If Destiny 2 is your first Destiny game, or you simply didn't play much of the original, one thing you may be unaware of is how certain parts of the game run on a schedule. By now, you may have noticed that certain things reset daily, but more significant are the those that happen on a weekly basis--the aptly named weekly reset.
A number of activities--and their corresponding rewards--are tied to the weekly reset. In other words, once you complete them, you'll have to wait for the following week in order to complete them again for a new set of rewards. (Among other things, that includes the Nightfall, a high-level Strike that offers some of the consistently best loot you can get your hands on.) It also means you always want to be sure those activities are finished before the weekly reset occurs.
The reset happens at a fixed time, not a week after you complete any given activity. According to Bungie's help site, the daily "Ritual" reset occurs at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 10 AM BST / 7 PM AEST during Daylight Saving Time (March to November) and an hour earlier when we're not in DST (November to March). The weekly reset happens at that same time each Tuesday.
Each Tuesday's reset therefore serves as the deadline to finish the Nightfall, Meditations, and the Raid (once that's available). It's also when certain Milestones are refreshed, including weekly Challenges, the Flashpoint, Clan XP, and Crucible's Call to Arms, as well as Clan XP rewards. Additionally, the Eververse inventory of items that can be purchased with Bright Dust changes then; presumably other vendors will cycle out their wares at that point, too.
Bungie's highly anticipated shooter Destiny 2 is finally here, and we'll have lots of coverage in the days and weeks ahead. For now, we're collecting all the big details to know about, including our review in progress, recent news stories, and other key particulars. You can keep checking back with this story as we learn more about the shooter.
Editor Kallie Plagge shared her thoughts on the first 20 hours and came away feeling generally impressed and eager to keep playing. She has now started over with the game having launched and will document her progress in a Destiny 2 review diary (now with its third update) over the next few days as she plays more. You can look for Kallie's full review in the days ahead.
Destiny 2 Review
"I haven't finished the main story yet, but so far it's a clear improvement over Destiny's much-maligned storytelling," Kallie said. "Like the beta, Destiny 2 begins with an attack on The Tower by a Cabal faction called the Red Legion. But rather than being thrust into situations with little to no context, as was so often the case in Destiny, each mission of the Red War arc has objectives that make sense within both the mission itself and the grand scheme. Locating a missing Cayde-6, for example, is important to the fight against the Red Legion, since he's a powerful Hunter. But fighting waves of Vex to get to him also makes sense, as he's trapped in a Vex teleporter, and that small bit of context makes that moment feel distinct from others where you're killing the same enemies."
For Destiny veterans, a lot has changed in Destiny 2, while the game will also see many newcomers to the series. Whichever boat you fall in, we'll have plenty of guides to help you succeed in the days and weeks ahead.
Unlike the first Destiny, Destiny 2 is available only for new-generation consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It's also coming to PC, but not until October 24. Returning players will get rewards and a nice little memorial.
Destiny is available in Standard, Digital Deluxe, and a Game + Expansion Pass Bundle. The Digital Deluxe edition comes with a Legendary emote and the Cabal Empire-themed emblem. It also includes the Expansion Pass, which comes with two expansions to be released later. The Game + Expansion Pass Bundle is pretty self-explanatory.
Here are the prices:
Standard -- $60/£55/$100 AU
Game + Expansion Pass Bundle --$90/£80/$140 AU
Digital Deluxe -- $100/£90/$150 AU
People who pre-ordered Destiny 2 will receive the Coldheart Exotic rifle, the Kill-Tracker Ghost, and the Salute emote.
According to Destiny 2's store pages, the game weighs in at 30.9 GB on PS4 and 34.98 GB on Xbox One. The PC version's file size may end up being larger, but we don't know yet.
What Is And Isn't Available In Destiny 2 Now?
While Destiny 2's first Raid, Trials, Guided Games, and in-game Clan features are not available, you can play the full campaign and the Crucible multiplayer mode. Additionally, Destiny 2's first Nightfall Strike is available now.
