Independence Day is tomorrow, and to celebrate, the Humble Store is holding a big sale on a lot of games. Called the DRM-Freedom Sale, it features discounts on titles that do not have DRM protection.
Highlighting the sale are some fantastic indie games from the past couple of years. You can grab Braid developer Jonathan Blow's excellent puzzle game The Witness for $16 (60% off), one of the lowest prices I've seen for it. The Banner Saga 2 is on sale for just $10 (50% off), and the great local multiplayer title Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes costs $4.94 (67% off).
There's also steep discounts on games like Outlast 2 ($21, 30% off), Besiege ($4.79, 40% off), and Starbound ($9.89, 34% off). You can see the full list of deals over at the Humble Store.
These games all come with two versions. If you purchase one of the games, you'll get a key to activate it on Steam, and you'll also get a direct download of a DRM-free version. This means that you can download it on as many computers as you want, and it's not tied to a specific account.
Are you thinking about picking any of these games up to play over the holiday? Let us know in the comments below.
Nintendo's upcoming Switch-exclusive shooter, Splatoon 2, is getting its own Direct presentation later this week. The video will air from 7AM PT / 10AM ET / 3PM BST on July 6, and Nintendo says it will provide a "re-FRESH-er on some of the new features, weapons, and styles" coming to Splatoon 2.
You can watch it live on Nintendo's YouTube channel, or check back to GameSpot on July 6 and we'll have up-to-date coverage as well as an embed of the stream.
"We actually think that the phone is going to deliver a better, more robust execution," the exec explained. "In terms of the APIs that we can build into an app, the fact that phones are ubiquitous, the fact that it allows us to do much more rapid improvements and updates to the service, that's why we think a phone execution--and specifically a mobile app execution--is going to be better for the consumer."
Although The Elder Scrolls Online is free-to-play, it still has an optional, paid subscription that essentially works like a season pass for all DLC. Today, Bethesda announced a special event for ESO Plus subscribers taking place this week that gives them a bunch of free stuff every day. In addition, non-subscribers can try out the paid service with a free trial lasting until the event ends.
The ESO Plus Bonus Event, as Bethesda calls it, takes place from July 5 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST until July 9 at 8:59 PM PT / 11:59 PM PT / 4:59 AM BST. If you subscribe to ESO Plus, you can get a free Dwarven Crown Crate every day by logging in once per day during the event. According to a press release, "These crates include some amazing rewards, with a chance to receive mounts, pets, costumes, consumables, and other in-game items." These crates will be delivered on July 17.
In addition, if you do not currently have ESO Plus, you can try it out for free during the event. Although you won't get the Dwarven Crown Crates unless you actually buy a subscription, you can still check out the other perks. A subscription costs $15 per month.
With the ESO Plus trial, players get access to all of the DLC game packs (except the recently released Morrowind expansion); unlimited storage for crafting components; double Bank space; 10% faster experience, gold, Crafting Inspiration, and Trait Research rates; double Furnishing and Collectible space in player-owned houses; and the ability to dye clothes. If you buy a subscription, you'll also get 1,500 Crowns per month.
The Harry Potter series may have ended in 2011, but there are plenty more films set in the Potter universe on the way. The sequel to last year's spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now in production, and new plot details have been revealed.
The Fantastic Beasts sequel is shooting in London. Warner has released the movie's official synopsis, which confirms that the villainous Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp, will return in a key role.
It reads: "As he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause--elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore.
"But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie, and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world. The film expands the wizarding world, moving from New York to London and on to Paris."
The film will star Eddie Redmayne as Newt, with Katherine Waterston, Zoe Kravitz, and Ezra Miller also returning. New cast members include Jude Law as the young Dumbledore, Claudia Kim (Avengers: Age Of Ultron), and Ingvar Sigurdsson (The Oath). David Yates will direct once more, with a script from Harry Potter creator JK Rowling.
