Numerous retailers in the United States have brought their SNES Classic Edition pre-orders online today, only for them to sell out right away. GameStop is among those offering pre-orders right now, but you may have to head into a store to secure one.
As of this writing, GameStop's website is completely offline, no doubt as it's hammered by people refreshing in the hopes of pre-ordering a system. (It's now redirecting visitors to the website of ThinkGeek, which GameStop owns, and not offering any easy way to refresh GameStop's homepage.) But it's also announced on Twitter that it will be taking orders in its physical stores. Given the limited quantities that are sure to be available, however, you still may not have any luck that way. Several stores we checked with were unsure of how many units they would receive and, as a result, said they were not yet taking pre-orders.
We managed to get to a GameStop store in LA that had them in stock, only to find out that it was only offering bundles. One bundle costs $120 and comes with the Playing With Super Power paperback book and an extra, third-party controller. The controller, in particular, is a curious inclusion given that the SNES Classic already comes with two controllers. Other options ranged in price up to $190 for a bundle with a hardcover book, wireless third-party controller, and other unrelated physical items (like a puzzle).
Both Best Buy and Amazon brought SNES Classic pre-orders online overnight--and despite the hour, they sold out quickly. Walmart and Target followed during the day today, and those have also disappeared. Toys R Us is also expected to offer pre-orders at some point, possibly in the near future.
We'll continue to update out SNES Classic pre-order guide with the latest details on availability. It's unclear if additional pre-orders will be offered from these retailers before launch on September 29. Nintendo has said it will only offer the system during 2017, but it claims it will offer far more units than it did of the hard-to-find NES Classic Edition.
Up from the 36 Chambers comes a new venture between Starz and Wu-Tang Clan's Rza for the new series Black Samurai, starring Common (John Wick 2). Starz announced the series was in development today and is an adaptation of the Marc Olden novel and 1977 film of the same name.
Black Samurai follows Robert Sand (Common), an Army Ranger who meets a Japanese master that trains him to be a samurai. The master is killed, and Sands goes on a mission seeking revenge. The show will mix martial arts and spy genres and will be accompanied by the music of Common and Wu-Tang Clan.
"I've been a fan of the Robert Sand character since I was a kid, Black Samurai being one of the films that got me into the martial art genre," explained Rza. "A chance to combine with Jerry Bruckheimer, Common, and Andre Gaines to reintroduce this character to a new generation makes myself and my partner Mitchell Diggs at Wu Films super stoked. With the Wibbs leading the writing team and Starz as our outlet, I'm certain the series will find its fan base."
While Rza spends plenty of time working on soundtracks for major motion pictures like Django Unchained, he still has a strong connection to martial arts films, both writing and starring in 2012's The Man With the Iron Fists and its 2015 sequel. Rza has always had a passion for martial arts and their films. If you've ever heard a single song by Wu-Tang Clan, you knew this already.
Also joining Black Samurai are Jerry Bruckheimer and Wu Films' Mitchell Diggs. Both will be executive producing the series.
As of now, Black Samurai remains in development, and there is no information regarding when it will air.
The Anno city-builder series has gone to many different eras--both past and future--and today, Ubisoft announced that it's coming to another one. Anno 1800 was revealed today as the next entry in the series, and it'll let players build civilizations set in the nineteenth century. And, as with every Anno game in the series, the digits in the title add up to nine.
This is quite the leap backward in history from the most recent Anno game; Anno 2205 gave players a lot of hyperfuturistic tech and structures to build with. From the short announcement trailer, it looks like Anno 1800 will feature mostly early-industrial technology, such as rudimentary steamships. In addition, as you might expect, it has a Victorian aesthetic. Check out the trailer below.
According to a press release, the game will have a full single-player story mode, a sandbox mode, and multiplayer. "Players will have the chance to prove their skills as a ruler, as they create huge metropolises, plan efficient logistic networks, explore and settle new lands and dominate their opponents by diplomacy, trade or warfare," Ubisoft stated.
Ubisoft and developer Blue Byte also announced that Anno 1800 will have something resembling an Early Access period. The service is called Anno Union, and it's meant to let players give feedback during the game's development. Registered Anno Union members will have opportunities to try out the game early. You can register here. Ubisoft and Blue Byte currently plan to launch Anno 1800 by the end of 2018 for PC.
August 22 update 3: Walmart and Target pre-orders are indeed gone, at least for now. GameStop's website has been taken offline, but it's taking pre-orders in its physical stores. There's still no word on Toys R Us pre-orders.
August 22 update 2: Walmart pre-orders have gone live and seemingly sold out almost right away. Target pre-orders are live but the site seems to be having trouble, and it may also be gone. Likewise, GameStop's website is slow to load, but you might be able to get an order in. Separately, GameStop announced on Twitter that it's offering in-store pre-orders right now.
August 22 update: Amazon and Best Buy both briefly offered SNES Classic units in the very early US morning hours today. It came in and out of stock at Best Buy for a period of time, but for now, it appears both retailers are sold out. That said, it looks as if more stores will soon launch SNES Classic pre-orders.
