Destiny's newest update, hotfix 2.5.0.2, is now live on PS4 and Xbox One, and we have the full patch notes.
Bungie provided an overview of what to expect last week during a stream, previewing some of the key elements--namely, weapon and ability balancing. These patch notes detail how, for instance, shotguns have been nerfed: they don't deal precision damage (with a few exceptions), are less accurate in mid-air, and have less magnetism when hip-firing, among other things. Hand cannons, auto rifles, pulse rifles, and scout rifles also see tweaks, as do a pair of Exotics: Young Wolf's Howl (Howling Flames costs five ammo instead of 10) and Truth (magazine size reduced from three to one).
Players now start Crucible matches with Special Weapon ammo, which is now dropped when you die (unless you're using a Sidearm). Crates with Special ammo now respawn every 60 seconds but provide ammo to teammates within 75 meters of it, rather than 100.
In any Elimination mode, rounds now last 90 seconds, rather than two minutes, and Special ammo is only provided at the start of the first round.
Other changes of note include Blink disabling your radar and HUD for a brief moment after it's used; Throwing Knife dealing solar damage; and Titans losing the ability to use Juggernaut in mid-air.
Certain changes to Hungering Blade (such as health regeneration starting immediately) were inadvertently applied to other similar perks, such as those from Red Death, Warlock's Lifesteal, and Titan's Transfusion. Rather than delay the patch, Bungie has released it with these accidental changes in place.
"Over the next couple of weeks, we will be diligently watching and listening to what you have to say about these changes," sandbox designer Josh Hamrick explained in a forum post. "While we will be unsurprised if additional tweaks need to be made, we are honestly super interested to see how these changes, intended or not, play out. We will be relying on you to give us your feedback as you grow accustomed to the feel of the game over the next couple of weeks. We will also be with you in-game, playing along and making our own notes."
This small update is available for download now. You can check out the full patch notes below.
Destiny Update 2.5.0.2 Patch Notes
Crucible
Special Ammo
Adjusted Special ammo economy in all gametypes
Players start Crucible matches with Special ammo
Special ammo is now lost upon death
Sidearms are not affected by this change
Special ammo crates now appear every 60 seconds (initial spawn and respawn)
Special ammo crates are shared with allies within 75m (down from 100m)
Special ammo timing in Mayhem is unchanged
Elimination Gametypes
Round time limit has been reduced to 90 seconds (down from 2 minutes)
Players only start with Special ammo for Round 1 in Elimination gametypes
Special ammo timing is 30s initial, then 45s respawns
Special ammo is wiped at the beginning of subsequent rounds
Weapons
Hand Cannons
Significantly increased initial accuracy (returns to Launch / Year 1)
Reduced base range to 35m from 40m
Reduced Aim Assist and Magnetism at longer ranges
Reduced minimum damage after falloff from 50% to 33%
Auto Rifles
Increased Precision Damage modifier to 1.3x (up from 1.25x)
Increased base damage of low rate of fire Auto Rifles by 2.5%
Increased in air accuracy
Pulse Rifles
Reduced rate of fire for very high rate of fire Pulse Rifles by 7.7%
Increased rate of fire for low rate of fire Pulse Rifles by 5.3%
Reduced Magazine Size of Clever Dragon and Grasp of Malok by 6
Reduced the effect of High Caliber Rounds for Pulse Rifles
Increased in air accuracy
Scout Rifles
Increased in air accuracy
Shotguns
Shotguns no longer deal precision damage
The Chaperone and Universal Remote are unaffected by this change
Note: Universal Remote only deals precision damage when ADS
Shotguns now have significantly less magnetism when fired from the hip
Shotguns now have significantly less in air accuracy
Shotguns no longer have a movement penalty
Shotguns now deal 20% more damage to combatants
Rangefinder on Shotguns now increases ADS time by 25%
Reduced Universal Remote's Magazine Size to 3 from 5
Universal Remote now takes longer to reload
Exotics
Young Wolf's Howl
Reduced "Howling Flames" ammo cost from 10 to 5
Truth
Reduced Magazine size from 3 to 1
Classes
General
Reduced Health of Guardians with Armor values above 10
Increased damage of Flux Grenade, Magnetic Grenade and Shoulder Charge to ensure effectiveness across all Armor values
Blink now disables your Radar and HUD for a short time after activation
Hunter
Throwing Knife now deals Solar Damage on impact
Hungering Blade*
Immediately starts Health regen
Restores more Health per kill
Gives a flat amount of Health/Shield per activation
Does not immediately start regenerating Shields
Bladedancer's Quick Draw Perk no longer readies your weapons instantly, but now grants a large increase to weapon handling speed
Warlock
Viper Totemic on Ophidian Aspect no longer readies your weapon instantly, but now grants a large increase to weapon handling speed
Stormcaller's Thunderstrike melee range reduced to be consistent with other Warlock Subclasses
Amplitude will continue to grant small range boost to new base range
Landfall now reduces the total time in Stormtrance
Titan
Juggernaut is now disabled after being in the air for a short time and cannot be activated while in mid air
General
Outbreak Prime no longer triggers The Corruption Spreads by shooting at Ward of Dawn
Shinobu's Vow no longer adds an additional seeker to Skip Grenades
Removed intrinsic Perks Kneepads and Icarus on some Talent grids
Fixed an issue where High Caliber Rounds were not functioning properly on Hand Cannons, Scout Rifles, Machine Guns and Sniper Rifles
*Hungering Blade changes were also inadvertently applied to the following Perks, for more information check this post
In a bid to support military veterans, Activision is releasing a special piece of content for Modern Warfare Remastered. The Call of Duty Endowment Brass personalization pack launches on February 16, with all proceeds going to the Activision-run charity that helps veterans find jobs after leaving the service.
This pack comes with a weapon camo featuring the stars and stripes of the American flag, as well as a reticle, an emblem, and a calling card. You can see all of that in the image below.