The Fantastic Beasts sequel is set for a November 16, 2018 release, and according to Rowling, it will be the second of five movies. The first movie made more than $814 million at the worldwide box office.
HBO's True Detective was one of 2014's most acclaimed TV shows, and expectations were high for the second season. Unfortunately, it was not nearly as popular, and it has been unclear if Season 3 will happen. However, it has now been reported that Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali is in talks to star in the next season of the cop drama.
According to The Tracking Board, Ali is close to signing onto the show. While the site notes that True Detective Season 3 has not yet been formally greenlit by HBO, sources state that it is "definitely expected to return."
Ali took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar earlier this year for the acclaimed drama Moonlight. He also played the villainous Cottonmouth in Marvel's Netflix show Luke Cage, and appeared in House of Cards, Hidden Figures, and the final two Hunger Games movies.
Last year Michael Lombardo, former president of programming at HBO, spoke about the negative reaction to Season 2. "When we tell somebody to hit an air date as opposed to allowing the writing to find its own natural resting place, when it's ready, when it's baked--we've failed," he admitted. "And I think in this particular case, the first season of True Detective was something that Nic Pizzolatto had been thinking about, gestating, for a long period of time. He's a soulful writer.
"I think what we did was go, 'Great.' And I take the blame. I became too much of a network executive at that point. We had huge success. 'Gee, I'd love to repeat that next year.'
"Well, you know what? I set him up to deliver, in a very short time frame, something that became very challenging to deliver.. That's not what that show is. He had to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Find his muse. And so I think that's what I learned from it. Don't do that anymore."
True Detective Season 1 aired in 2014 and starred Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, while 2015's Season 2 featured Colin Farrell, Vince Vaughn, and Rachel McAdams.
Five Night At Freddy's creator Scott Cawthon has provided an update on his next game, revealing that it was to be the sixth entry in the popular point-and-click horror series. However, in a statement posted on Steam, Cawthon also announced that the project has been abandoned amid mounting pressure to top the previous entries and the detrimental impact this was having on other aspects of his life.
"After forcing myself to keep working on it day after day, I realized something--I just don't want to work on this. With each game's release, I think the expectations get higher and higher for the next, and rightfully so. Each game SHOULD be better than the last! But that pressure starts to mount, and I fear that I've been neglecting other things in my life for the sake of trying to keep up with those mounting expectations.
"So, after giving this a lot of thought, I've decided that I'm going to stop working on it. I'm not going to reveal anything else about what the game was, and I've asked other people involved to never divulge anything either. It's just not going to be talked about."
Cawthon went on to clarify that he wasn't leaving game development altogether. Instead he stated he wants to "get back to what made game-making enjoyable in the first place." Additionally, he said this cancelation doesn't mean that he's abandoning Five Nights At Freddy's either.
"In fact, the first game that I'd like to make would be something for you guys," he said. "Remember Foxy Fighters from Update 2? I loved working on that game. It was a lot of fun, and it took a lot of the pressure off me knowing that it was just for the fans of the games. That's the kind of project that I'd like to work on again. Maybe I'll try my hand at a pizzeria tycoon game, who knows. The point is that it would be something for fun, and something for the fans."
For those invested in the Five Nights At Freddy's universe, Cawthon said there are "big things in the works elsewhere."
"The movie is in amazing hands with Blumhouse. I'm also still working to get a VR title out at some point (because that would be awesome). And of course I can't leave everyone hanging with the cliffhanger at the end of the second book."
He finished: "I hope you can respect and understand my decision. I want to spend more time with my family, and get back to what made me enjoy making games in the first place."
The Five Nights at Freddy's series debuted in August 2014 on PC and has since been ported to iOS. In May 2016 Cawthon said he's in discussions with "a few companies" to make console remakes of Five Nights At Freddy's happen.
Nintendo has published a new Arms gameplay video focused on Max Brass, who has been in the game as a boss-like character since its launch, but will become playable in July. Brass is a heavy bruiser that, when his arms are charged up, can take punches without flinching.
