This week sees the release of the next major Switch game, Splatoon 2. Nintendo's colorful shooter launches on July 21, and like its Wii Upredecessor, it puts a unique twist on team-based shooters. In the series' signature mode, Turf Wars, two teams of four compete to cover the most terrain with their shade of ink.
While Splatoon 2 shares many similarities with the original, Nintendo had added new content as well to round out this sequel. Along with new weapons, gear, and special abilities, Splatoon 2 features an expanded single-player campaign that has players blasting through levels on a quest to find the missing Squid Sister, Callie. There's also a new Horde mode called Salmon Run, in which a team of players take on waves of Salmonid enemies and collect their eggs.
Reviews for Splatoon 2 have begun surfacing online, and as always, we've compiled an overview of the game's critical reception. Below you'll find excerpts of reviews from various publications, along with the score each awarded the game. For a wider look at what critics think of Splatoon 2, be sure to check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"At first glance, Splatoon 2 seems very similar to the first game. But all the small changes, and even the bigger ones in single player and League Battles, make for a fresh take on the already unique shooter. If you played a lot of the original, the sequel has enough to keep you coming back, and if you're new to the game, it's a fantastic place to jump in." -- Kallie Plagge [Full review]
Polygon -- 8/10
"What the first Splatoon did well is still built into the sequel's barnacle-encrusted DNA, and now it's on a system that you can stuff in your bag or play on the couch. It's baffling that Splatoon 2's best feature is held back by a frustrating lack of proper online support, and in many ways, it's the same game with some new tricks. But there are still enough imaginative additions for anyone who played the first game to death, especially via its strange, captivating supporting cast. It may be much more of the same, but the same is still pretty fresh." -- Chelsea Stark [Full review]
IGN -- Review In Progress
"It feels as if the paint had just begun to dry on Splatoon after its release on the Wii U in 2015 when Nintendo applied a fresh coat and relaunched it with Splatoon 2 on the Switch. That may be why this sequel feels less like a whole new game than a new version of the first one that rolls up the best post-launch updates to the colorful and adorably non-violent team-based shooter and adds some new toys. Of course, considering the first game is a lot of fun, that's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you missed it for lack of a Wii U. And despite some questionable choices that can leave you trapped in matchmaking purgatory, the addition of a standout and clever take on a co-op horde mode provides some seriously addicting fun that has me coming back for more." -- Brendan Graeber [Full review in progress]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"So yes, Splatoon 2 is more of the same. It's a lot more of the same, seeing how it folds in all the improvements and additions that were introduced to the original over time and gives returning maps a significant makeover. It's going to be a lot more of the same--with the potential for some new surprises--given how Splatoon 2 is going to benefit from the same steady roll-out of new weapons, maps and modes. By any reasonable measure, this is a better game than its predecessor, and not just on quantity alone. It no longer benefits from the shock of the new--for that, you have to look towards the outstanding Arms--but it's most definitely an improvement on what remains one of Nintendo's finest games in many a year. It was only inevitable, though, that this one was never going to feel quite as fresh." -- Martin Robinson [Full review]
US Gamer -- 4/5
"As for me, like a good pop song being woefully addictive, I'll likely be singing Splatoon 2's tune well past its launch. While I was initially disappointed by how familiar the game felt, I still got a big goofy grin as I splatted my way to victory time and time again. It amounted to some of the most fun I've had in any multiplayer game in years. Probably, to be honest, since the last time squid kids splashed paint onto my screen. In the meantime, when Splatoon 3 inevitably hits in a few years I hope something spices up the tried and true splatting formula now that more than the twenty people who owned a Wii U can finally give the charming, innovative shooter a spin. Until then, as Pearl and Marina would say, Splatoon 2's off the hook. (That's slang for cool, I think. Don't ask me.)" -- Caty McCarthy [Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- 4/5
"If these gripes appear minor, that's because they are. They came nowhere near ruining my time with Splatoon 2. It's the most multiplayer fun I've had in a while: the bright colours and squelchy sounds draw you into a mechanically complex shooter that you could spend weeks trying to master--and still learn new tricks. Splatoon 2 doesn't improve much on the excellent original, but it's a timely reminder of just how fun it is to throw a bucket of paint at a man with a pointy head until he explodes." -- Samuel Horti [Full review]
3D brawler Absolver is coming soon, and today Devolver Digital announced that it's getting a special edition and a pre-order discount. In addition, the publisher released a new gameplay trailer showing off some of the game's weapons and abilities, which you can watch in the embed below.
Absolver's special edition is a limited version that most notably includes a 1:1 scale model of the Prospect's Mask, the mask that your character wears in-game. It also includes an art book and stickers. If you buy the PS4 special edition, you'll get a limited-run, physical version of the game, as well, while PC purchasers get a Steam key. Only 3,250 copies each of the PS4 and PC special editions will be made. It costs $75.