Pricing was not announced for the Modern Warfare Remastered Brass pack, but if history is any indication, it should be around $5. The game is only available with Infinite Warfare's Legacy Edition.
A new PSVR music video could be the first step towards virtual reality music gigs.
Sony has released a new PSVR music experience that features full movement, which the company claims to be the first of its kind. The experience lets you walk around a concert featuring violinist Joshua Bell. Take a look at a behind-the-scenes video below.
To produce the experience, Sony needed to record 360-degree video and audio, then figure out some pretty complex details and computer trickery. Though this appears to have been a huge task, it could forge the path to live VR gigs and sports matches with full movement. VR music and sports experiences have been done in the past, but they are mostly restricted to a 360-degree camera that is in a fixed location.
The Joshua Bell VR Experience, meanwhile, is available for free on the PlayStation Store now, though you'll need a PSVR headset to play it. For a list of other great PSVR experiences, take a look at our game review roundup.
This change wasn't mentioned in the patch notes for either update, which instead focused on newly implemented features for browsing mods (as well as PS4 Pro support, in Fallout 4's case). The discovery of the new caps came as an unpleasant surprise to some fans who use large numbers of mods. But Bethesda says they were put in place for the sake of stability and could still be changed again in the future.
"The mod limits implemented this week to Fallout 4 and Skyrim Special Edition has been put in place based on our internal testing for stability to the game," reads a post on Bethesda's forums. "With the new caps, some players will not be able to reach the full storage limit for mods, but the additional storage capacity will allow for you to have larger mods within the 150/100 cap. This is a starting point, and it may be adjusted."
These caps limit the number of mods that can be actively running at a single time. You're free to add more than this to your library, and from there you can disable and enable mods to fit under the limit--provided you're anywhere close to begin with, which many players may not be.
"We understand this is a frustration point for all of you. Like all of you, we're still new to the process of allowing mods on consoles and working on ways to improve the experience over time," Bethesda's post continues. "We will be continuing to update both Fallout 4 and Skyrim Special Edition with new updates pertaining to mods, and if we're able to address these concerns, we will provide information through future release notes."
According to Deadline, Sunday's episode,"Rock In The Road," picked up 12 million viewers; 7.3 million of them were in the 18-49 demographic, giving the show a 5.7 rating. Viewership is up 13 percent compared to December 2016's mid-season finale.
This is the first time that a Walking Dead midseason return has risen since Season 4, in 2014. However, the 12 million number is down 13 percent compared to the Season 6 mid-season return in February 2016. Last year, the Grammys took place on a Monday, while this year they were held on a Sunday, competing directly with "Rock In The Road."
Also note that these numbers are only preliminary. AMC will announce how the show performed with live/same-day figures and the three days after combined later this week.
If you already own a digital copy of the game on Xbox 360, it should show up automatically in your Xbox One game library. If not, you can buy it on your console or through this Xbox Store link. Absolution, which was released originally released in 2012, costs $20 and takes up 7 GB of space.
The Xbox One's backwards compatibility feature, introduced in November 2015, lets you play Xbox 360 games on the new console. But what games are available? We've now rounded them all up--and we'll continue to update this post as new games are made available.
EA Sports released a new patch for Madden NFL 17 today. The tenth title update since launch, today's patch is loaded with gameplay changes and bug fixes.
One issue that the patch fixes is where the ball would bounce off a receiver's arms when attempting run-after-catches; this led to drops or interceptions, but that should be less likely now.
One of the bigger gameplay changes is that you can no longer flick the R-stick to pump fake when you're outside of the pocket. With the update applied, using the R-stick will now always throw the ball away after leaving the pocket.
Another notable change has to do with hit stick tackles. There is now a greater likelihood of broken tackles after attempting a hit stick tackle. EA said in the patch notes that this may make you think twice, as there will be a greater risk of the runner getting away.
Additionally, the new Madden NFL 17 patch addresses how lower-rated offensive lines could be "too effective" against better defensive lines. "This change will also make elite OL more effective against lower rated D-line," EA said.
You can see the full patch notes below, as rounded up and compiled by PastaPadre.
The 2016-2017 NFL season ended earlier this month. EA's annual Madden Super Bowl simulation accurately predicted that the New England Patriots would come from behind and defeat the Atlanta Falcons to win Super Bowl LI.
Removed the ability to flick the R-Stick to pump fake when the player is outside of the pocket. Right Stick will now always throw ball away in these situations.
Fixed a legacy issue where defensive linemen would be called for encroachment when offense was using no huddle.
Addressed an issue where receivers would have the ball bounce off their arms when attempting RAC catches leading to drops or tip picks.
Fixed issue where QBs could not match tackles after throwing an interception.
Fixed an issue where the user drop down banner was precluding player stat drop downs
Removed user drop down banners for user catch, finesse, and power moves due to high frequency being distracting.
Fixed a bug where a safety banner would fire every time a pass was intercepted in the end zone.
Fixed a grieving tactic where offense could trigger infinite offsides penalties to extend the game.
Made some zone coverage adjustments to improve an issue where C Routes were overpowered when run on the wide side of the field with a TE on the line of scrimmage.
Increased frequency of broken tackles that can trigger from hit sticks. This will add more risk to going for hit stick tackles.
Fixed CPU punters kicking high into the wind, causing short punts.
Fixed a short delay that could rarely occur when attempting to snap the ball.
Fixed a variety of 'players freezing' issues when coming out of blocking interactions.
Tuned up fumble chances on 'precision dive over top' and increased the Tier requirements to perform the elite version of this mechanic.
Fixed issue where free offensive linemen would not react to nearby defender who beat a block.
A variety of pass block targeting issues resolved.
Fixed several encroachment bugs from aligning and sliding the defense in pre-play.
Addressed a rare issue where defenders could get into a state where they could not be blocked.
Fixed an issue where turning the pass accuracy slider to 0 would have very little impact in game.
Fixed a turbo blitz off the edge that was specific to players in a 4 point stance.