Those in Canada will soon be able to pre-order a SNES Classic from Best Buy. The store has announced that pre-orders go live at approximately 10 AM PT today, so you'll want to start mashing F5 on its website around then. It will not be available in Quebec.
Update: Those in the UK may have missed at least their first chance to pre-order from certain retailers, but Nintendo's online store has the SNES Classic available as of this writing.
Original Story: Nintendo announced the SNES Classic today. A miniature version of the classic Nintendo console, the $80 system that comes with 21 games and two controllers launches in the US in September. Given that last year's NES Classic sold out basically instantly everywhere it was sold, fans might be wondering how they can secure the SNES Classic right away.
US retailers are not yet widely accepting pre-orders, but in Australia, you can secure a pre-order right now through JB Hi Fi and EB Games. The console sells for $120 in Australia and it looks a little different than the North American edition.
In the US, Amazon has a page up for the SNES Classic, as does Best Buy, but you cannot actually pre-order the system there as of yet. We will update this post as more retailers open pre-orders for the SNES Classic. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.
As with the NES Classic Edition, the SNES Classic features HDMI output and resembles the look of the system it's based on but in a smaller form factor. But unlike that system, it comes with two controllers in the box.
On the subject of supply, while Nintendo isn't sharing specific numbers, it did say it will deliver "significantly more" units than it did with the NES Classic Edition. That said, it only plans to ship the system between September and the end of 2017.
Bandai Namco has unveiled a special Collector's Edition for Dragon Ball FighterZ, the upcoming Dragon Ball fighting game from Guilty Gear developer Arc System Works. The publisher also announced what bonus items players will receive by pre-ordering the title.
The Dragon Ball FighterZ Collector's Edition retails for $140. Along with a copy of the game, the package includes a 7-inch statue of series hero Goku with "exclusive 'manga-dimension' coloring," a steelbook case, and three art boards, all of which is housed in a special CollectorZ box. You can take a look at the items below.
Those who pre-order the physical version will get two early unlockable characters: the recently revealed Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta. You can see screenshots of the two fighters above. Additionally, pre-ordering the game will net players two "exclusive lobby avatars."
Dragon Ball FighterZ is releasing for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam in early 2018. A closed beta is set to begin for PS4 and Xbox One on September 16. Xbox One players can register for a chance to participate in the beta through the Xbox Insider program, while PS4 players can sign up at Bandai Namco's website, though as of this writing it appears to be down.
If you're tired of being tethered to your console while playing Final Fantasy XV, you'll soon have a new way to experience the game on the go. Square Enix today announced Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition, a mobile adaptation of the RPG.
Pocket Edition is an "all-new adventure that retells the beloved story of Final Fantasy XV," Square Enix said in a press release. The characters and story from the existing version of the game are carried over but with some key adjustments made to other areas of the game. Most obviously, it gets a makeover to provide the game with a cute, chibi-esque art style.
Gameplay has also changed to what looks almost like an isometric action RPG, with "casual touch controls optimized for mobile devices." The video above shows off Pocket Edition's recreation of the early scene where Noctis and company have to push the Regalia to a garage after it breaks down. Later, it shows off what navigating the world and combat look like--and we also see that Ignis is still happy to cook the gang a meal.
Pocket Edition will split Final Fantasy XV's main story into ten separate episodes. These will all be available at the same time later this year, with Episode 1 being a free download.
While Pocket Edition's reveal may come as a surprise, Square Enix also had some more expected news to share this week. Final Fantasy XV is officially coming to PC and is due out next year.
One of the more intriguing features coming to Call of Duty: WWII is Headquarters, the game's weird new social space. Today, Activision gave us a first glimpse at what we can expect when the game launches.
Headquarters functions somewhat similarly to Destiny's Tower; you and a handful of other players will be running and jumping around a space designed for interaction, not for combat. For example, you'll be able to Prestige in front of everyone in the social space. You get up on a cliff overlooking the whole area and celebrate your new Prestige level with a whole lot of fanfare.
Although it's a social space, Headquarters will still be competitive. It'll have a firing range where you can test out weapons and compete against other players for high scores, and it'll also have a scorestreak range where you can try out all the streaks. Finally, it'll have a one-vs.-one arena where players can challenge each other to duels. From the trailer, it actually appears that other players will be able to spectate while these fights unfold.
Headquarters won't be available in Call of Duty: WWII's upcoming beta, but it will launch with the full game. Call of Duty will be released on November 3 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC; the beta test goes live for those who've preordered the game on PS4 from August 25-28, and on PS4 and Xbox One from September 1-4.
In Monster of the Deep, players embark on a fishing expedition across Eos with Noctis and his friends. The game features two modes. Story mode drops players "in the middle of an exhilarating and action-packed showdown with a menace that lurks in the depths." Those who'd prefer to do some more leisurely angling, meanwhile, can tackle other fishing challenges in Free Fishing mode. You can see new screenshots of the game below.
Square Enix also announced a pre-order bonus for the title. Beginning August 23, those who pre-purchase it from the PlayStation Store will receive a custom Monster of the Deep dynamic theme for their console, as well as a special samurai outfit for their in-game avatar.