If you pre-order either the standard version or the special edition of the game starting today, you'll receive two pieces of in-game DLC: the Labyrinth Prospect mask and the Uring Priest gear set. If you buy the standard version, you'll also get a 10% discount, bringing the game's price down to $27 (normally $30).
Absolver is a 3D action and fighting game that emphasizes multiplayer, one-on-one combat, and it launches on August 29. It has a very involved fighting system that is based on four different "stances" as well as different movesets. There's a cooperative, adventure element as well. You can read our preview from E3 2016 here; we were also able to see it at E3 2017 and came away impressed with the way it's been improved.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine actor and professional Intimidating Large Man Terry Crews is a well-known fan of Overwatch, having campaigned to play the role of one of its characters. While he still loves that game, he--like many other people--has found a new passion: Playerunknown's Battlegrounds.
Battlegrounds remains in Early Access but has made an impressive debut during its first few months on Steam. Just recently, it surpassed the all-time peak concurrent player count of Grand Theft Auto V, bringing it to number four on the list. Among those players are Crews and his son, with whom he frequently plays video games.
"[Our favorite] was Overwatch at first; we loved Overwatch, we still love it," Crews told PC Gamer. "But then we got into Playerunknown's Battlegrounds. PUBG? Holy cow, we can't get enough."
Crews also drew a comparison between the battle royale-style game and a real-life activity: "You know what? It's a safe way to do paintball. You are literally in this world and then they start closing the battlefield around you, and people are trying to kill you--my son and I have been having so much fun on PUBG that, right now, that's my go-to game."
The actor went on to share his enthusiasm for virtual reality, noting that he recently got an Oculus Rift and finds it "a lot smoother" than the HTC Vive. Of VR, he said, "It's totally the future, but you gotta work on making the stories as interesting as possible."
Battlegrounds is coming to Xbox One later this year, though a release date has not been announced. The Xbox One X version will support both 4K and HDR.
Titanfall 2's next DLC pack has been revealed, and its biggest addition is Frontier Defense, a cooperative, wave-based mode. It's coming next week on July 25, and the mode and two new maps will be free to all players.
In a blog post today, developer Respawn announced that Frontier Defense is on the way and will support five maps at launch. It's a four-player co-op mode that's much like other horde modes, although this one will, of course, feature Titans. It's very similar to the Frontier Defense mode that was added to the first Titanfall in a post-launch update.
There are five waves of increasingly strong enemies to defeat, and killing them gets you money that you can spend on tools and items. Frontier Defense has five difficulty levels to choose from, and a new Titan progression system that unlocks upgrades for your Titan. You can watch the mode's trailer above.
In addition, the DLC comes with two maps. The first, called Rise, is a remaster from the original game that emphasizes long sight lines. "The towering, sheer walls and a system of convenient zip lines provide Pilots with means to get around quickly while Titans do battle in the long corridors below," Respawn stated. "Pilots can also set up ambushes in the guts of this complex pipeworks, while titans can lock down large sections of the battlefield at critical junctures."
Township, meanwhile, is a new map for the Pilot vs. Pilot gametype Live Fire. "A new modular construction of a residential firefight," Respawn wrote. "Cover is sparse for Pilots bold enough to leave the safety of a few houses. Windows and rooftops decide who controls the map, but dense interiors can always hold surprises."
Finally, there'll be a few new cosmetic items to purchase alongside the free content. New Elite Warpaints are coming for Titans and weapons. Owning the new weapon Warpaints gives you a 10% chance to earn a double XP token at the end of a match, and it grants a merit boost for your teammates. Until August 28, these are available in a bundle; after that, they'll have to be purchased individually. The Titan Warpaints, on the other hand, give you and your teammates an XP boost in Frontier Defense. These Warpaints are only available until August 28. You can see all of the new cosmetics below.
Blizzard has announced Doomfist, the newest hero to join Overwatch, will be available from July 27. The confirmation was made alongside the release of a hero preview video, which you can watch above.
In the video, various members of the Overwatch development team talk about the history behind Doomfist's development and also how the character's brawler style harkens back to classic fighting games.
There's also some insight into the morality and motivation behind Doomfist. Although the character is technically considered to be a villain, game director Jeff Kaplan talks about Doomfist doesn't believe himself to be bad, and instead is focused on "perpetuating strength and honor." This has led to other people perceiving him as a villain.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is the upcoming prequel to the critically acclaimed game Life is Strange and will focus on the character Chloe Price. If you played the previous episodic adventure game, you'll recognize her as lead character Max Caulfield's friend. Set three years before Life is Strange, the game will tell Chloe's story, and developer Deck Nine is giving audiences a preview in the video above.
"The rawness of her hurt and her pain is the thing that makes her such a dynamic and powerful character," said Rhianna Devries, who voices Chloe Price in the game. Much of the story will revolve around Chloe's struggles following the death of her father and her relationship with the character Rachel.