Addressed an issue where a DB in press coverage would not be able to defend a player locked user WR hot routed to a smoke screen
Stability
Tuned a variety of issues related to community feedback that lower rated offensive line was too effective against an elite defensive line. This change will also make elite OL more effective against lower rated D-line.
Addressed feedback that various online modes played at different game speeds. All online game speeds now consolidated to run at normal game speed.
Addressed an issue where a user in an online game could disconnect/concede and result in a crash for the opponent.
Addressed an issue where a timeout call on the pause menu could lead to camera settings being switched. This was also used as a grieving tactic to reset opponents camera.
Fixed an issue where user settings would be reset to defaults in a play a friend game. This includes the auto flip setting defaulting to on.
Franchise
Fixed CFM issue where user would receive an Invite Error Popup when trying to invite another user to a Franchise game.
Star Trek: Discovery is currently shooting, and a new image has leaked from the set. The picture comes via Trek Radio and it shows what is claimed to be new-look Klingons from the upcoming Star Trek show. Check it out below:
Discovery has been in the works for a long time and has been delayed on multiple occasions. It was penciled in to premiere in January 2017 but was then pushed to May and then again to an unspecified point in the future. It is currently without a premiere date.
The first episode will air on CBS, with all subsequent ones appearing on the company's All Access digital subscription service.
Discovery stars James Frain (True Blood), Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead), Anthony Rapp (Dazed & Confused), Doug Jones (Hellboy), and Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). Showrunner Bryan Fuller stepped down last year, though he remains attached to the project as an executive producer.
Regarding Discovery's multiple delays, a CBS representative said this month, "It's more important to do this right than to do it fast. There is also added flexibility presenting on CBS All Access, which isn't beholden to seasonal premieres or launch windows."
Disclosure: CBS is owned by GameSpot parent company CBS Corp.
Update: We're now also tracking the games that are not getting PS4 Pro patches. These can be found at the bottom of this post.
Original story: Sony showed off a bunch of games that take advantage of the new PS4 Pro at its recent livestreamed event in New York. The PS4 Pro can enable games to display at 4K resolution, utilize extra graphical effects, and run at smoother frame rates. Additionally, games can benefit whether they're played on 4K or 1080p displays.
Some already-released games will feature PS4 Pro support through updates, while others will come with enhancements out of the box. It's not clear how exactly each game will benefit from the upgraded hardware, but lead architect Mark Cerny did divulge some details on some of the games at the event. We've compiled all the information we currently have and will update this article as we receive more.
The 1.02 patch released on October 27 adds increased supersampling resolution, improved dynamic lighting in the Cobra cockpit, and increased reflective lighting resolution.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Improved textures and a "dynamic" 4K resolution while maintaining the standard 60 FPS frame rate.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
4K resolution and graphical improvements.
Diablo III
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
4K video output.
The Elder Scrolls Online
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Increased graphical fidelity running in native 4K resolution.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
Increased graphical fidelity.
Farming Simulator 17
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Players can choose from several different options, including Ultra HD, which runs at 4K resolution with an unconfirmed frame rate, and Quad HD, which displays the game at 1440p and 60 FPS.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
There's also HD mode, which runs at 1080p but with a 60 FPS frame rate and an improved draw distance.
Bethesda said it expects the game to "take advantage of the PS4 Pro in 4K along with enhanced lighting and graphics features," but didn't provide any further specifics.
Gran Turismo Sport
HDR and wide color support, making for a larger range of colors. For example, series creator Kazunori Yamauchi said GT Sport will be the first game in the series to accurately represent the Ferrari's classic red color.
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
1800p checkerboard upscaled to 4K.
Hitman
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Players can expect a "whole new layer of detail added to it." Hitman's overall resolution will be increased, while "reflective surfaces" should be improved, alongside "more detailed lighting effects." Additionally, the game's aliasing will be reduced. Read the full post to learn more.
Improved shadow maps, extra detail, and enhanced colors. It'll feature higher quality anisotropic filtering, which means upgraded texture sampling, resulting in more detailed environments. Additionally, supersampling will render Horizon's resolution at a resolution "close to 4K" and then shrink it down to 1080p, Guerilla Games says.
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
A 2160p checkerboard, which Guerilla Games says is a technique that "looks incredible" on a 4K display. It's supposed to add noticeable detail to aspects, such as "stitching on Aloy's outfit, individual leaves and branches swaying in the wind, kilometers away in the distance, and more detail in all the machines and NPCs in the world."
Two different modes are provided to players. The first lets them play at 3840x2160 (4K) with a frame rate of 30 FPS, while the other allows for 60 FPS at 3200x1800. HDR is also supported.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
The game renders at the "highest resolution" and then downscales the super-sampled image to 1080p. HDR support is also included.
Mafia III
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Native 1440p resolution. Smoother frame rate (but still capped at 30 FPS).
Native 4K resolution running at 60 FPS with HDR support.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
2K confirmed to GameSpot that it will still render a 4K resolution even on a 1080p display. The company said this should result in "much better anti-aliasing" with HDR support.
Nioh
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Movie Mode: Stable 3840x2160 resolution at 30 FPS
Action Mode: Stable 1920x1080 resolution at 60 FPS
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
Movie Mode: Stable 1920x1080 resolution with high quality anti-aliasing at 30 FPS
Action Mode: Stable 1920x1080 resolution at 60 FPS
4K and 60 FPS gameplay on all arenas for single and two-player split-screen modes. 60 FPS is still available on "most arenas at the same resolution" when playing with three- or four-player split-screen.
1920x1080 resolution as opposed to the standard PS4's output of 1440x810.
"Each particle looks a little more clear, a little more solid, adding up to objects and enemies that look more distinct and 'real,' whether close-up or at a distance," Enhance Games CEO Testuya Mizuguchi wrote on the PlayStation Blog.