The raid kicks off at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on September 13 (3 AM AET on September 14 in Australia). Trials will become available at the same time on September 15 (16 in Australia). The in-game Clan features will go live in the next several days, Bungie said, but for now you can access Clan-management systems through Bungie's website.
If you're willing to take a break from leveling up, the Farm social space holds an intriguing secret that you might have overlooked. [More details and mild spoilers here]
How To Kill Those Annoying Phalanx Enemies
In the original Destiny, defeating Phalanxes usually involved either chucking a grenade behind them, or shooting the tiny bit of arm visible sticking outside their shields. In Destiny 2, they've been granted a brand new weak spot, smack in the middle of those shields. Ping that glowing spot with a few shots and the shields retract, stunning the jerks in the process. [Lots more details here]
Known Issues, Technical Problems, And Server Queues
Destiny 2's release is poised to be massive, likely straining the game's servers. To allow for a better experience, Bungie is using a system MMO players are familiar with: server queues. Bungie has warned that players may not be able to immediately access the game. In order to "regulate player population to provide stable conditions for Destiny gameplay," server queues can pop up in Destiny 2 just as they could in the previous game. In other words, you may have to wait in line before you can play. Additionally, there are a number of issues to be aware of.
One of the shortcomings of Destiny 1 was that content was not released fast enough to meet players' expectations. For the sequel, Bungie is working with outside studios like High Moon and Vicarious Visions to create and release content faster. We know there are two paid expansions coming, and recently, a leak suggested the first expansion is called The Curse of Osiris and will be out in December. It'll supposedly add a patrol zone on Mercury, a social space, and a storyline centered around Osiris.
Keep checking back with GameSpot in the days and weeks ahead for lots more on Destiny 2.
Funko and Rick and Morty fans have something to look forward to this fall. There is another set of figures from the popular Pop line, expanding upon the previous lines released in recent years.
Based on the hit late-night Cartoon Network series, five new figures to the Funko Pop line are coming out this fall, which you can check out above. This latest series of figures consists of Scary Terry, teenage Summer, Beth, Jerry, and Lawyer Morty. Prices for the upcoming line were not released, but more than likely, the figures will cost around $13.
Nintendo Switch owners on the search for a new controller for their console have two cool-looking new options to choose from. PowerA is releasing a pair of officially licensed wired Switch controllers this October.
The two controllers sport designs inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the Super Mario series. Both feature a 10-foot removable USB cable, rubber grips, and six interchangeable analog caps. You can take a look at images of the controllers below.
Each controller retails for $30. However, they lack some of the features found in the standard Switch Pro Controller. Most notably, the PowerA versions do not have HD Rumble, gyro controls, or an NFC reader for Amiibo support.
The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario PowerA controllers release on October 23. Both are up for pre-order right now on Amazon; you can find the Legend of Zelda controller here and the Super Mario one here.
Last week it was announced that Star Wars Episode IX director Colin Trevorrow had left the movie, leading to much speculation about who would replace him. It was reported that Rian Johnson, who is currently finishing this December's The Last Jedi, could step in to take over the next part of the Star Wars saga. However, Johnson has now commented on this and revealed that he currently has no plans to make another movie in the blockbuster franchise.
Johnson was asked about the rumors that he might take over from Trevorrow while at a Star Wars press event in Japan. "It was never the plan for me to direct Episode IX, so I don't know what's going to happen with it," he said, via Star Wars Underworld. "I was entirely focused on Episode VIII and having this experience. Now I'm just thinking about putting the movie out there and seeing how audiences respond to it.
"So no, I'm not really thinking about that right now. Whoever does it, I'm going to be really excited to be an audience member again, and to sit down and see what the next filmmaker has to show us and where this story ends up going."
Trevorrow's departure from Episode IX was announced by Lucasfilm last week. A statement read: "Lucasfilm and Colin Trevorrow have mutually chosen to part ways on Star Wars: Episode IX. Colin has been a wonderful collaborator throughout the development process but we have all come to the conclusion that our visions for the project differ. We wish Colin the best and will be sharing more information about the film soon."
However, a subsequent report by Vulture suggested however that Lucasfilm boss Kathleeen Kennedy fired Trevorrow because he was "difficult," and that the terrible reviews for his last film, The Book of Henry, hadn't helped.