Ashly Burch, who voiced Chloe is the first game, previously tweeted that she was unable to reprise her role in the prequel because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Instead, she'll be returning to Before the Storm as a writing consultant. "We heard about [Chloe and Rachel's relationship] in the first game a lot, and it's a lot of what motivates Chloe, and being able actually see it and have the players experience it I think will be really special and fun," she said.
Episode 1, called Awake, will be released on August 31 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The first of three episodes to come, you can preorder the entire game for $17. There's also a deluxe edition for $25 that includes a bonus episode (where you can play as Max Caulfield "one last time"), a mixtape mode, and an exclusive outfit pack.
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds is one of the most popular games that's released this year, and it's consistently been near the top on Steam in terms of active players. It's gaining enough attention that other companies are starting to take note. Today during Ubisoft's earnings call, CEO Yves Guillemot mentioned that the company is watching Battlegrounds with interest, and that it might do something similar down the line.
In response to a question about the rise of Battlegrounds, Guillemot responded that the game doesn't pose a threat to Ubisoft's properties, but instead it presents an opportunity. Rainbow Six Siege and Ubisoft's other shooters are doing well regardless of Battlegrounds' performance. However, there's a possibility that Ubisoft could make its own version of Battlegrounds' gameplay.
"[Battlegrounds] is doing a fantastic job," Guillemot said. "Rainbow Six continues to grow, and the time spent on the game is increasing, so we didn't see any competition from that game. But we look at what those guys are doing, and it's a type of gameplay that is very interesting and that maybe is something you'll see in some of the DLCs we do on some of our games in the future."
Even though he did not announce anything, his statement reveals that Ubisoft is thinking seriously about Battlegrounds--and that its future products might be influenced by it.
Destiny 2's full release isn't until September, but Bungie is opening the game up to a portion of the playerbase today, July 18, with the highly anticipated beta.
People who pre-ordered the game on PlayStation 4 can start playing right now, while Xbox One pre-order players can jump in this time tomorrow, July 19. If you don't pre-order, you can start playing when the beta opens to everyone on July 21. The beta is also coming to PC, but now until August; keep checking back with GameSpot for more on the PC beta.
The Destiny 2 beta includes the game's first campaign mission, Homecoming, along with the Inverted Spire Strike and Crucible content. The Strike and Crucible content require a subscription to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold, while the campaign mission doesn't.
Mass Effect and Dragon Age studio BioWare has announced Aaryn Flynn, general manager of its Edmonton-based studio, will be leaving. Casey Hudson, who initially left BioWare in August 2014, will return to take up the position as his replacement.
In a post on the BioWare Blog, Flynn confirmed he will be "working with [Hudson] over the next couple of weeks to help catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be," before leaving at the end of July.
"The last few years have been transformative for me, from having time to reflect on what I most want to do, to working with new technologies at platform scale," Hudson said in a separate blog post. "And now, I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to return to lead BioWare--a studio that I think of as home."
Further reports have indicated that a small team is now working on Andromeda to push out fixes and support its multiplayer portion. However, many developers from BioWare Montreal, which led development on Andromeda, have moved on to other projects. Some are now believed to be at EA Motive, which is contributing to the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II (as well as another project that won't be out until at least 2018, if not later).
BioWare Edmonton, meanwhile, has unveiled its new IP, Anthem, which is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in 2018. Gameplay of Anthem was shown during E3 2017, and it was previously described as an action IP "built around a live service" that features a "disruptive new social design."
The Dragon Ball FighterZ roster continues to grow. This time, another pair of characters have been revealed for the new Dragon Ball fighting game, and they're two rather obvious choices: Piccolo and Krillin.
The two fighters were unveiled in the latest issue of Japanese magazine V-Jump (via Gematsu), which also provided some brief information on each. While Piccolo and Krillin lack the power of the Saiyans on the roster, each one compensates for that with some unique abilities. According to Gematsu, Piccolo can extended his arms to grab opponents and can fire beam attacks at high speeds. Krillin, on the other hand, can use classic Dragon Ball moves like the Kamehameha and Afterimage Technique to battle foes. His signature Destructo Disc attack is also impossible to block, and players can control the trajectory of Krillin's Ki blasts.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in early 2018. The game is being developed by Arc System Works, the studio behind the Guilty Gear and BlazBlue franchises. Bandai Namco has said that the game could possibly come to Switch as well, though the publisher is focusing on the console's upcoming port of Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 first.
Ubisoft today reported the results of its first fiscal quarter of 2017, which ended on June 30. It was a positive one for the publisher, as it saw sales increase the absence of any major new releases during the period.
Sales for the quarter were €202.1 million, an increase of 45.2% compared with the same period a year ago and higher than Ubisoft projected. A whopping 80.4% of that came in the form of digital revenue, up from 75.3% last year. The back catalog (meaning games not released during this period) made up 94.3% of total sales, up from 91.1%.