When his health falls below 20 percent his arms become permanently charged up, so he becomes an even more formidable fighter as duels progress. Max Brass will be part of the Arms DLC update available for free in July. Watch the video below to see Max Brass in action.
Arms launched earlier in June to positive critical reception. In our review, critic Kallie Plagge called it a "strong, substantial fighting game," but one that "takes a while to really hit its stride."
On June 26, Nintendo released a new update for Arms that introduces new features including the Arena Mode. This is similar to online play's Party Mode, but it is a local multiplayer mode that allows you to spectate your friends' matches while playing in the same room. Up to four friends can be in the same lobby, with two players fighting each other while the other pair watches on.
The update also introduced a LAN Mode which offered the same options as wireless local multiplayer, but with the more stable speeds ethernet connections provide.
Activision's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy debuts at No.1 on the UK sales chart for the week ended July 1 and, according to sales monitor Chart-Track, manages to achieve what the original games could not by reaching the top of the rankings.
Following it at No.2 is Codemasters' Micro Machines: World Series and top 10 mainstay Grand Theft Auto 5 at No.3. Forza Horizon 3 climbs up from last week's position at No.9 to No.4, ahead of FIFA 17 at No.5 and Blizzard's Overwatch at No.6.
At No.7 is Elite Dangerous, with Nintendo Switch title Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Dirt 4, and Rocket League rounding off the top ten at No.8, No.9, and No.10 respectively. You can read the full top 10 sales chart below, courtesy of sales monitor Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
In GameSpot's Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy review Peter Brown awarded it 6/10, saying developer Vicarious Visions "succeeded in revitalizing Crash from an artistic perspective." However, he added that "if you're experiencing Crash for the first time--or the first time in a while--it might pain you to realize that Crash's original adventures aren't as inventive or surprising as they were 20 years ago."
An R2-D2 droid used in the original Star Wars films and two of the prequels has sold at auction for a huge price. According to Entertainment Weekly (via IGN), the item went for $2.76 million in the California-based auction house Profiles in History's auction.
"Constructed of aluminum, steel, and fiberglass elements, the droid measures 43 x 29.5 x 20 inches and was pieced together over the years from original components used in Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Phantom Menace, and Attack of the Clones," Entertainment Weekly reported.
The $2.76 buying price exceeded the auction house's own estimates that it could go for between $1 million and $2 million, apparently. There is no word on who the buyer was.
A while back, the developers of Call of Duty: WWII said they had "no plans" to bring the military shooter to Nintendo Switch. That statement left open the possibility that it could happen someday, but now Sledgehammer Games has offered a more succinct and definitive-sounding statement on the matter.
During a recent Reddit AMA, Sledgehammer was asked, "Yes or no? Is Call Of Duty WWII coming to Nintendo Switch?" Sledgehammer responded, "No." Here is the exchange:
Call of Duty: WWII not coming to Switch is no big surprise. Sledgehammer boss Michael Condrey said on Twitter in June that the decision about not supporting Switch was made by the "[Activision] business guys." The Call of Duty series has skipped Nintendo's consoles for a while now. The last instalment in the shooter series to come to a Nintendo console was Call of Duty: Ghosts for the Wii U, back in 2013.
When will Robert Downey Jr. retire as Iron Man? It's too soon to say for sure, but now the actor has spoken up to say he'll bow out before things get "embarrassing."
Speaking to News.com.au, the actor suggested that he could have said goodbye already had the opportunities in front of him not been so compelling. "It's this cyclical thing," he explained. "I could have said when the first Avengers came out: 'It's never going to get any better than that. Everybody stop.' But to me it's always about people and opportunities, like the (Avengers directors Anthony and Joe) Russos, who I adore."
Downey Jr. went on to say that he's proud of his superhero movies and added that he wants to walk away from Iron Man on a good note.