Rise of the Tomb Raider
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
There are three different visual options PS4 Pro owners can choose from when playing Rise of the Tomb Raider on a Pro. This includes an option to play with a 4K option that runs at 30 FPS.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
The other two options don't require a 4K display in order to take advantage. The high-frame rate mode supports 1080p with a frame rate of "up to" 60 FPS. Lastly, there's an enriched visuals mode that runs at 1080p and 30 FPS, but "improves overall image quality" with things like hardware tessellation, anisotropic filtering, additional dynamic foliage, and more.
Thumper
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Native 4K resolution with no upscaling at 60 FPS.
PlayStation VR:
Improved rendering quality at the same 90 FPS as the regular PS4, in addition to high quality supersampling and anti-aliasing.
Titanfall 2
Producer Drew McCoy explained in an interview that the PS4 Pro version of Titanfall 2 will not run in native 4K. However, the console's extra power should help the game stick closer to its 60FPS target. Read the full interview here to learn more.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Story resolution has increased to 2560x1440. Multiplayer resolution also increases to 1080p. Additionally, the game supports HDR.
PS4 Pro with a 1080p display:
The game renders at the "highest resolution" and then downscales the super-sampled image to 1080p. HDR support is also included.
Viking Squad
PS4 Pro with a 4K display:
Native 3840x2160 (4K) resolution with MSAA 2x running at 60 FPS.
"Since we want to fully focus on Cyberpunk 2077 and Gwent, and converting The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt from a full HD game into a 4K one would be too much of a time and resource-consuming process, we decided not to release an edition of Wild Hunt supporting the new features of PlayStation Pro," CD Projekt Red said.
Supermassive has confirmed that the horror game is not getting any visual improvements for PS4 Pro, though the PlayStation VR version, Rush of Blood, will get a patch.
* Denotes a situation where a developer has not ruled out a PS4 Pro patch for the future, but isn't committing to one right away.
Slated for release next week, the update allows the game to run at 4K and 60 FPS on a PS4 Pro, or 1080p and 60 FPS on a standard PS4. This is true for every arena in the game in both single-screen and two-player split-screen modes. When playing split screen with three or four players, you'll see a 60 FPS framerate in "most arenas at the same resolutions," according to a PlayStation Blog post.
This update brings more than just technical improvements. There are other bug fixes and optimizations for performance issues, as well as a new Player's Choice crate that consists of items voted on by the community.
Additionally, there are new Hot Wheels-themed items to obtain post-match (such as Toppers and Antennas). Those will be free, but two new Hot Wheels DLC vehicles will be sold on their own.
All of this arrives in an update on February 21. Psyonix noted this is "just the first of many planned content updates for Rocket League in 2017."
Rockstar Games has announced some special updates and offers for Grand Theft Auto V's online mode to celebrate Valentine's Day.
GTA Online has added two new maps for the Till Death Do Us Part Adversary mode, located in Legion Square and La Puerta. Additionally, everyone who plays this mode, and other 2v2 modes such as Hasta La Vista, Relay, and Offense Defense, will receive double GTA$ and RP. Till Death Do Us Part was added to GTA Online for Valentine's Day 2016. In this mode, teams of two go head-to-head with up to three other teams of pairs. Each couple has one life to share between them. If one player dies, their partner "takes their own life in dramatic fashion," according to Rockstar.
Additionally, Rockstar is offering a 25 percent GTA$ bonus for all Biker Business sales and Special Cargo deliveries. On top of that, you can take advantage of 50 percent off all Assistant Service and 25 percent off these items, some of which are themed around Valentine's Day:
Be My Valentine Clothing
Albany Roosevelt & Albany Roosevelt Valor
Gusenberg Sweeper
Import/Export Tattoos
Benny's Upgrades
Ocelot Penetrator
The double GTA$ and RP bonuses and the sales and promotions are good until February 27.
Rockstar also announced the schedule for the next Premium and Time Trials races:
Premium Race Schedule:
2/14 - 2/20: "Duel" (Locked to Muscle class vehicles)
2/21 - 2/27: "Over and Under" (Locked to Bikes)
Time Trials Schedule:
2/13 - 2/19: "Sawmill"
2/20 - 2/26: "Cypress Flats"
GTA Online is not the only game celebrating Valentine's Day--check out the stories below to see what other games are doing.
Lego Worlds, the Minecraft-style sandbox game that lets you build basically anything with virtual Lego bricks, will launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March, Warner Bros. has announced.
A Nintendo Switch version is in development, but a release date for it has not been announced.
A DLC pack called Lego Agents, featuring more characters, vehicles, and weapons inspired by the Lego Agents physical toys, will launch first on PS4. It will be exclusive to Sony's system for 90 days.
Lego Worlds was released on PC in June 2015 with little fanfare. The sandbox game is made up entirely of Lego bricks, which players can manipulate to build almost anything they want. You can play solo or with friends through local co-op and online multiplayer.
GameSpot's Lego Worlds Early Access review from June 2015 said, "It's an absolute delight to explore and build even in the game's current state, but there's still plenty of room to grow."
Lego Worlds is developed by Lego series developer Traveller's Tales. It is priced at $30, but the Early Access version is available for $15.
Horizon Zero Dawn is a step in a new direction for developer Guerrilla Games. Unlike its Killzone shooter series, Zero Dawn is an open-world RPG. It's still early days--the game isn't even out yet--but Sony sounds optimistic that Zero Dawn could be the company's next big franchise.
"Nothing has been announced to date but I think there's a lot of potential for this to be an exciting new franchise for us," Sony UK product manager Jon Edwards told MCV. "We'll just have to wait and see."
Zero Dawn launches on February 28 exclusively for PlayStation 4. The game comes to Europe a day later, on March 1.
The game stars a character named Aloy, who is inspired by the Game of Thrones character Ygritte. PlayStation president of Worldwide Studios said in 2015 that, in the early stages of the game's development, the company wondered if having a female protagonist--which was always Guerrilla's plan--might be "risky." Because Horizon was such a major project, Sony even conducted focus tests to see how people would react.