Ghost Recon: Wildlands
In lieu of any new games from this quarter to discuss, Ghost Recon: Wildlands (which launched in March) was singled out as the "biggest hit" of the year. Ubisoft says this is true when combining its physical and digital sales on all platforms in North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan through the first half of the year.
A breakdown of sales by region and platform revealed little change in the former category. However, PS4 sales accounted for a much bigger portion of overall sales than last year. During this quarter, it accounted for 44%, compared with 22% for Xbox One. Last year, they accounted for 31% and 23%, respectively. PC declined to 21% from 26% last year.
There was little else of note shared in today's earnings report. However, the positive outcome is significant considering the looming threat of a takeover by Vivendi, as Ubisoft hopes to continue to demonstrate that its strategy is working effectively.
Grand Theft Auto V's latest weekly update has arrived. As always, it's focused on delivering new content and bonuses in GTA Online, the highlight of which is an upgraded version of an existing vehicle.
The Karin Technical--which you might remember from the Series A Funding heist as the pickup truck with a gun mounted in the back--is now available and with new customization options. The Karin Technical Custom can be upgraded in the Mobile Operations Center's Vehicle Workshop Module, letting you deck it out with armor, a better weapon, and more. You can get a glimpse at what it can look like in the image below.
GTA Online players can also jump in the game now to receive a 25% boost to Arms Manufacturing through July 24. You can also get a free black Ammu-Nation hoodie by completing a sell mission from your Bunker during that time, while bodyguards and associates see their salaries doubled. The ongoing double GTA$ and RP bonuses offered when playing the recently added Overtime Rumble Adversary mode have been extended and also run through July 24.
As for discounts, a number of things are 25% off right now. These include:
Phantom Wedge (both standard and SecuroServ trade prices)
Annihilator
Buzzard
Vehicle Armor
Bulletproof Tires
From now through July 24, the Premium Race is Into the Dam, with the Blazer Aqua as the only option. As always, it offers big GTA$ rewards for the top three finishers, while everyone earns triple RP. Meanwhile, the weekly Time Trial is Sawmill and offers solid GTA$ and RP rewards for anyone who can beat the target time.
The upcoming action comedy Kingsman: The Golden Circle has assembled one of the best casts of the year and they are showcased on a new series of posters.
The movie is the sequel to the 2014 hit Kingsman: The Secret Service, and the posters feature Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Julianne Moore, and Pedro Pascal, alongside returning cast members Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, and Colin Firth. Check them out in the gallery below:
The posters were released alongside a teaser for the movie's upcoming panel at San Diego Comic-Con, which is set to take place on Friday, July 20. It is promised to be "a panel like no other," and many of the cast are expected to be there.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who also helmed the first movie. The trailer was released in April--check it out here.
In a interview with Collider, Egerton hinted at what fans could expect from the new movie. "It's f***ing mental," he said. "But it's what people like and it's what Matthew is good at. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's awesome. It's bigger and it feels more ambitious, really.
"There are more characters, the world is explored in more detail. This weird version of reality where these spies exist is kind of explored more. We discover a sister organization based in America called the Statesman... they're richer than us, they've got cool s**t."
Kingsman: The Golden Circle arrives in theaters on September 22, 2017.
A new update for Sniper Elite 4 is out today. The update adds a mixture of free and paid content to the first-person shooter, including the final chapter of the three-part Deathstorm mini-campaign.
This new chapter, Obliteration, takes protagonist Karl Fairburne out of Italy and behind enemy lines to put a stop to the Deathstorm project, the Nazis' plan to drop a nuclear weapon on Allied forces. Fairburne must "infiltrate an underground, heavily guarded complex hidden beneath a sleepy village, and terminate Deathstorm for good," according to a post from Sniper Elite 4's producer on the PlayStation Blog. This marks the first time since Sniper Elite V2 that the series places players in Germany.
In addition to that, today's update adds three new weapons as part of the Lock and Load expansion pack, as well as a more challenging Authentic Plus difficulty option. This new difficulty makes enemy AI "more relentless," according to the post. Developer Rebellion has also made other additional tweaks in order to make Authentic Plus a more challenging experience for players.
Lastly, two new maps have been added to the game with today's update, both of which are free for all players to enjoy. The first, Facility, is for the game's co-op Survival mode and is inspired by the Coastal Facility mission from the campaign. The other new map, Bunker, is available to play in all competitive multiplayer modes. This particular map is set in the Alagra Missile Facility and features a "good mix of high points looking over open spaces and more intricate buildings."
Sniper Elite 4 is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. The game was well-received when it released earlier this year; GameSpot awarded it 8/10 in our review and said, "There are still some issues with AI inconsistency, a bland story, and some dull competitive multiplayer, but it finally feels like this series is living up to its long-standing potential." You can find more information on today's update on the game's website.
