White Day</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps4/kill-la-kill-the-game-if/">Kill La Kill</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/android/nexomon-extinction/">Nexomon: Extinction</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/switch/guilty-gear/">Guilty Gear</a>.

Explore and save the town of Moonbury one potion at a time.

Indonesian RPG Potion Permit: Modern Alchemy Brewed in Charming, Pixel-Art

The upcoming satirical epic, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-last-hero-of-nostalgaia/">The Last Hero of Nostalgaia</a>, will be hitting consoles and PC this October. Independent game publisher Coatsink and developer Over the Moon confirmed that the Souls-like title would be coming to Steam on October 19. A joint press statement announced that it would be available for the <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-series-x/the-last-hero-of-nostalgaia/">Xbox Series X</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-one/the-last-hero-of-nostalgaia/">Xbox One</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-last-hero-of-nostalgaia/">PC</a>.
 
The <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/genre/rpg/">RPG</a> title drew inspiration from <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/dark-souls-3/">Dark Souls</a> and the <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-stanley-parable/">Stanley Parable</a>. The creators said it would be a twisted, humorous take on the Souls-like genre.
 
"The Last Hero of Nostalgaia is very much a love-letter to the Souls series. But it's still very much a game that I've tried to take in its own direction," said Jon Warner, CEO of <a href="https://whatoplay.com/developers/over-the-moon/">Over the Moon</a>.
 
Over the Moon is the team behind several popular titles, such as <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-fall/">The Fall</a> and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-fall-part-2-unbound/">The Fall Part 2: Unbound</a>.
 
Players will be slashing through Nostalgaia, the video game world, amid a pixel blight and in the shoes of the "most hideous pixelated hero." And to top off the doom-and-gloom experience, the creators added a cynical narrator. His role is to mock gamers' attempts to "save the world from a blight of pixelation."
 
"Players are going to discover a game layered with interesting narrative elements, and plays with the balance between humour and darkness," Warner said.
 
The Last Hero of Nostalgaia will also support single-player and multi-coop options, the creators added. A demo is currently available on Steam.
 
UK-based Coatsink is the publisher of several notable titles, including <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/get-packed/">Get Packed</a>, Onward, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/cake-bash/">Cake Bash</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/transformers-battlegrounds/">Transformers: Battlegrounds</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/phogs/">PHOGS!</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/jurassic-world-aftermath/">Jurassic World: Aftermath</a>.

In this new Souls-like game, a hideous hero is the world's last hope.

Twisted and Dark: The Last Hero of Nostalgaia comes to Xbox and PC on October 19

Despite unfavorable reviews of the first game, Hello Neighbor's newest title is set for release. Indie game developer <a href="https://whatoplay.com/developers/tinybuild/">tinyBuild</a>, on September 20, rolled out the demo for Hello Neighbor 2 as it gears up for its full launch on December 6.
 
Hello Neighbor 2 is the sequel to the survival horror game franchise's original game. The Seattle-based game creator said the demo, a self-contained version of the upcoming title, is <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/1321680">available on Steam</a>.
 
Hello Neighbor 2 will be an open-world mode, with developers vowing to deliver “the stealth, horror, and mystery in a much wider setting.” Players who can gain early access get to revisit the infamous Peterson house first.
 
"It'll be good practice for when you're set loose on the open-world town of Raven Brooks on December 6th," said tinyBuild.
 
tinyBuild's own team also took the first try during a demo launch stream.
 
The <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/hello-neighbor/">Hello Neighbor</a> franchise gained popularity in 2017. Fans of the <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/genre/survival/">survival</a> <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/genre/horror/">horror</a> game praised it during its alpha and beta releases. They commended the game for using artificial intelligence (AI) in the gameplay.
 
The full version of the game, unfortunately, did not meet expectations. Critics hit Hello Neighbor for its poor technical performance and “illogical puzzles.” Despite these, Hello Neighbor became a franchise. Its titles include Hello Neighbor: Hide & Seek and Hello Neighbor Diaries.
 
Hello Neighbor 2 will be available on <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-series-x/hello-neighbor-2/">Xbox Series X</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-one/hello-neighbor-2/">Xbox One</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/hello-neighbor-2/">PC</a>.