"Everyone says to me it's like a glove that fits so well," he said. "I have to start over every time but I am starting over with a pretty solid base. I just never want to blow it for the last six or seven (MCU movies) I have done by dropping the ball because I decided to go do it one more time. I just want to hang up my jersey before it's embarrassing."
Downey Jr.'s next appearance as Iron Man is in this week's Spider-Man: Homecoming. He will also be seen in the next two Avengers movies.
The last Iron Man movie was 2013's Iron Man 3, which made $1.2 billion globally at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo. In related news, Iron Man director Jon Favreau recently told Comic Book Movie that he can't imagine the Iron Man series moving forward with anyone other than Downey Jr. in the lead role.
Looking for something new to play? BioWare's Mass Effect: Andromeda is currently marked down to just $20 at US retailer GameStop. This price is for physical editions for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and is down from its previous price of $40.
Andromeda launched in March behind tepid review scores. The game was quickly discounted, while publisher Electronic Arts in May responded to the game's mixed reaction. Following that, a report said the Mass Effect series was put on hiatus.
$20 is one of the lowest price we've ever seen for Andromeda, so if you've been curious but didn't want to pay full-price, now looks like a good time to think about jumping in.
Andromeda is discounted in other regions, too. In Australia, you can get the game for around $57 instead of its usual $100 price point, while UK shoppers can get a copy of the game for around £33 right now.
"In many ways, Andromeda feels like a vision half-fulfilled. It contains a dizzying amount of content, but the quality fluctuates wildly. Its worlds and combat shine, but its writing and missions falter--and the relative strength of the former is not enough to compensate for the inescapable weakness of the latter," reviewer Scott Butterworth said.
Disney is changing up one of the biggest and best-known attractions at it theme parks. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride's "wench auction" sequence will change going forward to include "a mix of men and women auctioning off personal goods such as jewelry and clocks," according to a report from CNN.
Presently, the scene features animatronic characters where a group of women are tied together under a sign that says, "Auction -- Take a Wench for a Bride." Going forward, it's going to say, "Auction, Surrender Yer Loot."
Disneyland Resort spokesperson Suzi Brown told CNN of the changes, "We believe the time is right to turn the page to a new story in this scene consistent with the humorous, adventurous spirit of the attraction."
The scene will be removed from Disney's Paris park in July, with removals to follow at Disney's marquee locations in Orlando and Anaheim in 2018.
As Slashfilm reports, this is not the first time the Pirates of the Caribbean ride has been changed. In 1997, "sexual connotations" were modified, while the characters Jack Sparrow and Barbossa were added after the success of the films.
The ride was first opened in at Disneyland in Anaheim in 1967. Disney initially announced the new changes in a blog post, showing an artist's rendering of the new auction scene.
The size of games is a much-discussed topic, and now the director of Assassin's Creed Origins has commented on that for the upcoming open-world game. Speaking to Game Informer, Ashraf Ismail said it's difficult to compare to past games since every project is different, but he said he's sure it's much bigger than Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.
"If I compare it to previous games in the past, I don't actually know the exact numbers [for Origins], but I would say that it's at least twice the size of Havana from Black Flag," Ismail said. "At least."
While the size of Origins' world is bigger than Black Flag's, Ismail said he doesn't think size is really all that important.
"Having said that, I don't think of the size of the city is what matters," he explained. "It's really the content, the experience that you have inside of it. It's how alive it is. So we filled these locations with quests, with making each city feel unique to itself, why was it important to Egypt."
The interview touched on so many other topics about the game and the franchise overall. It's a great video that fans of the series may want to watch--check it out right here. Here are some other takeaways from the lengthy interview.
The Origins map is "pretty much" open right away, but not until after the introductory sequence.
There will be a lot of customisation options, though Ismail would not confirm if you'll be able to give main character Bayek a beard.
They want to keep the modern-day elements mostly a secret so players will be surprised. "I would rather have people be more surprised by the experience," he said. "If [the marketing department] want[s] me to talk about it I'll be more than happy to talk about it."