The Disaster Artist, the upcoming James and Dave Franco comedy, recounts the making of the worst movie of all time, The Room. The first teaser for the film has been released and Tommy Wiseau--played by James Franco--can't seem to get his lines right.
The moment in the trailer above was recounted in the book The Disaster Artist, written by Greg Sestero, who played Mark in the infamous 2003 film The Room. Sestero's book tells the story of an actor in their late teens meeting an older man of indeterminate age and nationality who occasionally claims to be a vampire. The two men created one of the most bizarre films of all time--The Room--which gained a cult following over the past decade.
The film adaptation of Sestero's journey with Wiseau--a rich, mysterious madman who gets upset when you ask him how he became rich--is directed by James Franco, who also plays Wiseau. In addition, Franco's brother, Dave, plays Sestero, Josh Hutcherson plays Philip Haldiman--who fans will know as the drug-addicted manboy Denny--and Ari Graynor plays the beautiful Juliette Danielle-whose character, Lisa, is tearing Wiseau apart.
An early cut of the film was revealed back in March at SXSW and was considered a hit with the audience, even though there was a "work in progress" disclaimer prior to the screening. Indiewire said, "Everyone should be able to laugh along with Franco even if they won't fully appreciate his work without seeing The Room."
The Disaster Artist gets a wide release on December 8.
Sega and Creative Assembly have announced a new incentive to pick up Total War: Warhammer II sooner rather than later. Those who do will receive a new playable race for use in the first game and, eventually, in a particular mode in the second game.
The Norsca Race Pack introduces the Norscans to Warhammer as a fully playable race. This will be offered for free to "early adopters"--anyone who either pre-orders the game or picks it up during its first week of availability. Mind you, this is only available through select retailers, but the list is fairly long and includes the major ones, like Steam and GameStop.
"In the frozen Norsca peninsula far to the north, barbaric tribes serve the dark gods through hunting and pillaging," a press release reads. "Hardened by relentless blizzards and the monstrous beasts of this bitter wilderness, the Norscans exist only to lay waste."
Two factions comprise the DLC, each with their own Legendary Lords. "Players can embark on monster hunt quests, command ferocious units including War Mammoths and Skin Wolves, and construct towering monoliths to court favor with the dark gods," the press release adds.
The Norscans will be playable in Warhammer beginning on August 10. Creative Assembly has previously announced plans to release an update that combines the campaign maps from Warhammer and Warhammer II that owners of both games will have free access to. This is due out "shortly after" Warhammer II's launch and will support the Norscans along with every other race from the base games and any other DLC races you own.
There's no word regarding availability for the Norsca Race Pack for those who don't qualify as an early adopter of Warhammer II. However, all Warhammer players will receive a free update alongside the DLC that adds some sort of new content that will be announced "shortly."
Superhot and its standalone expansion Superhot VR are coming to PS4 later this week, Sony has announced. They both arrive on the PlayStation Store on Friday, July 21 (July 18 in Australia, July 19 in Europe).
The base game had, until now, been exclusive to Xbox One and PC, while Superhot VR had only been available on Oculus RIft and HTC Vive. Each of the two games costs US $25 / £20 / AU $38, or you can grab them both as part of a double pack called the Mind is Software Bundle for US $40 / £33 / AU $60. PS Plus members can also pre-order them for 20% off until release day in each territory.
Sony says Superhot VR has been repurposed to fully support both PlayStation Move and standard DualShock controllers, as it previously required Oculus Touch controllers. Take a look at an E3 2017 trailer above.
We enjoyed the base game here at GameSpot, and critic Peter Brown called it a "clever game with deep, hidden elements."
"After my first hour with Superhot," he wrote, "I wasn't convinced that it would be as interesting as I initially hoped it would. I thought that I understood it all, but I was so wrong. While the core gameplay didn't evolve drastically, the story that drives it did, taking me along for a ride that I never saw coming. In doing so, it opened my eyes to possibilities within the game that I never considered. Superhot is a clever game with deep, hidden elements that require committed and thorough examination." Read more in our full Superhot review.
It's a big week for Destiny 2, as Bungie is inviting players to try the unreleased game through a beta phase that kicks off very soon. To help you get an idea for what to expect, we've rounded up the start times for all platforms. Also included here is a breakdown of the content in the beta and the known issues that Bungie is tracking.
Destiny 2 Beta Start Times:
PS4 Early Access
With pre-order: July 18 | 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on July 19
Xbox One Early Access
With pre-order: July 19 | 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on July 20
Open Beta For Everyone
July 21 | 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST / 3 AM ET on July 22
PC Beta
August; more details to come
What's In The Destiny 2 Beta
Campaign: You can try the opening mission, Homecoming, and see some of the cinematics from the game's campaign.
Multiplayer: Try the new attack/defend Countdown mode on the map Endless Vale. You can also play the Control mode from Destiny 2.