In the MCV interview, Edwards said the fact that Zero Dawn features a female lead has not been an issue in any way for the game's marketing plans. He added that he anticipates Aloy becoming a "PlayStation icon of the future."
"Guerrilla Games has talked about this in the past and they were very much focused on creating a curious and determined character that was believable in this new world--it just so happened that the character ended up being female," he said. "Aloy is spirited, adventurous, and driven to figure out the challenges that she comes across in this post-apocalyptic world inhabited by machines. You really buy into her as a tribal hunter, and we think that the players will really enjoy playing as her."
For more on Zero Dawn, read all of GameSpot's previous stories and watch every video here.
Thor's hapless roommate Darryl is back. A hilarious mockumentary released by Marvel last year revealed what Thor was up to while the rest of the Avengers were fighting each other in Captain America: Civil War. A follow-up will be included on the Doctor Strange Blu-ray, and a clip has been released in advance. Check it out below:
Doctor Strange hits Blu-ray and DVD on February 28. The digital download version is available from today, February 14.
A limited edition of the physical version that comes in a steelbook case will be sold at Best Buy. The art depicts the Book of Cagliostro and the Eye of Agamotto. Additionally, Target will sell a version of the movie with a featurette titled "Defying Reality: The Art and Visual Effects of Doctor Strange."
The CEO of Pokemon Go developer Niantic has confirmed that two highly anticipated features, monster trading and PvP battles, are still on the way. In an interview with Vice's Waypoint, Hanke said at least one of these features would have been out already had it not been for the game's initial server issues.
"It's going to be done soon," Hanke said about the new features. "It is what it is. I'll take the massive wave of hysteria we enjoyed, and just deal with the fact that it's caused us to take a bit longer to get the rest of the features up. We're really happy to make our users happy."
According to The Pokemon Company, which publishes Pokemon Go, some features were intentionally held back in an effort to make the game feel approachable to newcomers. After launch, new features were added such as Buddy Pokemon and Nearby systems.
Also in the interview, Hanke said Pokemon Go made enough money in 2016 to support Niantic for a long time, possibly forever. "Last year has funded us, you know, indefinitely, really," he said.
Neither Niantic nor The Pokemon Company have ever announced how much money Pokemon Go has brought in. A report claimed the game made $600 million in its first 90 days. All of that money comes from microtransactions, as Pokemon Go is a free-to-play game.
A YouTube spokesperson (via Variety) said, "We've decided to cancel the release of Scare PewDiePie Season 2 and we're removing the PewDiePie channel from Google Preferred." No reason for the removals was given, though it is likely the decision is related to the vlogger's controversial anti-Semitic content.
Scare PewDiePie was a YouTube series in which the vlogger, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, was exposed to a number of frightening, video game-inspired scenarios intended to scare him. The series was a joint venture between the aforementioned Maker Studios and The Walking Dead company Skybound Entertainment. It was exclusive to Google's premium video subscription service, YouTube Red.
Google Preferred, meanwhile, is an ad program in which companies can sign up to advertise on YouTube's most popular channels. At over 53 million subscribers, PewDiePie is the most-subscribed channel on the entire service, but--according to the reports--he will no longer be featured in Google Preferred.
PewDiePie previously responded to the controversy by stating he in no way supports "any kind of hateful attitudes," and says his channel is not the place to come for serious politics. "I make videos for my audience," he wrote, "I think of the content that I create as entertainment, and not a place for any serious political commentary. I know my audience understand that and that is why they come to my channel. Though this was not my intention, I understand that these jokes were ultimately offensive."
YouTube guidelines forbid content that "promotes violence or hatred against individuals or groups," including language that attacks someone for their race, gender, sexuality, or religion.
You can see a full rundown of this week's Xbox One deals below, while a full rundown of the Xbox 360 deals can be seen here. The offers are good through February 20, and in some cases, you need an Xbox Live Gold membership.
A new trailer for fighting game sequel Injustice 2 came online today, focusing on the game's female fighters. On display in the trailer are Cheetah, Catwoman, and Black Canary duking it out and spouting combative one-liners. Additionally, the video provides the first-ever look at Poison Ivy gameplay.
Injustice 2 launches for PS4 and Xbox One on May 16. You may not have to wait that long to play, however, as a closed beta is going on right now. This beta just recently added Black Canary to its playable roster.
Other confirmed playable characters for Injustice 2 so far include Batman, Blue Beetle, The Flash, Harley Quinn, Superman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Deadshot, Gorilla Grodd, Aquaman, Robin, and Atrocitus. NetherRealm's Ed Boon has said the game will feature obscure characters.
The Expansion Pass comes with "two new sets of downloadable content" and you don't have to wait to unlock some of the content. Right after you pick up the pass, three treasure chests will show up in Breath of the Wild's Great Plateau zone.
"One of these treasure chests will contain a shirt with a Nintendo Switch logo that Link can wear during his adventure, exclusive to the Expansion Pass," Nintendo said. "The other two will deliver useful items."
As for the content packs, the first is slated to come out this summer. It introduces the Cave of Trials and a hard mode. Additionally, the add-on introduces "a new feature for the in-game map."
The second Breath of the Wild expansion, due out in holiday 2017, adds "new challenges that will let players enjoy a new dungeon and a new original story."
The content packs cannot be purchased individually; they will be available for the Nintendo Switch and Wii U versions of Breath of the Wild.
"With this new Expansion Pass, we hope that fans will play, explore, and enjoy the game even more," producer Eiji Aonuma said in a statement.
Breath of the Wild launches on March 3. For lots more on the game, check out all of GameSpot's previous coverage here.
Hugh Jackman will play Wolverine one last time in the X-Men spinoff Logan, which hits theaters next month. Now director James Mangold has tweeted a stylish new retro-themed poster for the movie's IMAX release. Check it out below:
Recently, Jackman revealed that Logantakes place in a different universe than the previous X-Men movies. "It's not really beholden to timelines and storylines in the other movies," he said. "Obviously Patrick Stewart was in there so we have some crossover, but it feels very different and very fresh."