The site's sources stated that: "He had an egotistical point of view--and he was always asserting that. When the reviews for Book of Henry came out, there was immediately conjecture that Kathy was going to dump him because they weren't thrilled with working with him anyway. He's a difficult guy. He's really, really, really confident. Let's call it that."
Out of nowhere, Ubisoft has announced a new game today. It's called Atomega, and you won't have to wait long to try it out--it launches for PC in just a week's time.
Atomega is an online multiplayer FPS that is set "at the very end of time where reality is rapidly dissolving." You'll step into the role of an Exoform, which are a "distant relative" of human beings and machines that now compete for "fun and dominance." Exoforms attempt to get their hands on mass, which can be done by fighting others or simply collecting it "peacefully." The ultimate goal is to have more points than anyone else, but acquiring enough mass also allows you to evolve from a starter form of "the nimble Atom to the godlike Omega."
Matches consist of eight total players and 10-minute rounds. Ubisoft describes matches as "frantic battles" that, despite the morbidness of killing other beings for personal gain and this being the end of the universe, feature "a lighthearted tone."
Atomega was developed by Reflections, the same Ubisoft studio responsible for Grow Home and Grow Up. According to the press release, the game was "made with a creatively experimental mindset, deliberately seeking to create unusual concepts which will surprise and delight players."
Atomega launches on September 19. It's not just the sudden release date that's a surprise--the game will be priced at only $10 (international pricing wasn't announced). There's no word on whether console versions are in the works, but Reflections' previous games were released on both PC and consoles.
In honor of Rick And Morty Season 3, we're giving away a Rick Funko Pop! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Sunday, September 17th at 12:00PM PT.
Open to US residents only, void where prohibited. If you do not win this time, you'll be automatically entered in the next giveaway.
Enter below (the additional entries are optional to increase your chances of winning):
NBA 2K18 may still be a little over a week away from release, but PS4 and Xbox One players have a chance to dive into a portion of the game a little early. The game's Prelude demo is now available to download on both consoles.
Like its name implies, The Prelude offers players a chance to get an early start in the MyCareer mode. It also gives them a chance to experience the Neighborhoods mode, the game's new shared social space. Here, players can customize their player's appearance, play mini-games, and hang out with other players.
You can download The Prelude starting today for free from the Xbox and PlayStation stores. Those who do dive into the demo will be able to carry any progress they make over to the full game once it's released.
Update: Bungie has noted that Destiny 2's inventory issue may impact not just the MIDA Mini-Tool being lost, but also the Man O' War. Quest rewards that you don't have room to acquire should normally be sent to the Postmaster, only that isn't happening properly for at least those two items. As such, you should be sure you have multiple free weapon slots available when completing these quests. The original story follows.
Destiny 2 developer Bungie has confirmed it's aware of another issue with the game and is currently on the case to fix it. The official Bungie Help Twitter account today acknowledged a problem where the MIDA Mini-Tool does not get sent to the Postmaster after completing the "Enhance" quest.
Until a fix is made, you can prevent this issue from happening by making sure you have more than one Energy weapon inventory slots available when you complete the quest, Bungie said on its support site. Presumably a permanent fix is coming later.
Destiny 2's release has not gone entirely to plan. In addition to this issue, others have cropped up as well--you can see a rundown of all the known issues and a list of what's been fixed right here. Despite whatever problems there have been, Destiny 2 welcomed "millions" of players in its first few days, so there is no question that the game is a big hit.
In other Destiny 2 news, Bungie has published a roadmap image that shows all the activities and new content coming to the game this month. Additionally, Bungie released the game's entire, 33-track soundtrack online for everyone to listen to.
Update: It seems that the issue involving crashes on PS4 Pro have still not been fully resolved. Bungie recently passed along a message from Sony's support account on Twitter, which states, "We're aware that some Destiny 2 users have seen crash issues on PS4 Pro. We and Bungie are working to resolve, thanks for your patience." There's no word yet on when this might be fixed, but if you haven't tried disabling HDCP (as outlined below), it could be worth a try. The original story follows.