In addition to Monster of the Deep's release date, Square Enix also announced a new Pocket Edition of Final Fantasy XV during Gamescom today. This new version reimagines the acclaimed RPG for mobile devices, featuring an isometric viewpoint, touch controls, and a cuter, chibi-esque visual style. Its story is divided into 10 episodes that will be released simultaneously, the first of which will be available to download for free.
We continue to learn more about the upcoming Operation Blood Orchid update for Rainbow Six Siege, but it turns out that it won't be available to everyone as soon as expected. The previously announced August 29 release date has now been revealed as the start date for its launch on PC's Technical Test Server.
The news was shared in a press release today announcing a free weekend event that's coming up (more details on that below). PC players will be able to check out the new Blood Orchid content on the TTS starting on August 29. Ubisoft says it's "targeting" September 5 as a full release for all platforms, suggesting that date is not yet set in stone.
Although it's become tremendously popular, Rainbow Six Siege has dealt with some significant technical issues in the past. That prompted the cancellation of an expansion in favor of Operation Health, which saw Ubisoft focus on addressing various issues. With that deemed a success, Ubisoft likely doesn't want the first post-Health expansion to suffer from problems at launch, though it is still disappointing to learn that we'll have to wait longer than we thought.
Blood Orchid includes a new map for all players called Theme Park. It also introduces three new Operators, two of which have been teased so far: Lesion and Ying. Ubisoft plans to fully reveal Blood Orchid during a livestream at the Rainbow Six Pro League Finals. The stream is scheduled for August 26 at 9:15 AM PT / 12:15 PM ET / 5:15 PM BST on Twitch. The Finals themselves will be broadcast over that weekend, August 25-26, as part of Gamescom.
Coinciding with the Finals, PS4, Xbox One, and PC owners will be able to play Siege in its entirety for free. A free weekend event will take place from August 24-27, and from August 24-September 4, you'll be able to purchase Siege for 50% off. Any progress made in the free weekend will carry over if you decide to buy Siege.
Update: As expected, more retailers have brought their pre-orders online in the US, only for them to sell out almost instantly. Target and Walmart pre-orders are gone, at least for the time being, while GameStop's website is down as of this writing, although the store is also offering in-store pre-orders. We'll continue to update our SNES Classic Edition pre-order guide with the latest details.
Original Story: Unless you happened to be awake late in the night, there's a good chance you missed out on the opportunity to pre-order the SNES Classic Edition in the US from two retailers. More stores are still set to launch their pre-orders, and it looks like that might be happening very soon.
Both Amazon and Best Buy brought their pre-orders online in the middle of the night and, despite the hour, quickly sold out. Best Buy's listing showed the system in and out of stock for a period of time, but as of this morning, it appears to be completely gone. It's unclear if either store will offer more in advance of launch on September 29.
Nintendo had previously said that US pre-orders would launch by the end of August. The official SNES Classic website states that you can "pre-order now from these retailers," listing Amazon and Best Buy alongside four others: GameStop, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us. None of these stores' listings appear to have gone live yet, however, though Nintendo's website makes it sound as if that is imminent. We'll continue to update our guide on how and where to pre-order a SNES Classic with all of the latest details, but you'll likely need to act quickly in order to secure a pre-order.
As previously announced, the SNES Classic will only be sold through the end of the year. However, Nintendo has said it will deliver far more units than it did with the NES Classic, which was notoriously difficult to find following its launch last year. US pre-orders went live at Walmart in July, only for those to be canceled because they had been available due to a mistake.
We know The Lost Legacy contains the biggest Uncharted level ever made, and we've seen some pre-release gameplay--but is it any good? Reviews have started to go live for the new action game, and it seems critics are enjoying it. Our reviewer, Miguel Concepcion, said "The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted" but it does deliver "new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package." He went on to say it ranks "among the best in the series." For more, check out our full Uncharted: Lost Legacy review.
For a wider view of critical opinion, check out our review roundup below, or take a look at GameSpot's sister site Metacritic.
Release: August 22 (North America), August 23 (Europe, Australia)
Price: US $40 / £25 / AU $55
GameSpot -- 9/10
"The Lost Legacy doesn't signify a new era for Uncharted so much as it presents an opportunity to show the series from new perspectives, for which Chloe and the AI-controlled Nadine are perfectly capable. With a new playable treasure hunter comes new settings and character motivations, wrapped in a comfortingly familiar Uncharted package. The thrill of playing through set pieces that call back scenes from the earlier games is all the more enhanced when seen through the gameplay mechanics introduced in A Thief's End. The initial hours of The Lost Legacy give an "Uncharted Greatest Hits" vibe, but it grows into a more nuanced, clever experience, ranking among the best in the series while also making its own mark as a standalone Uncharted that isn't anchored to Nathan Drake's harrowing exploits." -- Miguel Concepcion " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
IGN -- 7.5/10
"Uncharted: The Lost Legacy succeeds on the strength of its protagonists, writing, and phenomenal depiction of India's jungles and ruins. Being in the company of Chloe and Nadine keeps its overly familiar action sequences and disappointingly empty open-world area interesting, and it regains its footing in smart puzzles and thrilling cinematic moments." -- Marty Sliva " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
Polygon -- 8.5/10
"I went into Uncharted: The Lost Legacy expecting a light stand-alone adventure, but it turns out to serve a much greater purpose. Despite the new protagonist, this game serves as a celebration of everything the Uncharted series has come to represent over a decade of mostly strong releases from Naughty Dog. And because of the new protagonist, it also offers a glimpse into what the franchise could become in the future, with some new developer leading the way. Naughty Dog did right by our memories here, and I hope that whoever takes on Uncharted next does right by them." -- Philip Kollar " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"Perhaps it is unfair to expect more of a glorified expansion pack, but it was Naughty Dog that raised our expectations were with the excellent Left Behind add-on for The Last of Us; it seems as though, with its changing of the guard, The Lost Legacy had just as good an opportunity to weave some new patterns with this old yarn. That opportunity has been missed.