Ismail teased about the modern-day storyline in Origins, "I think people will be happy."
Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World director Edgar Wright was at one point attached to direct Marvel's Ant-Man movie before being replaced by Peyton Reed. Now, the director, whose next movie Baby Driver is out now and getting strong reviews, has come forward to say he hasn't seen Ant-Man and does not plan to.
"I haven't seen it and I haven't even seen the trailer," he told Uproxx (via GamesRadar). "It would kind of like be asking me, 'Do you want to watch your ex-girlfriend have sex?' Like, 'No, I'm good.'"
The closest that Wright came to watching Ant-Man was when he was sitting next to someone on a flight who was watching it. "I don't think they knew who I was," he said. "They were just watching it. That was the closest I came to seeing it."
Did he ever have a peek? "Nope," Wright said, adding that he will never bad-mouth Ant-Man because some of his friends are in it, including Paul Rudd. Wright did get a writing credit for Ant-Man, which is something that he says "sort of makes up for having worked on the script for like eight years."
Also in the interview, Wright said he has "zero regrets" about not doing Ant-Man, before going on to say that his only regret was the time wasted.
Finally, Wright clarified that he did not speak with Reed, Ant-Man's director, during any part in actual production of Ant-Man, though Reed did get in touch during the prep stages. Wright also said Reed reached out recently to congratulate Wright on Baby Driver.
The sequel to 1986's Top Gun is finally happening--and now we know more about it. According Deadline, the follow-up will hit theaters on July 12, 2019. Additionally, it's been confirmed that Tron Legacy director Joseph Kosinski will direct the sequel.
What's more, star Tom Cruise, who returns in the role of Maverick, has confirmed that the sequel is titled Top Gun 2: Maverick. The character Maverick is now the old man, of sorts, imparting his wisdom and experience on new pilots to help them learn the ropes.
"Aviators are back, the need for speed. We're going to have big, fast machines. It's going to be a competition film, like the first one. It's going to be in the same vein, the same tone, as the first one … but a progression for Maverick."
As explained by Deadline, the Top Gun sequel has been in the works for a while now. The original film's director, Tony Scott, was apparently on tap to direct the sequel, but after his death, the project was put on hold.
The International Game Developers Association, a group that advocates for the gaming industry worldwide, has lost its executive director. After nearly five years there, Kate Edwards is stepping down from the association. Trent Oster, who is currently on the IGDA's board of directors and is also CEO of Beamdog, is taking over as interim executive director until the IGDA finds a replacement.
"Kate has been an important industry leader for the IGDA in this role, doing heroic work as an advocate for developers of all backgrounds," Oster said in a statement. "Her accomplishments have carried the IGDA through tough times and helped countless developers on their journeys. We look forward to seeing what Kate accomplishes in what is certain to continue to be a bright career."
In a news release, the IGDA called out some of Edwards' notable achievements during her time with the association, including the establishment of chapters in Bangladesh, Egypt, Estonia, Georgia, and Tunisia.
"Under the guidance of the IGDA's board of directors, Edwards took firm stances on social issues, being among the first to speak out against the misogyny and hate perpetuated by GamerGate and against the detrimental practice of 'crunch' time, standing up to the NRA which tried to blame tragedies such as Newtown Connecticut on video games, and advocating on behalf of the international game developer community when President Trump's administration recommended the travel ban," the statement says.
Speaking to VentureBeat, Edwards said it was always her intention to stay for a period of around three to five years, so leaving now is not a surprise. She added that her split from the IGDA was amicable. Additionally, Edwards confirmed that she doesn't have another gig lined up as of yet, though she's contemplating a number of paths.
"I'm entertaining a variety of options, from another leadership role, other forms of advocacy, and of course my core consulting expertise in content culturalization," Edwards said.
Looking for some new games to round up your summer gaming? Switch sales have been hard to come by with the first ever showing up on the Eshop last week. Best Buy has joined the fray now with a small handful of titles on sale this week--and if you're a Gamers Club Unlocked member, the 20% off will stack on top of these offers.