After many PlayStation 4 players found themselves unable to play Destiny 2 due to server errors, today has brought with it a new problem. A number of players have reported a PS4 crash error that's begun popping up, and Bungie says it's aware, though it doesn't yet have a fix.
Bungie has confirmed reports of players encountering crashes, which yield the PS4 error code CE-34878-0. The official help page for this error dates back to April and talks about updating firmware, reinstalling your original hard drive (if you've swapped it out), or formatting the system. Posting on its official forums, Bungie said that some players have reduced how often this happens by disabling HDCP on their PS4. This option can be found in the System area of the PS4's settings menu.
Of course, simply causing crashes to happen less often is still far from ideal. Bungie noted that it's working with Sony "to identify the cause for this issue." As such, there's no word on how quickly a fix might be released.
This follows a (since-resolved) online permissions error that prevented many PS4 players from playing overnight and into today. Those on PS4 Pro have also been dealing with crashing errors, which is among the known issues in Destiny 2 outlined by Bungie. Other problems to be aware of include one with the Nightfall (be sure to create a Fireteam before launching the Strike) and falling off a cliff in Nessus's Sunken Caverns (which may force you to return to orbit before being able to progress further). For more, check out our roundup of everything you need to know about Destiny 2, as well as our ongoing Destiny 2 review diary.
While Spider-Man is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movie rights to the character remain wth Sony. The studio is developing its own spinoff Spider-Man universe, the first of which will be Venom. The movie will star Tom Hardy and was supposed to start shooting earlier this month. However, it has suffered a series of production delays, with filming now starting in late October.
According to Omega Underground, Venom will now commence production on October 23, which is nearly seven weeks after the initial start date. The film will shoot in New York and Atlanta; as the site states, the increased popularity of Atlanta as a movie location means that there is more demand for local crews. Venom currently has a release date of October 5, 2018.
Hardy was announced in the lead role in May. He will play Eddie Brock; in Marvel's comic books, Brock is a photographer and rival to Peter Parker, who becomes a host for the parasite Venom and sets about to destroy him. The movie will be directed by Ruben Fleischer, who previously helmed the horror comedy Zombieland.
Sony has revealed the latest selection of PlayStation Store deals for the US. Headlining this week's batch of discounts is a Bandai Namco sale, which offers PS4, PS3, and Vita owners savings on many of the publisher's titles. These deals will be replaced tomorrow, September 12, making this your last chance to take advantage.
PS4 players have the wider range of deals to choose from. Most notably, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin and Dark Souls III are both on sale in the PlayStation Store this week. The former retails for $12, and the standard edition of the latter costs $24. PS4 owners can also pick up Dark Souls III: Deluxe Edition for $42.49, while the game's season pass runs for $15.
Beyond those titles, RPG fans can download Tales of Berseria for $36. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is on sale as well; the standard game retails for $36, while its Deluxe Edition costs $54. Some other notable discounts include:
Beyond the Bandai Namco sale, players can find discounts on the Farming Simulator series, including the latest PS4 installment, Farming Simulator 17, for $25. The sales are available until 8 AM PT/11 AM ET on September 12. You can find the full list of this week's game deals here.
Sony has also begun its "Day 1 Digital" promotion, which gives players a 20% coupon when they purchase two or more recent or upcoming titles like Destiny 2 and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy from the PlayStation Store. The offer runs until November 7; you can find a list of eligible games here.
The most recent set weekly deals are still available on Xbox Live. The week's lineup of deals have been announced and they cover Xbox One and Xbox 360 offers, all of which are good until September 12, making today your last chance to take advantage.
Nintendo has announced it will hold a Direct presentation on September 13 at 3 PM PT/6 PM ET/11 PM BST/8 AM AEST. It will focus on "what's heading to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS over the next few months" and is scheduled to last 45 minutes. The Japanese Nintendo Direct stream, meanwhile, will be five minutes longer, lasting a total of 50 minutes.
As always, a stream of the event will be available to see on Nintendo's official website and on its YouTube page. Of course, GameSpot will be on hand to deliver all the news from the presentation as it happens.