The Entertainment Software Association today released a new report that talks about the "economic contributions" that the video game industry makes to the US economy.
The report, Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2017 Report, features a number of standout statistics, including the average salary for US-based game developers. According to the ESA, in 2015, the average compensation--including "wages, salaries and employer contributions for pensions, insurance, and government social insurance" was around $97,000. For California, which is a hotbed for game development in America, the average compensation was higher, at $113,000.
The number is an average across seven disciplines: visual arts, programming, game design, audio, production, quality assurance, and business and legal.
"The 21st century knowledge economy demands a creative and innovative workforce," ESA CEO Michael Gallagher said in a statement. "The interactive entertainment industry is powered by real jobs that develop the most innovative and remarkable technology and entertainment in the world. These high-paying, creative careers build communities all across the US.'
Some of the other key takeaways from the ESA's report is that there are 2,322 game developer "locations" in all 50 states and the District of Columbia; there are 526 publisher locations in 44 states. In terms of total workforce, there are 65,678 people working in the game industry in the US. As for the economic impact of gaming, the ESA estimates that games added $11.7 billion to the US GDP in 2015.
The report looks at the economic contributions of the gaming market from 2012-2015, making use of game developer databases and "online tracking resources," as well as data collected by the ESA and the US Census Bureau. Here are some other stats from the report (read it here):
Some new screenshots of Mass Effect: Andromeda have come online. Posted by Twitter user shinobi602, the images show off the main and supporting cast and more.
Click through the galleries below to see all the new images.
As outlined on the official Battlefield website, the Winter Update sees the return of ribbons from past Battlefield games. Additionally, Class Rank caps have jumped from 10 to 50, and you can earn new stuff for reaching your max class rank. Today's update also makes changes to Battlefield 1's rent-a-server program, tweaks weapon and vehicle balances, and includes a number of bug fixes.
Additionally, you should no longer get killed by a horseback rider using a saber from "multiple meters away," while the gas duration has taken a big hit, dropped from 22 seconds to 15 seconds.
You can see the complete patch notes below, as written by DICE.
Battlefield 1 Winter Update Patch Notes:
MAJOR UPDATE: RIBBONS
You will now be able to collect Ribbons as you play. There are 20 different Ribbons to collect, and each time you get a Ribbon you also receive a 300XP. The Ribbons are designed to promote good teamplay and playing the objective. If you have suggestions for other Ribbons you'd like us to add, we're always listening! This is just the beginning.
MAJOR UPDATE: ELITE CODICES
It is now possible to unlock an Elite Codex for eight of the available primary weapons in the game. All you need to do is get 500 more kills per applicable weapon. Not only will you get a shiny Elite Codex, but you will also be awarded 25,000 bonus XP. Not bad when you're chasing those new Class Ranks.
MAJOR UPDATE: CLASS MAX RANKS
The new max Class Rank will now be 50. At every 10 new Class Ranks you'll receive a Battlepack, and when you hit 50, you will be granted some extra nice Class flair in the kill card to taunt your fallen foes. There will also be Dog Tags that you can unlock as you progress towards max Class Rank 50.
MAJOR UPDATE: SERVERS
With the Winter Update we're releasing some highly anticipated rent-a-server features. RSP admins will now be able to kick players from their server using the in-game UI, or swing a mighty ban hammer if someone is misbehaving. RSP admins will now also have prioritized access to their server.
On top of this, we've added the feature to vote for the next map after a match is over. Players on the server will get two options to vote for, and whichever alternative gets the most votes will be the next map. The options will be randomly selected from the server's map rotation. This is done during the end of round screen, so no extra time between rounds has been added.
GAME IMPROVEMENTS
VEHICLES
Fixed some parts of vehicles that were improperly placed in front of 1p cameras when taking or repairing damage to them.
Fixed tank driver weapon visuals not functioning correctly for other players when the driver uses a 3p camera.
Fixed an issue where the Heavy Tank would not show on the minimap when firing.
Reduced the cooldown of gas abilities on vehicles from 30-32s to 25 seconds to make up for reduced gas duration.
Fixed issue where multiple tanks could become available to a team when they shouldn't be.
UI
Fixed an issue where the Warbond symbol overlapped the amount of available warbonds in Arabic language.
Fixed an issue where the kill log would be visible in the deploy screen in Hardcore mode.
Fixed an issue where player nametag would not show in the kill log for some type of kills.
Improved the logic for fading out crosshairs and UI when aiming down sights.
Fixed English spelling error for magnification.
Kit rank progress bar now becomes invisible once you reach max rank.
Vehicle selection is now disabled while the preround countdown is running in order to provide a more fair selection process for vehicles.
Increased the time for re-selecting invalid deploy points from 3 to 10 seconds to avoid 100% automatic reselection when squad members are under fire.
Fixed issue where amount of warbonds could overlap UI container.
Fixed issue where XP boost could overlap UI container.
Fixed an issue where players would join an Operation when it had progressed too far, almost at the end.
Improved performance in the menu system.
Tweaked design of friends list.
Player will now track first medal by default.
RSP server information will now display owner of server.
Now sorts regular servers below RSP servers in the server browser.
Added server information in ...-menu.
Fixed a bug where joining server animation started twice when joining server.
Fixed a bug where the user remained in hang after failing to join a server.
Fixed a bug where the tracked medal was not highlighted.
Fixed a bug where players were unable to see the highlighted text in end of round.
Fixed a bug where players were prompted with "Matchmaking failed" when switching between Quickmatch modes.
Fixed a bug where the party hub did not update party members.
Fixed a bug where stats required reentering the weapons page to update.
Fixed a bug where players were unable to invite to party from comcenter after booting the title via party game invite with a 6+ people party.
Fix animation issue on personalized recommendation cards.
Fixed a bug where personalized recommendation cards would not fade.