Indie favorite The Binding of Issac: Afterbirth+ and puzzle darling Puyo Puyo Tetris are on sale for $30 each. The Binding of Issac: Afterbirth+ is the expanded version of the randomly generated action RPG shooter The Binding of Issac: Rebirth. It includes loads of new bosses, achievements, modes, and so much more--for those looking for the complete package, this is the time to grab it on Switch.
Puyo Puyo Tetris takes everything you love about Tetris and throws in Japanese puzzle game favorite Puyo Puyo right beside it. Similar to Tetris, Puyo Puyo follows the same sort of grid-clearing gameplay. Pairs of puyo come floating down and you have to match the colors to clear them. The more you clear, the more you'll get to sabotage your opponents. Prepare to be hideously addicted.
Dancing title Just Dance 2017 and GTA for kids, Lego City Undercover, join the sale at $40 each. If you're a pop music lover and just can't help but get up and dance, Just Dance 2017 is for you. Got a little one or just looking for sheer fun? In Lego City Undercover, You'll play as undercover cop Chase McCain hunting down his nemesis Rex fury.
GTA Online's Gunrunning update, which was released in June, apparently contained clues about a secret alien mission, which modders have now unlocked and played. As Kotaku reports, the Gunrunning update's code suggested that there might be a UFO crash site nearby the Zancudo military base. Now, the folks behind a modding group called Team Guru have found a way to unlock the mission, which you can see below.
As you can see, it's not the most thrilling of missions. At least in the state it's in now, the player comes upon a massive, crashed alien ship, with dead scientists in a swamp. There is an alien egg out in the open that the player acquires, at which point a few ETs spawn and must be dealt with. Then the player drives the egg to a bunker to finish the mission. Bear in mind that this mission, if it's real at all, might not be finished, as it was discovered in the game's code and before Rockstar made any mention of it.
"Much hard work, two weeks of sleepless nights, and years of research have gone into bringing this to you guys," Team Guru said in a Reddit post. "What does this mean for the mystery?? Who knows, we still don't have the undamaged ship being used, yet!!"
This isn't the first time aliens are in GTA V. There is a sequence in GTA V's single-player mode where Michael does drugs and sees aliens that he has to gun down with a huge chain gun. The new GTA Online alien mission could be the signal of grander plans.
The newest GTA Online is out now, adding a number of 4th of July-themed items, as well as a new mode and a number of discounts. For lots more on the update, check out GameSpot's full breakdown of everything it comes with.
The latest Despicable Me movie is in theaters now, and it was a big hit at the US box office this past weekend. Estimates posted by Entertainment Weekly show that the animated film Despicable Me 3 featuring the voices of Steve Carrell and Kristen Wiig brought in $75.4 million domestically for the June 30-July 2 period.
That's well ahead of the No. 2 film this weekend, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver, which pulled in $21 million. Rounding out the top five were Transformers: The Last Knight ($17 million), Wonder Woman ($15.6 million), and Cars 3 ($9.5 million).
Going back to Despicable Me 3, while it was far and away the No. 1 movie this weekend, it was the second-worst start for the Despicable Me/Minions franchise so far. It's below the openings for Minions ($115.7 million) and Despicable Me 2 ($83.5 million), but ahead of the first Despicable Me ($56.4 million). Also of note is that Despicable Me 3 played in 4,529 theaters in the US, the most ever for the franchise. Still, it's expected to be a massive movie, and it could cross $100 million over this 4th of the July holiday weekend.
US Box Office Estimates June 30-July 2:
Despicable Me 3 – $75.4 million
Baby Driver – $21 million
Transformers: Last Knight – $17 million
Wonder Woman – $15.6 million
Cars 3 – $9.5 million
The House – $9 million
47 Meters Down – $4.7 million
The Beguiled – $3.3 million
The Mummy – $2.8 million
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – $2.4 million
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