New mysteries and surprises await at the Peterson house.

tinyBuild Rolls out Hello Neighbor 2 Demo on Steam

Years of dedication have come to fruition for veteran game developer Chris Foster and his son, Ian.
 
<a href="https://whatoplay.com/ios/loose-nozzles/">Loose Nozzles</a> on Sept. 20 (EDT) has landed on the iOS App Store and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/android/loose-nozzles/">Google Play</a>, Foster and Family Games announced.
 
In Loose Nozzles, players need to rescue humans stuck in space without, as the title suggests, losing their rockets' nozzles.Like most classic arcade games, the ramshackle rocket can only be controlled using two thruster buttons. 
 
The <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ios/free/" title="Free iOS games">free-to-play</a> app combines physics-based gameplay, a hand-drawn art style, and vocalized sound effects. The Fosters themselves planned, designed, and crafted every aspect of the game.
 
Calling it a "labor of love," Chris and Ian started developing the game eight years ago. They traced the origin of Loose Nozzles to then five-year-old Ian, who, one day, showed his father a drawing of a 'cannon-shooter' firing at a rocket.
 
"I was teaching myself how to move sprites in Unity. And Ian, then 5, showed me a picture of a rocket falling apart while an enemy shot at it, and explained the game he was dreaming up," Chris recalls.
 
The drawing, in turn, would become the "heart of Loose Nozzles." From there, Chris and Ian would spend nights and weekends constructing the game. The father and son also found themselves doing recording sessions under bed covers. Despite these, Chris said they decided to take their time to develop Loose Nozzles.
 
"I never wanted this to feel like work for Ian, and I already had work to feel like work, so we kept things light, and took our time," he said.
 
Aside from co-developing Loose Nozzles with his son, Chris also works full-time at Hidden Door and teaches game development at Northeastern University. Chris' notable works include <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps3/the-beatles-rock-band/">The Beatles Rock Band</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps3/green-day-rock-band/">Green Day: Rock Band</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/the-lord-of-the-rings-online/">The Lord of the Rings Online</a>.
 
Foster and Family Games is the Fosters' game-making venture.

Explore space and save humans in this charming 2D arcade game. 

Loose Nozzles: A 'Project of Love' Between Father & Son

For a limited time, players can access Japanese video game publisher KOEI TECMO’s newest masocore title. 

KOEI TECMO Europe, its UK-based subsidiary, announces the demo release for its Three Kingdoms thriller, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps5/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty</a>. 

The demo is live from Friday, September 11 (UTC) until Monday, September 26, publishers reported.

They also confirmed that the limited release is only available for <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-series-x/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">Series X</a> and PS5. 

“This demo is playable online only, so players must be connected to either the Xbox network or PlayStation Network,” added KOEI TECMO Europe. 

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is based on Luo Guanzhong’s 14th-century historical novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. 

Developers from <a href="https://whatoplay.com/developers/team-ninja/">Team Ninja</a>, also a KOEI TECMO division, earlier revealed that their latest project featuring the Three Kingdoms period would be ‘more challenging and darker’ than their previous titles.

They said that even in an early access mode, players could expect a ‘world gone mad’ and ‘swordplay ripped from the Chinese martial arts.’ 

“The demo showcases the strategies and swiftness of battle, while also giving gamers a taste of online multiplayer, the character creator, and in-game abilities including vertical exploration and the importance of morale,” reads KOEI TECMO Europe’s press release.

The publisher will also give away several exclusive items to mark Wo Long’s demo release, including an in-game item called the Crouching Dragon Helmet for gamers who can complete the entire demo and game merchandise. 

KOEI TECMO unveiled Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty last June 12, 2022. The game has been under development since 2020.

They are scheduled to release the full version of Wo Long in early 2023 on <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-series-x/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">Xbox Series X|S</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/xbox-one/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">Xbox One</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps5/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">PlayStation 5</a>, <a href="https://whatoplay.com/ps4/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">PlayStation 4</a>, and <a href="https://whatoplay.com/pc/wolong-fallen-dynasty/">PC via Windows and Steam</a>.

Marie Mijares

Articles by Marie Mijares