Fixed a bug where the context menu was misaligned when the user clicked on it for the first time.
Fixed a bug where the highlight was broken after the user selected a vehicle with service star in the vehicle tab.
Fixed a bug where players were left in hang when dismissing the "Matchmaking Failed" while the "you have no scraps" prompt was active in loading screen.
Fixed a bug where players could scroll using "R" in the comcenter on console.
Fixed a bug where the end of round countdown stopped when quickly navigating through the tabs.
Fixed a bug where the mouse scroll did not work in list of recommendation cards.
Fixed a bug where content moved around in the menu when players were spamming down on the d-pad.
Fixed a bug where players entered an unplayable state when attempting to join a game session via the Xbox friend's tab.
Fixed a bug where it was not possible to inspect skins in the Inventory.
Fixed a bug where Standard Battlepack real-money price sometimes did not show up.
Fixed 7 UI related crash bugs.
Fixed several localization issues.
MAP ADJUSTMENTS
Fixed an issue with floating debris after destroying a table.
Fixed an issue where players could get stuck in a table.
Player will no longer clip through the visual mesh of windmill interiors.
Grenades and dynamite will no longer fall through the floor of the windmill balcony.
Removed flickering effect on tall wooden fences.
Destruction fixed between tall wooden fence parts.
Fixed Conquest spawn locations on Suez. Moved one up so player no longer spawns underground, moved another out of a tree.
Fixed issue where underwater sounds could get stuck on land.
Fixed issue where the player could move on top of the map on Argonne Forest.
Fixed issue where Hint Line for train did not disappear after performing indicated action or even leaving the behemoth on Conquest, Suez.
WEAPONS
Side gun meshes weren't rendering for 3p spectators depending on which weapon was used and if that particular seat was spectated.
Fixed an issue with the "Tankghewehr 1918" Elite weapon replenished ammo after picking up any dropped weapon kit.
Bayonet charge kills should now properly award service stars.
Fixed illogical behavior when using K Bullets with the Martini-Henry.
Tweaked post reload delays to better match animations on the following weapons:
Cei-Rigotti 0.4 to 0.6 s.
Mondragon 0.5 to 0.5667 s.
Selbstlader 1906 0.8 to 1.0667 s.
Bodeo 1.1 to 1.0 s.
Bulldog 1.0 to 1.1 s.
Increased long reload time of Autoloading 8 .25 Extended from 2.9 to 3.066 s.
Improved Selbstlader 1906 aimed accuracy, reduced recoil and decreased spread.
Increased horizontal recoil by 14.3%:
Automatico Trench
Hellriegel Factory
M1909 Storm
Madsen Storm
MG15 Storm
BAR Storm
Increased horizontal recoil of Lewis Optical and M1909 Optical by 10% when ADS.
Reduced horizontal recoil of some self-loading rifles:
Autoloading 8 0.6 to 0.4.
Cei-Rigotti 0.64 to 0.56.
M1907 SL 0.84 to 0.7.
Upped recoil decrease of "Low Weight" SLRs from 6 to 7.
Increased damage of the Martini-Henry between 30 and 80 meters slightly.
Reduced the damage of impact grenades from 80 to 72"
Tweaked the damage behavior of the 12 g Automatic shotgun to balance all variants better against each other:
Extended: Increased pellet cone from 1.6 to 1.8 degrees. Should now two hit kill a healthy target up to about 18 meters.
Backbored: Reduced pellet cone from 1.28 to 1.2 degrees. Should now two hit kill a healthy target up to about 19 meters.
Hunter: Reduced pellet cone from 1.28 to 1.2 degrees. Should now two hit kill a healthy target up to about 21 meters.
All: Moved out damage dropoff by 1 m and added damage curves.
Model 10-A Slug changes:
Reduced aimed dispersion from 0.3 to 0.24 when stationary and from 0.50 to 0.48 when moving.
Increased muzzle velocity from 380 to 420.
Reduced damage against gut, arms and legs.
Added ability to kill a healthy target with shots to the gut or upper arms within 8 meters.
Increased lethal range from chest shots from 10 to 11 meters.
Evened out recoil direction.
Increased No.3 Revolver rate of fire in ADS from 119 to 138.
Added missing tiered reloading to flash flares.
Fixed Selbstlader 1906 and GasserM1870 last round fired animations for accuracy.
Fixed Gasser round-in-cylinder rotation during reload loop.
Fixed slide travel on several automatic pistols during fires and reloads.
Fixed hammer position of Mars pistol during reload.
Fix of Auto Revolver reload interrupt tiers and speedloader visibility.
Removed visual recoil from ADS fire anims on Mle 1903, Pieper Carbine, 1903 Experimental.
Fixed issue with tiered reloading in the Mle 1903.
Corrected Frommer Stop Auto magazine capacity from 14+1 to 15+1.
Corrected errors in moving dispersion for crouched hipfire on shotguns.
Retune of Revolver No 3 reload audio to match new animation. Added hammer cocking to ADS firing animation.
Retune of Luger1906 Reload Audio to match new animation.
Automatico M1918 sometimes showed the wrong name (it was called Modello 1918 in a few places).
The Tankgewehr now resupplies 4 rounds at once.
Made damage of the Russian 1895 Trench and Horse drop slower to give them a slightly better 2 hit kill range.
Retuned audio on Gasser reload to match new animation. Added hammer cock/decock to Deploy and Undeploy to match animation.
SPECTATOR
Fixed an issue in Spectator where a 1P overlay appears for spectators viewing players in fortress guns in 3P or when spectating the artillery truck driver in 3P while the driver zooms.
New button added in Spectator mode to view the gamer card of a spectated player.
Added button labels to the view modes in Spectator mode for PS4/Xbox One.
Bayonet recharged sound could trigger from any soldier on spectator clients. This should now only occur for spectated soldiers.
Added extra check for "not team neutral" to gate announcer VO when in Spectator mode Freecam or Tabletop views.