Nintendo hasn't detailed all the games it will feature in the Direct, but it has confirmed Super Mario Odyssey will be among them. Another big game Nintendo is gearing up to launch this year is Metroid: Samus Returns for 3DS, which is also a likely candidate to be featured in the stream.
Update: If you're hoping to try out Destiny 2's first Nightfall Strike, you're running out of time to do so. The next Nightfall will be introduced tomorrow, September 12, as part of the weekly reset. If you're sufficiently equipped to take on the challenge--which requires hitting 240 Power level, prompting a notification from Zavala--you can jump into the activity from the Director. Just keep in mind you'll likely need a group of three to take it on. The original story follows.
Destiny 2 is out now, and among the elements that you can play beyond campaign and the Crucible is the first of the game's weekly Nightfall Strikes. A Nightfall Strike is a special version of the activity, with special modifiers to crank up the challenge.
A post on Bungie's website confirms many of the details about this first Nightfall Strike, including the name, "The Arms Dealer." Your task is to "shut down the operations of an ironmonger providing weapons to the Red Legion."
Unfortunately, the modifiers are being kept under wraps. So you'll have to discover those for yourself when you play the game. We do know the challenges, however, and these include the following:
Speed Of Dark: Complete the Nightfall with at least 5 minutes remaining.
Unbroken: Complete the Nightfall with fewer than 3 deaths.
Trash The Thresher: Shoot down a Thresher while fighting Bracus Zahn.
Nightfall Strikes, along with their modifiers, rotate weekly, so you'll have many more chances in the future to try your hand at them. Given that the modifiers change, it is recommended that players select a loadout with the modifiers in mind, but you can do whatever you want.
Like in the original game, Exotics are the most desirable items for you to obtain in Destiny 2. While you're sure to get your hands on some through loot drops from enemies or chests, there are also those that you can obtain through a specific process.
There will likely be more uncovered in the days and weeks ahead, but to help kickstart your Exotic collection, we've rounded up the ways in which you can get your hands on several right now. You're guaranteed to get one piece of armor fairly early on by completing story missions, but these guides should give you some targets to aim for (or an idea of what's required if you want something specific). One word of caution: You may want to wait before completing quests that reward you with an Exotic, as your Power level will determine how strong it is. By waiting, you'll ensure you get a higher-level weapon without needing to infuse it.
We'll continue to update this guide with more walkthroughs in the days ahead. For more, check out our roundup of Destiny 2 guides, tips, and tricks.
Coldheart (Exotic Trace Rifle)
Coldheart is very straightforward to obtain: if you pre-ordered the game, you'll get it--eventually. As with the bonuses for purchasing Destiny 2's Deluxe edition, you first need to complete the campaign. Once you've done so, you can simply head to the Gunsmith (located at the Farm) to acquire it.
Sturm (Exotic Hand Cannon)
Once again, completing the campaign is a prerequisite for getting your hands on Sturm. With that out of the way, head to Nessus and start the mission O Captain (at Exodus Black, near Failsafe). Make your way through it and you'll receive the sidearm Drang, and then receive a request to talk to Rahool. You'll have to bring him a number of Engrams--five Legendaries and one Exotic--and kill 10 Fallen on Nessus using Drang. Rahool will then send you to Tyra Karn at the Farm, who will send you to Nessus to kill 10 Fallen without reloading (though it seems you can kill a few, reload, and then kill a few more to make progress). After that, you'll have to 10 powerful Fallen on Nessus using Drang. Head back to Tyra and she'll send you to the Exodus Crash Strike on Nessus where you have to kill the Servitor named Kendriks-7. Go back to Tyra, and Sturm is yours.
MIDA Multi-Tool (Scout Rifle)
Again, you'll need to complete the campaign to qualify for this. Work your way through the various missions available in the European Dead Zone, culminating in the mission titled Enhance, which will net you the MIDA Mini-Tool. (Take note that this step involving Enhance is currently bugged--make sure you have more than one Energy Weapon slot available when completing the quest.) With that in hand, head to Banshee-44 at the Farm to receive a new mission: using a scout rifle, land 50 precisions shots and then get 25 multi-kills without reloading. Go back to Banshee-44 for the next quest, which tasks you with dismantling five Rare (or better) scout rifles. Returning to Banshee-44 will give you another quest, this time to rack up 50 kills while in mid-air with the MIDA Mini-Tool. With that complete, see Banshee-44 for your new MIDA Multi-Tool.
