Ben Chandler
Reporting and statements that mention Ben Chandler.
Latest coverage
Evening Reading - October 26, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers a variety of industry news, including a review of Phantom Blade Zero, a delay for Emberville's Early Access release, and Skydance launching a voluntary buyout program. It also touches on OpenAI facing a lawsuit from Texas and the bankruptcy of Finnish esports organization ENCE. Microsoft is offering voluntary exit buyouts to employees, while Arrowhead Game Studios is focusing on Helldivers 2 over a potential Helldivers 3.
Weekend Discussion - October 25, 2026
This Weekend Discussion from Shacknews reflects on various topics including Windows XP, business models, and incorrectly named countries. It also highlights "The Finals" as a top shooter and mentions several Shacknews articles from the week, including guides and reviews.
The search for a solution in Order of the Sinking Star
The author details their struggle with a specific puzzle in Order of the Sinking Star, focusing on the 'Skipping Stones to Lonely Homes' mechanic. Despite spending hours on the puzzle and nearly completing it, they are stuck on obtaining the final optional collectible, expressing a desire to solve it through their own deduction.
Gears of War: E-Day interactive maps - Shackmaps
This guide provides interactive maps for Gears of War: E-Day, detailing the locations of Collectibles, Hard Cases, Secondary Objectives, and Supply Caches across the Kalona, Kalona Golden Quarter, and Prospect Bay maps. Shackmaps offers these resources to aid players in their fight against the Locust Horde.
Evening Reading - October 19, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading highlights the release of a documentary on Mina the Hollower, reviews for Steam Frame and Stupid Never Dies, and a discussion about potential characters in the next Street Fighter movie. It also touches on immigration policy impacting Umamusume: Pretty Derby's US concert and Konami's president's views on AI in gaming.
Weekend Discussion - October 18, 2026
This Weekend Discussion from Shacknews reflects on the past two days, highlighting articles about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Star Wars video games, and reviews for Tales of Eternia Remastered and Tenebris Somnia. The piece also mentions various unrelated topics and encourages reader engagement in the comments.
Tesla Roadster configurations
Tesla has unveiled three configurations for its upcoming Roadster: Performance (road ready), Thrust (race ready), and Rocket (air ready). The vehicle boasts impressive acceleration, with the Rocket configuration capable of reaching 0-60 mph in under a second and potentially exceeding 230 mph. Availability varies, with Performance reservable, Thrust limited, and Rocket invite-only.
DayZ Nasdara interactive map - Shackmaps
Shackmaps has released an interactive map for the new DayZ Nasdara map, detailing weapon and gear locations, points of interest, and dynamic events. The map is free to use, with an option to create an account for progress tracking and access to other maps. Shacknews staff manually update the map for accuracy and welcome user suggestions.
Evening Reading - October 12, 2026
This Evening Reading from Shacknews rounds up recent gaming news and features, including previews for Mina the Hollower and Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, reviews for Valor Mortis and Gears of War: E-Day, and discussions on the potential for a Scream video game adaptation and the impact of AI on the internet. The article also highlights Shacknews's commitment to human-created content and its staff.
Weekend Discussion - October 11, 2026
This Weekend Discussion from Shacknews reflects on the past week, mentioning articles on Gears of War: E-Day, Order of the Sinking Star, Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, and Total War: Warhammer 3's Lords of End Times DLC. It also touches on Halo 3 ranks, retro graphics cards, and music.
Video games need to let players feel stupid
This article argues that many triple-A video games are overly afraid of players getting stuck, leading to excessive hand-holding and hints that diminish the satisfaction of solving puzzles. Games like Order of the Sinking Star, Routine, God of War, Marvel's Wolverine, and Halo: Campaign Evolved are discussed as examples of this trend, with the author advocating for more trust in players' problem-solving abilities to foster a greater sense of accomplishment.
Weekend Discussion - October 4, 2026
This Weekend Discussion from Shacknews reflects on recent gaming news and articles. Topics include excitement for Grand Theft Auto 6, frustrations with Halo: Reach's Armor Lock, and mentions of Street Fighter 6, Dragon Quest Heroes, End of Abyss, and Fallout 76 updates. The article also highlights Shacknews' commitment to original content and introduces Sam Chandler, Head of Guides.
How many Acts are in Gears of War: E-Day?
Gears of War: E-Day features a campaign divided into five Acts, plus a prologue and epilogue. Each Act contains multiple chapters detailing the initial invasion of the Locust Horde. The game is estimated to take around 10 hours to complete, with Acts 2 and 3 being the longest.
Evening Reading - September 28, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various game reviews and previews, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, Minecraft Dungeons 2, and Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. The article also touches on the state of retro gaming, the increasing involvement of AI in various fields, and the importance of art style in Halo.
Weekend Discussion - September 27, 2026
This Weekend Discussion post from Shacknews reflects on various gaming topics from the past week, including retro-style shooters like Derelikt, the Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve review, and the Resident Evil Remake Trilogy on Nintendo Switch 2. It also touches on Fallout's publishing history and mentions staff writer Sam Chandler.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt interactive maps via Shackmaps
Shacknews has released a comprehensive set of interactive maps for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, covering all regions including Toussaint. These maps detail quests, treasure locations, monsters, Gwent cards, and Witcher gear. The maps are a work-in-progress and will be updated with new content.
Fastest way to level Recon - Wardogs
This guide explains the fastest way to level up the Recon class in Wardogs, emphasizing spotting enemies with the Monocular as the primary method for early experience gain. It also details weapon unlocks like the SKS at level 5 and suggests searching for specific equipment.
Weekend Discussion - September 20, 2026
This Weekend Discussion from Shacknews covers various topics including reviews for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave and Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, and the storytelling in Soulframe. It also touches on the long gap since Rare's last release and mentions a Burnout 3: Takedown beta disc find. The article also highlights Shacknews' commitment to not using AI in its content.
How to play music cassette tapes in vehicles - Wardogs
This guide explains how to play music cassette tapes in vehicles within the game Wardogs. Players must unlock tapes through class progression, purchase them each match from a vehicle vendor, and then use an interact key to play them. Cassette tapes are single-use items and are lost if the vehicle is destroyed or left.
How to make a FOB - Wardogs
This guide explains how to create a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Wardogs, which allows players to establish strongholds and build structures anywhere on the map. FOBs can be purchased from the Equipment Vendor for $7,500 and require careful planning regarding supplies like building materials, fuel, ammo, and mechanical resources.