"Many won't mind that and will point, reasonably, to the sheer unflagging quality and effortlessness of this action romp. Others, like me, will take pleasure in finding that a smaller Uncharted doesn't mean a lesser one, and that even in a series known for its excess, less can be more. And Nate? To be honest, I didn't really miss him." -- Oli Welsh " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
Trusted Reviews -- 5/5
"It might be shorter--as reflected in the price--but The Lost Legacy is a great Uncharted and a dazzling example of a studio at the top of its game. To be honest, I wouldn't have believed that Chloe and Nadine could make such fantastic, sympathetic protagonists or that Naughty Dog could stretch the formula out for another 10 hours, yet it has and I loved every minute.
"To my mind, this isn't merely one of the best games of the summer, but one of the season's best blockbusters in any media. If Naughty Dog wants to leave the series here, it's hard to grumble, but let's hope it doesn't. Right now, more Uncharted seems like anything but a bad idea." -- Stuart Andrews " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
The Guardian -- 4/5
"Though The Lost Legacy boasts beautiful new environments to explore and for Chloe to take collectible photos of on her smartphone, the journey through them feels very familiar. The only thing that's truly fresh about this game is the protagonists, but they're a promising pair, and those who don't mind a formulaic sequel should take the chance to get to know them. They've certainly proved that we don't need Drake." -- Jordan Erica Webber " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
It's a new week, which means that there's new Grand Theft Auto V Online content out now. This update includes a pretty sweet weaponized car, discounts, and more.
This week's most significant addition is the Ocelot Ardent, a muscle car that also comes mounted with front-facing machine guns. There are also big discounts on Vehicle Cargo Warehouses, the Smoke Tree Road Bunker, all Executive Offices, and three vehicles: the Rocket Voltic, the Cognoscenti 55, and the Schafter LWB. These are all 25% off until August 28.
On top of that, Rockstar is giving double GTA$ and RP in the Bunker Series playlist, Bunker-based Adversary Modes, and the Vehicle Vendetta Adversary Mode. You can get double payouts in Vehicle Cargo Sell Missions, as well.
Finally, this week's premium events are the Pulse race, which is only available if you own the Rocket Voltic car, and the Coast to Coast Time Trial. Premium Races give triple RP to anyone who completes them and GTA$ rewards to those who finish in the top three, and the Time Trial comes with GTA$ and RP rewards for those who beat the par time.
With the launch of the Atlas Rises update a week and a half ago, No Man's Sky is a dramatically different game than it was at release. But with such a huge overhaul comes an assortment of bugs and issues that need to be fixed. Today, developer Hello Games released a patch on PS4 and PC that serves to address some of those problems.
The update includes a number of quality-of-life improvements, including better binocular scanning, tweaked audio cues, and fixes for grave and landing icons. It also features some small changes to the game's procedural generation algorithms, such as preventing trees from spawning so that they clip through buildings.
This is the third patch since Atlas Rises was released; Hello Games appears to be fixing the game at a much faster cadence now. You can see the full patch notes at the bottom of this article.
Atlas Rises dramatically changed the structure, appearance, and content of No Man's Sky. Among many other things, it added a new story, portals, better visuals, and a basic form of multiplayer. You can read about everything that Atlas Rises includes here.