Lara Croft returns to the big screen next year, in the long-awaited movie reboot of Tomb Raider. A first trailer is expected soon, but while we wait for that, a new image has been released. It comes via and shows star Alicia Vikander in action as Lara. Check it out below:
Tomb Raider also stars Dominic West (The Wire) as Lara's father, Walton Goggins (Sons of Anarchy) as the villain, and Daniel Wu (Warcraft) as a ship captain who works with Lara on her adventure. It's directed by Roar Uthaug (The Wave) andhits theaters on March 16, 2018.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Vikander spoke about taking on the role of Lara Croft and what would set her apart from both the Lara of the games, as well as Angelina Jolie's previous movie portrayal. "She has all the fierce, tough, curious, intelligent traits," she said. "But we've stripped away all of her experience. She hasn't gone on an adventure just yet. She thought she was a stuck up businessperson living in the modern youth culture of suburban London, but then this whole box of information. This is the beginning."
Last year, Uthaug lauded the 2013 reboot game and said the movie will try to do something similar. "I think making Lara Croft feel like a real human being, that's definitely something we want to bring to the big screen as well," he said. "I think we'll want to make people relate to Lara as a character. I'm hoping to bring some of my Norwegian sensibilities to the franchise."
Following last week's short film promo for the upcoming Blade Runner 2049, a first clip has been released. It shows LA detective K (Ryan Gosling) searching for clues in what seems to be a post-apocalyptic wilderness outside Los Angeles. Fans of the The Walking Dead will also recognise Lennie James, who plays Morgan in HBO's hit zombie show. Check the clip out below:
Blade Runner 2049 also stars Harrison Ford, Jared Leto, Ana de Armas, and Robin Wright. It's directed by Denis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario), and produced by Ridley Scott, who also directed the classic original movie.
In a recent interview with Slashfilm, Villeneuve revealed one of the main reasons that he decided to take on the sequel. "I said to myself, 'They will do it. No matter what we think, the studio will move forward and will make it.' I don't know if I'll succeed, but I know I will give it all my love and all my skills," he said. "I will work so hard. I didn't want it to fall into the hands of someone that wouldn't. I was afraid to see a sequel to Blade Runner, but I said, at least if I do it, I will have some control over it. At least then I can blame only myself."
Villeneuve went on to explain that he hoped to match the original film in terms of tone and pacing. "There was a melancholia in the first movie, a nostalgic feeling of loneliness and existential doubt," he said. "A kind of inner paranoia about yourself that I wanted to keep alive in the second movie. I wanted to keep the film noir aesthetic alive, as well. That was very important.
"A certain kind of pacing, too. It's still made in the rhythms of [today's] movies, but I tried my best to keep that tension alive. Ridley told me that it touched him because I was able to extend that atmospheric quality that the first movie had."
Blade Runner 2049 hits theaters on October 6, 2017.
Players continue to come to grips with the changes in Destiny 2, many of which are for the better. Some of these involve obtaining new gear and decrypting Engrams, a process which has been radically simplified.
As we've pointed out previously, you'll notice that Engrams drop less frequently than in the original Destiny. That means you can more frequently acquire new gear and equip it without first taking a trip to the Farm, which is certainly nice. But when you do obtain an Engram, there are two key bits of information to be aware of.
The first is that there's no sense in holding onto Engrams, as their Power level is determined when they're dropped. In other words, grinding your level or Power up before decrypting an Engram won't have an effect on it. In fact, by waiting, you may end up finding that it's underpowered relative to your current gear, forcing you to waste materials to infuse it in order to bring its Power level up.