Strike: Try the new Inverted Spire Strike set in a Vex stronghold. This can be played with two friends you bring or via matchmaking.
New Subclasses: Try your hand at the new Dawnblade Warlock, Arcstrider Hunter, or Sentinel Titan
New Social Space: At 10 AM PT on July 23, you can visit the social space The Farm and do things like kick around a soccer ball or make friends with a chicken.
What's Not In The Destiny 2 Beta
Most vendors and services in The Farm will be offline.
Clan support.
Character Progression ("the Beta does not represent how your characters will evolve in Destiny 2").
Players may experience a variety of networking error codes when attempting to play the Beta
Bungie will be testing server stability throughout the Beta, which may cause error codes to appear periodically
Location names sometimes do not appear during Crucible gameplay
Players sometimes are Kicked to Orbit after witnessing a black screen when entering a Countdown match
Players may sometimes be placed at the beginning of the Inverted Spire Strike Activity when joining in progress
Sandbox balancing is still taking place: Some weapons or abilities may have higher or lower damage than intended
Not all content has been localized in all languages
If you encounter any network related issues during the Destiny 2 Beta, please follow our Network Troubleshooting Guide to ensure proper network settings for Destiny gameplay.
PlayStation Plus/Xbox Live Gold Requirements
You need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold account to play the Destiny 2 beta's Strike and Crucible content.
A paid membership is not required for the campaign mission, Homecoming.
We'll continue to update this post with more details as they become available.
It's a new week, which means Microsoft has rolled out a fresh set of deals on Xbox Live. This week's lineup of Deals With Gold offers were posted today on Major Nelson's blog, and while the lineup is not all that extensive, there are some solid deals to be had.
Will another standalone Hulk movie ever happen? The chances are slim to none, according to actor Mark Ruffalo. Speaking to Variety, Ruffalo said it comes down to the fact that Universal owns the rights to the character and they won't allow it to happen.
"I want to just make one thing perfectly clear today: A standalone Hulk movie will never happen," the actor said. "Universal has the rights [for standalone Hulk movies], and for some reason, they don't know how to play well with Marvel. And, they don't want to make money."
Don Cheadle was standing next to Ruffalo for the interview and he jokingly jabbed at Ruffalo for being too old to play Hulk anyway.
Later in the interview, Ruffalo confirmed that discussions did happen about a new standalone Hulk movie, but they didn't amount to anything. "We talked about it, but I don't see it in the cards."
Universal has held the Hulk standalone movie rights dating back to the 2003 movie Hulk, which starred Eric Bana. Another movie, The Incredible Hulk starring Edward Norton, came out in 2008. Ruffalo played Bruce Banner/Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron and will portray the character again in this year's Thor: Ragnarok and next year's Avengers: Infinity War.
Marvel has worked out rights issues in the past. The company made a deal with Spider-Man rights-owner Sony to make Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming the first movies ever that actually puts the character in the same world as his Marvel counterparts.
Would you like to see another Hulk movie? Let us know in the comments below!
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, the Hunger Games-like PC shooter, has passed Grand Theft Auto V on the Steam concurrent user charts. It reached 382,561 concurrent users recently, pushing past the 360,761 that GTA V had when it launched in April 2015.
This information was shared directly from the developers on the game's Twitter feed (via GI.biz). Battlegrounds now has the fourth highest peak concurrent player count ever on Steam, only behind Fallout 4 (471,955), Counter Strike: Global Offensive (850,485), and Dota 2 (1.29 million). Check out the chart below to see the top 10 titles.
For lots more on Battlegrounds, check out GameSpot's new video feature in which Jake Dekker and Mike Mahardy talk about how the game encourages memorable scenarios.
Battlegrounds is coming to Xbox One later this year, though a release date has not been announced. Those playing on Xbox One X will be able to enjoy 4K and HDR support.
The Destiny 2 beta client received a big new update today. The client itself was up for pre-load last week, and the file size was less than 400 MB. Today's update, meanwhile, clocks in at 12.6 GB on PlayStation 4, suggesting it contains all of the beta's content.
You need to install the update if you want to play the Destiny 2 beta. As announced previously, the beta begins on July 18 at 10 AM PT on PS4 for pre-order customers. Xbox One pre-order members get in a day later, while everyone on console can play starting July 21. A beta for the PC version of Destiny 2 is also coming, but not until August.
In the D2 Beta, the Homecoming story mission will be open to all. The Strike and Crucible will require PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold. pic.twitter.com/rmQDC1OjfM
Bungie also confirmed some further details on the paid/free status of the Destiny 2 beta. The Homecoming story mission is open to all players, while the Crucible and Strike will require a subscription to PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold, depending on your platform.