Patch 1.33 Notes:
Fixed issue where player bases were given the name "Unknown Base" rather than a generated name
Fixed S-class ships having incorrect pricing and numbers of slots
Added rockets to starting ship in creative default save game
Added new icon for solo difficulty AI ships
Fixed Albumen Pearl plants using the wrong name on their interaction labels
Fixed the landing marker being visible in some fighter cockpits
Fixed texturing issue seen with some combinations of AMD GPU and drivers
Added and improved audio at the ending of the Atlas path
Added and improved audio for terrain editing
Improved audio for missions
Improvement to vehicle boost timings
Made marker for rare graves stay up for the same time as other object markers
Prevented trees in frozen biomes spawning close to or intersecting buildings
Fixed issue where travelling through the centre of the galaxy could sometimes take you back to the same galaxy
Fixed issue where mission waypoints on the galactic map would not be for your current mission
Improved UI error messages relating to missions on the galactic map
Improved ship speed output on ship HUD
Increased guidance for finding Convergence Cubes as part of the scientist mission
Prevented some tutorials (for example for life support) from being shown in your log
Prevented Artemis being visible in the holohub after they should have left
Protected against some cases where missions can send you to depot which has already been destroyed
Improved binocular scanning for background objects
Prevented binocular scanning flicking between multiple objects
Added ability to scan all building types and fixed their displayed names
Added ability to scan ships
Fixed text truncation on binocular HUD
Added the option to display temperatures in Celcius, Fahrenheit or Kelvin regardless of locale
Fixed display of longer planet names on the discovery page UI
Added ability to cancel in progress missions
Added faction icons on the galactic map
Improved ship handling when booster upgrades are installed
Fixed mission notifications showing an incorrect icon for Electron Vapour
Fixed an issue where portals you've returned through could not be updated to a different address
Improved visuals around icons for different inventories
Added joypad and keyboard controls for switching between inventories
Fixed galactic map showing joypad prompts for changing filters when playing on mouse and keyboard
Fixed issue where players could lose the teleport destination they needed to complete the Mind Arc mission
Fixed players getting stuck in an interaction with the armourer if they hadn't yet built a terminal
Fix for visual artifacts from transparent objects showing through the warp effect
Reduced cases where terrain editing changes are lost when reloading a save
Reduced difficulty of the final armourer mission
Improved low flight mode handling
Fixed crash in string translation when loading certain saves
Added missing scan event icon to the Antimatter tutorial
Fixed terrain editor being built with full charge
Fixed occasional hang in displaying some multi-byte characters
Improved saving and loading of terrain edits
Fixed issue where upgrading from a previous save would cause player bases to be floating or underground
Fixed very occasional crash in rendering
Fixed occasional crash relating to destructible objects
Prevented the interaction camera occasionally triggering at inappropriate times
Fixed the Farmer displaying the wrong text for their final mission
Prevented pinned missions occasionally being deselected on warp
Fixed issue where players could become stuck in the final atlas station
Improved automatically selecting missions from NPCs in your base when they begin
Improved pricing of base building parts in normal mode
Sony and Polyphony Digital have just announced a new, special edition PlayStation 4 console to celebrate the release of Gran Turismo Sport in October. The 1 TB system sports a silver faceplate with the Gran Turismo Sport logo. It also comes with a silver DualShock wireless controller with the same logo on the touchpad.
The system has been announced for the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand only, and may be the "something new" Sony teased yesterday on its European PlayStation account. You can check out the new trailer below.
The system comes with the Day One edition of Gran Turismo Sport, which gives you access to $250,000 worth of in-game credits, livery sticker packs, a chrome racing helmet, and 60 PS4 avatars. Polyphony is also releasing a standalone, limited-edition version of the bundle's controller. Additionally, the controller will be sold in a bundle with a standard copy of the game.
If you don't like the look of the silver PS4, there are even more bundles that include the standard game and a Jet Black version of the console. Here are the options.
Jet Black PS4 1 TB edition
Jet Black PS4 500GB edition
Jet Black PS4 1TB, plus extra Jet Black DualShock 4 edition
Jet Black PS4 Pro edition
The special edition console and other versions will launch on October 18, the same day Gran Turismo Sport comes out in the UK, Europe, and Australasia (it launches in North America the day before). For the latest news on Gran Turismo Sport, check out our full coverage here.
Fans eager to try out the anticipated new Dragon Ball fighting game, Dragon Ball FighterZ, will soon have an opportunity. Registration for the game's closed beta is open now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players.
The closed beta runs the weekend of September 16-17. Xbox One players who'd like a chance to participate in the test can sign up through the Xbox Insider program; PS4 players can register by visiting Bandai Namco's website and following the steps listed there.
Dragon Ball FighterZ's closed beta was first announced last month during the fighting game tournament Evo. Registration was originally set to begin on July 26; however, Bandai Namco postponed it in order to "expand the capacity of the closed beta."
Bandai Namco shared a new trailer for Dragon Ball FighterZ at Gamescom 2017 today. The video shows off the first footage of the game's newest fighters, including Android 16, Android 18, Piccolo, and Krillin. It also gives fans a glimpse at the game's dark story mode, which sees a resurrected Android 16 attack the Z-Fighters.
Dragon Ball FighterZ launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC in early 2018. Those who pre-order the physical version will get two early unlockable characters as a bonus: Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta. The publisher also announced a $140 Collector's Edition that includes a Goku statue, steelbook case, and other collectible items.
When Gwent: The Witcher Card Game was announced, it seemed at first glance like another one of the handful of collectible card games launching in the wake of Hearthstone. But developer CD Projekt Red revealed later that Gwent would have a full, Witcher-esque single-player story mode, which set it apart from its competitors. Today, the studio finally detailed what, exactly, that story mode will be.
Called Thronebreaker, the story mode follows a new character--Meve--in her quest for retribution. According to CDPR, Meve is a "war-veteran queen of two Northern Realms" who must embark on "a dark journey of destruction and revenge." You can see the announcement trailer below.