Added gates to Impaired Hearing Mixer, Low Health Mixer, Gas Supression Mixer to not activate for spectators in freecam/tabletop view.
Added extra checks for Low Health and Gas Supression SFX/mixers to start if spectator enters player view while SFX/mixers should be active.
Possession announcer VO will now not play for freecam and tabletop spectators.
Fixes Pre-EOR music not activating for spectators (all game-modes).
Gated "Lost Objective" VO to not play for spectators in Conquest/Operation/Domination.
Fixed corrupted VFX when players shoot the Flare Gun in all camera modes.
Fix for parts of the train disappearing while spectating a player in the train in 3rd person or director.
Fixed the Spectator boundaries to be the same as the plane boundaries on Giant's Shadow.
Fixed a spectator bug with the behemoth icon staying at the center of the screen if you exit player view mode before it is moved to the final position at the top of the screen.
Fixed an issue where the option "show player outlines"/Squad Pin stopped working when switching through players.
Fixed an issue where the player could not select the numbered freecam they were just on from a drop camera.
Fixed a bug where Battlepacks and Medals were present in loading screen when joining as Spectator.
Fixed a bug where players did not receive the option to join friend as spectator on consoles from comcenter.
GAMEPLAY
Improved cavalry victim experience. You should no longer get killed by cavalry using a saber from multiple meters away.
Fixed errors where Elite Kits had unintentionally high health regeneration delays and carried too many grenades.
Increased the threshold for suppression effects to prevent suppression from occurring too early.
Reduced gas duration from 22 to 15 seconds.
Tweaked suppression effects and low health visuals.
Fixed VO issue in Rush when defenders have interacted with telegraph to send enemies coordinates.
CONTROLS
Fixed PC custom keybindings not properly remapping for Behemoths.
NETCODE
Reduce maximum displacement of high ping players when missing updates.
Fixed huge extrapolation times for good connections after frame spikes.
CUSTOM GAME
Added custom game setting to toggle Behemoth.
Added custom game setting to toggle Squad Leader Only Spawn.
"In terms of being together online in virtual reality, I think a lot of the problems have been solved or are starting to be solved," he explained. "This is something that we're looking into, too. But when I see people play virtual reality, it makes me worry, just as for example if a parent were to see their kid playing virtual reality, it would probably make them worry."
He added: "Another issue and challenge that I think everybody faces is how to create an experience that's both short enough while also fully fleshed out in virtual reality."
"When you think about what virtual reality is, which is one person putting on some goggles and playing by themselves kind of over in a corner, or maybe they go into a separate room and they spend all their time alone playing in that virtual reality, that's in direct contrast with what it is we're trying to achieve with Wii U," he said, at the time promoting that system. "And so I have a little bit of uneasiness with whether or not that's the best way for people to play."
Here is a picture of Miyamoto trying Oculus Rift at E3 2014:
Nintendo's next home console is the Switch, which comes out on March 3. There have been rumors and reports that claim the system may support virtual reality in the future, but Nintendo has not made any official announcements.
Banned Footage Vol. 2 includes two new missions to play through: 21 Scenario, in which Capcom says you must "gamble life and limb in a deadly game run by Lucas Baker;" and Daughters Scenario, which acts as a prequel to the main game.
In addition, the DLC includes a new mode, called Jack's 55th Birthday. This is described as a "comical game mode" that involves feeding the game's villain, Jack Baker, "tons of food."
The DLC is a timed exclusive on PS4 until February 21, when it will arrive on Xbox One and PC.
As of February 11, all future development on the free-to-play game will be handled by My.com.
In a statement (via Polygon), Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart said his studio was grateful to have worked on Armored Warfare for the past four years and is happy to transition development to My.com.
The actor who will play R2-D2 in the upcoming Star Wars: The Last Jedi has been named. Scottish actor Jimmy Vee has taken over from Kenny Baker, who died last year.
The news was confirmed by talent agency Oh So Small. In a statement, Vee said: "It's been an absolute pleasure to have worked alongside the legendary Kenny Baker. Kenny was a fantastic actor and taught me all the 'tricks' on how he brought R2-D2 to life which I will continue to portray in his honor.
"I'm so excited to be a part of the Star Wars universe and can't wait for everyone to see what we've been working so hard on for the last year."
Vee portrayed R2-D2 in 2015's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but was not credited. While no actor was listed for the iconic role, Baker was credited as 'R2 Consultant.' Vee also appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Pan, and episodes of Doctor Who.
The movie is directed by Rian Johnson and arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017. It also stars John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Laura Dern, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, and Andy Serkis. Carrie Fisher filmed her Leia scenes for the movie before she passed away in December.
It's already the middle of February, which means now is your last chance to pick up some of the month's free Games With Gold titles before they return to their normal prices.
On February 16, Project Cars will go free on Xbox One with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed becoming a freebie on Xbox 360. You can see the full February 2017's Games With Gold lineup below.
Elite: Dangerous's standalone PvP spinoff, Arena, has been pulled from sale by publisher Frontier Developments.
In a forum post, senior community manager Edward Lewis confirmed the game has been removed from Frontier's own store, as well as from Steam and the Xbox One Store. The game, which is identical to the full game's dogfighting mode, was never made available on PlayStation 4.
Lewis went on to explain the reason behind the removal. "Our metrics ... suggest that the vast majority of new and regular Arena players tend to play Arena through the main Elite Dangerous client rather than the standalone Arena one. We've made the decision to remove the standalone version of Elite Dangerous: Arena in order to reduce the number of builds that have to be maintained and managed across Steam, Xbox One and [in the future, PlayStation Network], as well as clarifying the choices for new players of Elite Dangerous on these storefronts."
The community manager reassured players that those who have already downloaded the client will still be able to play it, and the mode will continue to be accessible through the main menu of the full Elite: Dangerous game.
In our review, we called Elite: Dangerous "an intimidating beast" that "demands feasts of patience," but we found its scale and sense of discovery exciting. For more, check out our Elite: Dangerous review.
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