Better yet is what Destiny 2 project lead Mark Noseworthy confirmed on Twitter recently: You no longer have to equip your best gear when decrypting. The game automatically determines what your best possible loadout is and uses that figure when dictating the Power of an Engram. As a result, you're essentially free to use whatever gear you want--you're no longer impacting the strength of your drops by using a lower-level piece of gear you prefer.
Destiny 2 has finished top of the UK physical video games chart in its first week on sale, dethroning Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in the process. However, according to GamesIndustry.biz, Destiny 2's launch week sales were down 58% over the original.
Bungie's sci-fi shooter follows in the wake of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Dishonored 2, and Watch Dogs 2, each of which sold less in their respective first week on sale than their predecessors. However, it should be noted that unlike the original game, Destiny 2 did not launch on PS3 and Xbox 360, and some players may be waiting for the sequel's PC version, which launches on October 24. In addition, sales monitor Chart-Track does not take digital sales into account. Even so, Destiny 2 had the biggest launch of the year so far.
You can see the full top 10 in the list below. This table does not include digital sales data, and thus should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
Destiny 2 is out today, and most people are rushing to blast through the campaign and get ready for next week's Raid. But if you're willing to take a break from leveling up, the Farm social space holds an intriguing secret that you might have overlooked.
Mild spoilers for Destiny 2 secrets ahead. If this is something that you want to try and discover on your own, you'll want to skip the rest of this story.
Originally revealed on the Destiny Reddit forum by user Myndit, you can (temporarily) unlock a nifty glowing look and the ability to jump really high in the social space by following a very specific series of steps. We've outlined exactly what you need to do in the video above, but here's the shorthand to activate and complete the Farm's Scouting Patrol. Note that you can complete these initial steps in whatever order you'd like.
Head over to where Tess Everis is selling her wares.
Hop on top of her tarp, and take a running jump toward the watermill building.
Walk to the waterwheel and walk on top until you see text pop up that says "Sentry Ranks" and "Wheel Boost" completed. From here, your character will glow blue, and you can jump higher.
Walk along the wire connecting the water mill to the tall building that the Postmaster is parked in front of.
Follow the next set of wires connecting that building to the other tall structure where you meet Suraya. You'll automactially activate "Sentry Ranks x4" and "Vertigo Completed."
Next, you'll head to the camp fire at the opposite end of the Farm from the soccer field.
Activate "Scouting Patrol." You'll glow red and be able to jump even higher (though beware, you still take falling damage).
Follow the glowing lights (around 10 in all) until you've hit them all, after which, you'll get to keep the cool glowing effect called "Commander's Blessing" until you either leave the Farm or die.
Bungie's Halo games had great music. Destiny 1 did as well. And this continues with Destiny 2, which has a score that is memorable and drives you into the game further and pulls you along with its orchestral themes and driving tone. If you want to listen to Destiny 2's score outside of the game, Bungie has now released all of it on YouTube.
All 33 tracks, spanning more than 2.5 hours of music, from the Destiny 2 official soundtrack are available to stream through the YouTube playlist below.
Destiny 2's music was composed by Michael Salvatori, Skye Lewin, C. Paul Johnson, Rotem Moav, and Peter Schlosser. In a statement, the composers talked about what they wanted to achieve with Destiny 2's music.
"'What makes a Guardian a Guardian?"' This is the central question posed by Destiny 2," they said. "In creating the music that will drive you through moments of loss and recovery, we have asked that same question of ourselves. The new soundtrack was composed to capture the somber spirit of a civilization confronting immense tragedy, and also to inspire bravery in the hearts of our heroes as they stand together and fight to reclaim all that they hold dead. We hope that you enjoy the music that accompanies this bold new adventure. Be brave all over again, Guardians."
You can buy Destiny 2's OST from the Bungie Store for $10 to get a digital copy, not a physical one. The soundtrack comes with options for MP3, Lossless, and Flac formats. Additionally, it has liner notes from the composers, along with a code to unlock a player emblem called "Resonant Chord" for Destiny 2.
Bungie's highly anticipated shooter sequel Destiny 2 launched this week for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One--and it was a massive success, it seems. In a blog post today, Bungie said "millions" of players have jumped into the game and reached the new social space, the Farm, in just two days since the game launched on September 6.