If the trailer is anything to go by, it seems that the mode might have cartoony, story book-like art style, similar to the opening cutscenes in The Witcher 3. It looks gorgeous, and the video conveys a dark, ominous tone.
"Players will explore new and never-before-seen parts of The Witcher world, embark on thought-provoking quests, gather resources, as well as engage in custom-made story battles which twist the game's rules in wildly unexpected ways," CDPR said in a press release.
In the past, CDPR has also shared that the story mode will feature an open overworld that players can explore in between battles. Back at E3 2016, we discussed the game with narrative designer Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, who revealed that your actions in the overworld will be important in the overarching story. "There are events you can find, there are treasures you can find, some things might change in the map based on your decisions," he told us at the time.
"It'll be a story told from the perspective of leaders, and this is a big challenge because we have to come up with a new way to introduce choices and a new way to introduce exploration, and how you solve sidequests and side activities," he explained.
Thronebreaker is scheduled for release this year on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. If you want to jump into Gwent's competitive multiplayer now, the game is currently in open beta on all platforms.
Following last week's teaser video, Nintendo has revealed the next free DLC character coming to the Switch fighting game Arms. The title's version 3.0 update will add the "street performing pugilist" Lola Pop to the roster.
Described as a "well-traveled clown with a personality as colorful as her clothing," Lola Pop looks to be a fun addition to the unorthodox fighting game. Her hair and arms resemble candy, and just like a real clown, she can inflate her body like a balloon, which provides "great defensive qualities." You can take a look at her unique offensive style in the trailer below.
A new stage will also debut alongside Lola Pop, and fittingly, it too is candy-themed. Lola comes equipped with three brand-new sets of Arms; one is a pair of nunchucks, while another is a shield that can deflect punches back at your opponent.
Switch owners who have yet to pick up Arms will soon have another chance to sample the game; Nintendo announced today that another free Global Testpunch demo will be available this weekend. The Testpunch begins at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET/4 PM GMT on August 25 and runs until 1 PM PT/4 PM ET/9 PM GMT on August 27.
Ahead of Gamescom 2017, Nintendo unveiled three brand new pieces of content for its Switch team-based shooter, Splatoon 2. These include a new map, a new Salmon Run stage, and a new special weapon, all of which are set to debut soon.
The new map is called Manta Maria. It's a large sailboat moored at a harbor. The focal point of the stage is its three masts and the surrounding netting. It will be be added to the map rotation Friday evening and will be available in both Turf Wars and Ranked Battles. You can get a look at it in the trailer below.
Before that, Nintendo will be rolling out a new Salmon Run stage called Lost Outpost. This map resembles a shanty town that was abandoned due to rising sea levels. Teamwork here is especially vital, as the stage features many walls that obstruct your view. Lost Outpost will be available following a free update on Wednesday, August 23.
The final new piece of content that Nintendo announced today is a brand-new special weapon, the Bubble Blower. This special allows players to launch up to three large bubbles, which will explode when shot with your team's ink. The bubbles also serve a defensive purpose, as they can protect you from enemy fire. The Bubble Blower will be coupled with the game's next free DLC weapon, the Forge Splattershot Pro, which is coming to the game next week, on September 1.
Also occurring that same weekend is Splatoon 2's next Splatfest. This competition asks players which superpower they would rather have: invisibility or flight. Exact timing details still haven't been announced, though like last time, it will likely begin at 9 PM PT/12 AM ET and run for a full 24 hours.
Stranger Things will return for a third season. Although Season 2 of the hit supernatural thriller doesn't arrive on Netflix until October, creators Matt and Ross Duffer have already announced that it will be back for another season after that.
In an interview with Vulture, the brothers confirmed that Season 3 will happen. Additionally, they revealed that they also hope to make a fourth--and final--season. "We're thinking it will be a four-season thing and then out," said Ross, with his brother adding: "We just have to keep adjusting the story. Though I don't know if we can justify something bad happening to [the kids] once a year."
Ross Duffer also explained that Season 2 will be "bigger" than the first season. "We wanted to push things a bit," he said. "I told Matt, 'I don't want to call it Season 2; I just want it to feel like a movie sequel.' If you have a successful movie, No. 2 is always a little bit bigger."
The show will see the return of David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp, while Paul Reiser and Sean Astin will join the show in new roles.
One of the coolest characters in the Valiant Comic Universe, Ninjak, is taking on some other familiar faces in the upcoming digital series Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe. A full trailer for the upcoming series debuts next week, when distribution news will also be revealed. Right now, you can catch a sneak peek of the show in the video above, which is introduced by Ciera Foster (Two and a Half Men), who plays Livewire in the series.
The six-episode digital series follows the assassin Ninjak, played by Michael Rowe (Arrow), who is on the run and forced to battle the other heroes in the Valiant Universe. This includes characters like Bloodshot, an unstoppable killing machine, played by Power Rangers' Jason David Frank.