Activision's Crash Bandicoot remaster package, the N. Sane Trilogy, continues to ride high. The latest weekly charts have been posted for Australia and New Zealand, showing that the PS4-exclusive N. Sane Trilogy was the best-selling game on the all-platforms physical charts for the week ended July 9. (Note: the charts came in late this week). The N. Sane Trilogy was also the best-selling game of the week last week in both markets.
See below for the complete physical games sales charts for the week ended July 9, divided by platform and region. Note that these charts only account for physical game sales, not digital, so it may not be necessarily representative of total spend. The charts were supplied by the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA).
Like the past entries in the Call of Duty series, this year's Call of Duty: WWII's will have a Zombies mode that features famous people playing the leads. We already know that David Tennant (Doctor Who, Harry Potter) and Elodie Yung (Daredevil) will feature, and now it's been confirmed that Vikings actress Katheryn Winnick will also be in the game.
Winnick will play a character named Marie Fischer (via DualShockers). Activision described Fischer as being "intrepid," but no further details are available. Presumably everything will be revealed on July 20, which is when Activision's Call of Duty: WWII Zombies panel takes place at San Diego Comic-Con. It's possible even more actors will be announced in the days to come.
Sledgehammer boss Michael Condrey added that Call of Duty: WWII's Zombies mode will be an "adrenaline-fueled" take on the fan-favourite mode. He and the other studio leader, Glen Schofield, worked on Dead Space before joining Activision.
Call of Duty: World War II launches on November 3 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A beta will be held before launch, and you can guarantee yourself a spot by pre-ordering.
Streaming company Hulu has announced everything coming to and leaving the service for August 2017--and there's quite a few great movies being added.
New to Hulu for August 1 are movies like Honey, I Shrunk The Kids; Saw 1-5, Spider-Man 1 and 2, while Saving Private Ryan and Sahara are also out that day. The movies Ali, Bad Boys, and Wayne's World 2 also come to Hulu on August 1.
As for what's leaving, Gangs of New York, Girl, Interrupted; Kangaroo Jack, Mr. Mom, and Mulan are all going away on August 31, so watch them now while you still can.
The late actor Adam West may be best known for his role as Batman in the '60s series, but another one of his major parts was Mayor Adam West on Fox's Family Guy. Following West's passing in June, Fox has now released a new video that highlights many of Mayor West's best and silliest moments from throughout the show's history.
West appeared in more than 100 episodes of Family Guy, with his first appearance coming in the Season 2 episode "Fifteen Minutes of Shame." This best-of video goes on for almost nine minutes, and it contains some of West's best, silliest moments where the Mayor gets into all manner of hijinks. Mayor West was one of the wackiest characters on the show and it was always a treat to see what he would do next.
"We'll miss you dearly. Quahog couldn't have had a better mayor. We couldn't have had a better friend," reads a line from the end of the video (via Entertainment Weekly).
Christopher Nolan's newest movie, the World War II film Dunkirk, opens in theaters this week. Ahead of its release, reviews for the film have come online--and they are stellar.
We've collected excerpts from reviews and put them in one place to help you get an idea about if the film is worth your time and money. For even more on the critical reception to Dunkirk, go to GameSpot sister site Metacritic. You can also check out the behind-the-scenes featurette below to get a closer look at the upcoming film.
Nolan is one of Hollywood's biggest and best-known directors. He made Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises. He also directed Inception, Interstellar, Insomnia, and The Prestige, among others.
Film:Dunkirk
Release Date: July 21
Starring: Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Harry Styles, Fionn Whitehead, Damien Bonnard, Aneurin Barnard, Kenneth Branagh
Directed By: Christopher Nolan
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 106 minutes
Empire
"A spare, propulsive, ever-intensifying combat thriller, Nolan's history lesson is both a rousing celebration of solidarity and the tensest beach-set film since Jaws." -- Nick De Semlyen [Full review]
Entertainment Weekly
"This is visceral, big-budget filmmaking that can be called Art. It's also, hands down, the best motion picture of the year so far." -- Chris Nashawaty [Full review]
IGN
Dunkirk doesn't dwell on the horror of war but instead successfully conveys the sheer terror of it all through both small, human acts and deafening scenes of conflict. This isn't a war story that leads to victory--that's not what the story of Dunkirk is about--it was a retreat, an inglorious defeat. The war would continue for five more years. But through its miraculous events, Nolan and an outstanding cast of both young unknowns and veterans are able to depict not only the overwhelming, inhuman forces in play but the power of small acts of decency and bravery." -- Daniel Krupa [Full review]
Variety
"On one hand, [Nolan] has delivered all the spectacle of a big-screen tentpole, ratcheting up both the tension and heroism through his intricate and occasionally overwhelming sound design, which blends a nearly omnipresent ticking stopwatch with Hans Zimmer's bombastic score--not so much music as atmospheric noise, so bassy you can feel it rattling your vertebrae. But at the same time, he's found a way to harness that technique in service of a kind of heightened reality, one that feels more immersive and immediate than whatever concerns we check at the door when entering the cinema. This is what audiences want from a Nolan movie, of course, as a master of the fantastic leaves his mark on historical events for the first time." -- Peter Debruge [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter
"Dunkirk is an impressionist masterpiece. These are not the first words you expect to see applied to a giant-budgeted summer entertainment made by one of the industry's most dependably commercial big-name directors. But this is a war film like few others, one that may employ a large and expensive canvas but that conveys the whole through isolated, brilliantly realized, often private moments more than via sheer spectacle, although that is here, too. Somber, grim and as resolute in its creative confidence as the British are in this ultimate historical narrative of having one's back to the wall, this is the film that Christopher Nolan earned the right to make thanks to his abundant contributions to Warner Bros. with his Dark Knight trilogy. He's made the most of it." -- Todd McCarthy [Full review]
The Guardian
"It is Nolan's best film so far. It also has Hans Zimmer's best musical score: an eerie, keening, groaning accompaniment to a nightmare, switching finally to quasi-Elgar variations for the deliverance itself. Zimmer creates a continuous pantonal lament, which imitates the dive bomber scream and queasy turning of the tides, and it works in counterpoint to the deafening artillery and machine-gun fire that pretty much took the fillings out of my teeth and sent them in a shrapnel fusillade all over the cinema auditorium." -- Peter Bradshaw [Full review]
USA Today
"...the fact that there are only a couple of women and no lead actors of color may rub some the wrong way. Still, Nolan's feat is undeniable: He's made an immersive war movie that celebrates the good of mankind while also making it clear that no victory is without sacrifice." -- Brian Truitt [Full review]
Retailer GameStop announced today that some of its US stores are getting "limited quantities" of Nintendo Switch units over the July 17-21 period. Only "select" stores will receive the new units, and, as always, it's a good idea to call your local store to find out about stock at the store closest to you.
In other news, GameStop announced that some Switch accessories are 20 percent off July 16-29, including these items:
Elite Player Backpack, now $39.99
Racing Wheel 2-Pack, now $11.99
Joy-Con Charging Station, now $19.99
Afterglow LVL-1 Communicator, now $15.99
Starter Kits, now $29.99
"Our customers ask daily for the Nintendo Switch systems as they continue to be one of the most popular console launches of the year," GameStop senior merchandising director Bob Puzon said in a statement. "This is a great opportunity to be a holiday hero as you can snag the Nintendo Switch before the holidays to ensure your loved ones get the gamer console they want."
The next big Switch game is Splatoon 2, which comes out on July 21. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more.
The eighth installment in Nihon Falcom's long-running Ys series, Lacrimosa of Dana, is scheduled to arrive this September, but PC players will have a chance to play its predecessor before then. Publisher Xseed announced it is bring Ys Seven to PC this summer.
The upcoming port will be available to purchase through Steam, GOG, and the Humble Store. This particular version features touched-up visuals and runs at 60 frames per second. It also boasts controller support and Achievements on Steam and GOG Galaxy. You can take a look at a new trailer for the game below.
Ys Seven was originally released for PSP back in 2010. The title follows series protagonist Adol and his companion Dogi as they journey to "reunite the estranged five tribes who serve and protect the Five Great Dragons," according to a press release. Like other installments in the action-RPG series, the game features a real-time battle system that allows players to switch between their three party members freely during combat.
Ys Seven was generally well-received when it originally debuted. GameSpot awarded the PSP release 7.5/10 in our review, saying, "The satisfying elements of the gameplay still carry the Ys formula well in the present day, for new fans and old." The series newest installment, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana, is releasing for PlayStation 4, PC, and Vita on September 12.
As we approach the conclusion of Game of Thrones, the series is showing no signs of losing interest. Quite the opposite, in fact, as yesterday's premiere of Season 7 set a new record for HBO.
Game of Thrones spoilers lie ahead.
"Dragonstone," the debut episode of Season 7, attracted a total of 16.1 million viewers (10.1 million on broadcast, and the rest through DVR/streaming), according to Variety. That's a 50% increase over the Season 6 premiere, which is surprising given the cliffhanger that Season 5 left off on, with audiences waiting to find out if Jon Snow would indeed be resurrected.
It's an even more impressive accomplishment when you account for when Season 7 kicked off. As Variety notes, TV viewership is generally higher in the spring than summer. It's a a fact that obviously isn't reflected by these numbers, as every previous season of Game of Thrones began in either March or April. Despite the summer debut, this figure makes "Dragonstone" the most-watched season premiere in HBO history.
While very good, this was ultimately a slower episode than those that Season 6 wrapped up with, which was to be expected. Trailers for this season--as well as remarks from the cast--suggest the pace will greatly pick up from here. A teaser trailer for Episode 2, in particular, suggests some action is in store for viewers next week. Season 7 will run only seven episodes total, three fewer than past seasons.
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