onsidering Considering  the massive worlds, endless side activities, and propulsive “numbers go up” progression systems of recent Assassin’s Creed games, it can be easy to forget that the series began as a detective game.  Assassin’s Creed Mirage  seems hell-bent on reminding us. Touted as a return to the franchise’s roots in social stealth and investigation,  Mirage  also strikes me as a reset, maybe even an attempt at a course correction, before whatever comes next. I played two and a half hours of Ubisoft Bordeaux’s upcoming release, and while much of it served as a pleasant reminder of Assassin’s Creed’s past, just as much reminded me why the series evolved to begin with. My time with the game was split between three non-consecutive chapters. In the first, I explored the streets of Baghdad as Basim Ibn Ishaq, who many players will remember as their mentor in  Valhalla . Being a prequel to the Nordic adventure,  Mirage  ca...

Nintendo and DeNA have confirmed that they will soon stop creating new content for mobile game Mario Kart Tour, four years after it was launched. In a message sent to players, the companies confirmed that after the game’s new ‘tour’ of content, the Anniversary Tour (starting September 20), all future seasons will consist of content from tours that have appeared before. “No new courses, drivers, karts, or gliders will be added following the Battle Tour starting 04/10/2023,” the messages reads. “We hope you continue to enjoy playing Mario Kart Tour.” The news potentially hints at an imminent release for Nintendo Switch title Mario Kart 8 Deluxe’s sixth and final DLC wave, since it has often shared new course releases with the mobile title. The Mario Kart Tour represents another hint at Nintendo’s lessening focus on mobile games. Compared to other big publishers like Activision and Take-Two, which regularly see mobile make up more than half...