Much like Marvel and DC, Valiant is a comic book publisher whose stories are within a singular, self-contained universe. On occasion, those characters will cross over with other companies though, most notably in 1996's Iron Man/X-O Manowar for SNES and Sega Genesis. In 2005, owner Acclaim--yes, that Acclaim--sold the company, which led to the 2012 relaunch of Valiant's comic line. The publisher saw a resurgence, and it eventually landed a multi-picture deal with Sony in 2015.
Last year, Valiant also announced its line of live-action and animated videos under the banner Valiant Digital, with the focus being Ninjak Vs. The Valiant Universe. We discussed the upcoming digital series with the cast at New York Comic Con, including Frank, who talked about his MMA training coming in handy for the upcoming show. More will be revealed on Monday, August 28, when the full trailer for the show releases.
WB Interactive Entertainment released a new trailer today for Middle-earth: Shadow of War, and from the looks of things, it seems that the game will feature a lot of fearsome creatures. In addition to Orcs, trolls, and Wargs, Shadow of War will showcase some of the more terrifying monsters that Mordor houses.
In the trailer, it's clear that the most recognizable monsters from The Lord of the Rings will appear in Shadow of War, such as orcs, spiders, and trolls. But you'll also confront more unusual enemies, some of which are new additions to the Middle-earth fiction.
For example, the Spirit of Carnan is a fearsome creature who appears linked to the natural world in some way. She can converse via a female face, but she also takes the form of a drake. In addition, the massive and notorious Balrog appears in the video. Watch the full trailer at the top of this article.
Today at the Gamescom convention, EA showed off a lengthy new look at Star Wars: Battlefront II. The company demoed a big multiplayer space battle, and it looks awesome.
In the 24-player match, teams battled each other in space above the planet Fendor. The demo revealed a beautiful cosmos filled with chaos and destruction, and it showcased the Starfighter Assault game mode that was previously announced after a leak. You can see the full video in the embed above.
The demo also showed off the class-based ships in the game. There are a whole bunch of different ship types, including X-Wing, Y-Wing, and many more. Most notably, there are hero ships that have special abilities; the video showed Poe Damron's black X-Wing, Darth Maul's Scimitar, and, of course, Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, among others.
Battlefront II's space battles are in the works at Burnout developer Criterion, while DICE and Motive are developing other parts of the game. Battlefront II launches on November 14 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Destiny 2's release is quickly approaching, and today Bungie published the launch trailer for the game. It sets the stage for Destiny 2's story, which is shaping up to be much darker than the narrative of the original.
Whereas Destiny's story was a heroic epic in which players took the fight to the Vex, Crota, and Oryx, utilizing a great deal of resources and allies centered on the Tower, Destiny 2's story is one of survival and loss. If you played Destiny 2's beta, you'll recognize that the launch trailer picks up near where the opening Homecoming mission ends. The Speaker has been captured by Ghaul, the hulking leader of the Cabal, and the Tower has been conquered.
The video features the ever-grave Commander Zavala and Ikora Ray alongside the wise-cracking Cayde-6, who is, at one point, inexplicably holding a rooster in a brief moment of levity. The three of them and the Guardians plan a guerrilla mission against the Cabal that, apparently, is expected to end with the deaths of everyone involved. It actually sounds somewhat similar in tone and structure to one of Bungie's previous games, Halo: Reach.
If you think back on past Need For Speed games, chances are good that you remember high-speed cop chases from installments like Hot Pursuit and Most Wanted. Today at Gamescom, EA gave a look at Need For Speed Payback's police chases, and they look more intense than ever.
EA released a new trailer that gives an idea of what you can expect when the cops catch sight of you in the game. The company promises that the police will be "more aggressive than ever before," assisted by better AI that lets them move with greater coordination. Check out the video above.
As with previous Need For Speeds, the cops have a variety of tools at their disposal to take you down. These include giant armored Rhinos, helicopters, and spike strips, among others. The longer the chase, the more advanced equipment that they'll deploy.
One of the most delightful surprises of E3 2016 was Fe, the beautiful, EA-published adventure game. Today at Gamescom, EA finally announced when we can expect to play the title. The game will launch in early 2018--and it'll be available on Nintendo Switch.
During EA's press conference, developer Zoink revealed that the game will be coming to Nintendo's console alongside PS4, Xbox One, and PC early next year. Zoink also showed off a gorgeous new trailer for the game, which you can see above.
Fe is designed to be heavily influenced by the natural world. Players take control of a cub who explores a forest and interacts with the creatures they find there. Creative lead Klaus Lyngeled explained in a press release that Zoink wants to convey the connectedness and familiarity of nature.
"We would spend hours in the woods as kids, and while it felt scary at first, eventually the strange sounds became familiar," he wrote. "You become part of nature and the forest feels like home. Players will realize similar feelings as they play through Fe."
Fe is the first game published under the EA Originals program, EA's effort to pick up smaller indie titles. Late last year, EA announced that Sea of Solitude is the second EA Originals game, although it hasn't said much about the title yet.
Although Destiny wasn't available on PC, Bungie seems to be working hard to make it up to PC players with Destiny 2. The developer already revealed that the game will run at native 4K resolution and will have uncapped framerates; today at Gamescom, we got confirmation that the game will have HDR and SLI support, as well.
Hardware manufacturer Nvidia announced that it has worked with Bungie to allow Destiny 2 to work on HDR-compatible TVs and monitors. HDR--or High Dynamic Range--means that the game will display with a higher contrast and color range than on normal screens, so that colors are more vivid.
Nvidia also announced that the game will be compatible with multi-GPU setups. SLI allows for players to throw more graphical horsepower at games than is currently possible in single-GPU configurations. Although Destiny 2 can already run at 4K and 60 frames per second using Nvidia's high-end GTX 1080 Ti GPU, players can boost the framerate even more with an SLI setup.
HDR will be available to try out in the PC beta, although SLI won't be supported until the full game launches on October 24. The PC beta begins on August 28 if you've pre-ordered the game and on August 29 for everyone else. You can check out Destiny 2's PC beta minimum and recommended specs here.
It's been 12 years since a mainline installment in the beloved RTS franchise Age of Empires has launched. Today, however, we finally got confirmation that the series is coming back: Microsoft officially unveiled Age of Empires IV.
Right now, we know basically nothing about the game besides its title and developer. Microsoft showed a short cinematic teaser that confirms little besides that players will still be advancing through the ages, like every other installment in the series. Dawn of War and Company of Heroes studio Relic was confirmed as its developer.
There's no word yet on release date, but it's a good bet that it's still a ways out. However, if you're impatient to jump back into Age of Empires, you're in luck: Microsoft has several other projects in the works.
The beautiful, nostalgia-inducing Super Nintendo-themed New 3DS XL is on its way to Europe. With Gamescom 2017 underway, Nintendo made the announcement today, providing Europeans with yet another 3DS model to choose from.
This system appears to be identical to the Super Famicom-themed 3DS released in Japan last year. Nintendo said at the time that it would not be released in Europe, but perhaps with the SNES Classic Edition driving interest in the Super Nintendo, the company reconsidered. Note that this a New 3DS XL system, the top-of-the-line version of the handheld, which is capable of displaying stereoscopic 3D graphics, unlike the recently launched New 2DS XL.
The SNES Edition 3DS is designed to look like an original SNES. When opened, its inside resembles a SNES controller in Europe, which featured red, yellow, green, and blue face buttons, like the Super Famicom. The North American version of the system, by contrast, featured purple face buttons. There's no word yet on a SNES-themed 3DS for North America.
Nintendo will release the SNES Edition 3DS on October 13 and, as is often the case in Europe, does not include an AC adapter. On the same day, three games will be added to the budget Nintendo Selects line of 3DS titles in Europe: Super Mario 3D Land, Luigi's Mansion 2 (known as Dark Moon in North America), and Kirby: Triple Deluxe.
Bandai Namco has released a new trailer for Dragon Ball FighterZ. The video gives fans their first look at some of the game's newly announced characters in action, as well as a brief glimpse at its original story mode.
As revealed last week in the latest issue of Jump magazine, Android 16 and Android 18 are two of the new characters who'll be playable in the anticipated fighting game. Android 18 in particular is one of the more interesting additions to the roster, as she's joined by Android 17 to perform certain attacks.
The trailer also showcases the first gameplay footage of Piccolo and Krillin, demonstrating each fighter's unique abilities. Piccolo can extend his arm to grab faraway opponents, while Krillin can use his signature Destructo Disc attack and change the trajectory of his ki blasts.
The most intriguing part of the trailer comes toward the end, when fans get a brief look at the game's story mode. Rather than retelling the events of the series, Dragon Ball FighterZ features an original "forbidden" storyline that imagines Android 16 being revived to battle Goku and friends. It looks to take a dark turn, as many of the series' heroes can be seen falling in battle.
Along with the trailer, Bandai Namco has released a handful of new screenshots for the game. These include the first in-game images of Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta, both of whom will be offered as early unlockable fighters to everyone who pre-orders a boxed version of the game. You can see the new screenshots above.
Dragon Ball FighterZ is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC via Steam in early 2018. The game will be available in a $140 Collector's Edition, which includes a Goku statue, steelbook case, and other collectible items. A closed beta for the PS4 and Xbox One versions is scheduled to begin on September 16.
Just as some US pre-orders sold out overnight, Nintendo released a new retro-inspired trailer for the SNES Classic--and if you're a Super Nintendo fan it's probably going to make you want one. The trailer, which is reminiscent of 1990s Super Nintendo commercials, shows off the system's size, controllers, and many of the 21 classic games that come with it. Check out the trailer above.
You can also see some of the SNES Classic's new features further on in the trailer: the Rewind feature allows you to replay a part of your game, and Suspend Points let you take a break without closing the game, saving at any time.
US pre-orders for the SNES Classic went live on Amazon and Best Buy overnight, but sold out quickly. GameStop, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us are all slated to offer pre-orders for the system, but haven't starting offering them yet (they are supposed to start this month). Nintendo has promised it will offer far more units than it did last year, when it launched the tough-to-get NES Classic.
The SNES Classic will cost $80, and you can get the latest need-to-know details in our constantly updated guide on how and where to pre-order the SNES Classic. The system officially launches on September 29.
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