The developer went on to say that it expects more players to pick up the game in the days and weeks ahead, and promised there will be many more activities to play in the future. Destiny 2 launches for PC in October, so game sales stand to grow further still when the game is released through Blizzard's Battle.net next month.
"We've taken our first steps on a new journey as a community," Bungie said. "We expect more players to join our ranks in the days and weeks that will follow. Veterans of our community know that Destiny is not just a story about heroes, but also a world that evolves with you. New rituals will begin. New challenges will be revealed. New platforms will come online. New legends will rise."
Bungie also published a schedule for Destiny 2's first-month activities, including the Leviathan raid, Guided Games, Trials of the Nine, and more. Check out the image above to get all the specifics on what's coming and when.
Looking to October, Bungie said players can expect a set of "new challenges," including the first Iron Banner event and an update to the raid.
Clans have returned in Destiny 2, but this time around the feature is properly implemented into the game. You now have access to a multitude of tools and features to manage and maintain your Clan. In addition, members of your Clan have the opportunity to unlock special perks, earn end-game rewards, and host solo players seeking out people to play with in end-game activities.
With so much to understand about Clans in Destiny 2, we've compiled a beginner's guide detailing everything you need to know about what they are and how to access them.
Clan Q&A
What Are Clans?
Clans are communities that can be accessed in-game that are created and managed by players. They allow its members to play and progress together, communicate, and build up a community.
What Are the Benefits of Joining a Clan?
You can earn experience, level up, and obtain rewards when other members progress through the main campaign and participate as a group in normal or end-game activities. Progression can be viewed anytime in the Clan Profile in the game and the Destiny Companion via Bungie.net or the mobile app. Keep in mind that there's a weekly cap of 5000 XP per character.
It's also possible to obtain special perks, which are unlocked as your Clan gains experience and reaches certain Clan levels. You can receive perk benefits by obtaining the Clan Banner item from Hawthorne after unlocking the Farm social space and joining a clan. Be mindful that Clan Perks and Levels reset with each new Destiny 2 season.
You even gain Weekly Clan Engrams. However, in order to earn them, at least half of a fireteam attempting the activity must belong to the Clan. Like perks, Weekly Clan Engrams reset with each new Destiny 2 season.
Lastly, you can participate as Clan guides in Guided Games to help solo players through endgame activities
How Do I Join a Clan?
In order to be eligible to request to join a Clan or to receive Clan invites, you need to link your platform account to your Bungie.net profile. Once you've done so, you can use the Destiny Companion to search for Clans to join. Alternatively, a Clan leader can send you a direct invitation.
It's worth noting that you can only belong to one clan per Destiny account. In addition, if you have Destiny accounts on multiple platforms, you can have each account be in the same Clan or in different Clans.
How Do I Create a Clan?
Go to the Clan page in the Destiny Companion and highlight the Create Clan option. During the creation process, you can set the Clan Name, Motto, and Mission Statement. You can even choose your Clan's membership parameters. For example, you set Clan enrollment to Invite Only, or you can make joining completely open to the public. Regardless, only Clan Founders and Clan Admins can accept or deny requests to join the Clan.
Once a Clan is made, you're free to set the Clan Banner, change Clan settings (including the name and motto), shift Clan Founders and Admins, or edit Clan management tasks. Keep in mind that Clans must have a total of at least two members to start earning experience, as well as for the Clan, Clan Roster, and Clan Banner to show up in Destiny 2. Total Clan membership is limited to 100 players.
How Do I Communicate With My Clan?
Clans can communicate in real time using the text chat feature in the Destiny Companion. Also, every Clan has a dedicated private forum that can be used to post messages to their community.
Can I Change Clans?
It's possible to join a new Clan while already a member of a different Clan only if the new Clan you wish to join has an "Approval Required" enrollment. Once your new Clan request is approved, it'll automatically be converted into a pending invitation. This precaution is put in place to prevent a requesting player from being removed from their old Clan without notice. Be wary; changing Clans can impact your Weekly Clan Engrams and Clan Perks.
Can I Leave a Clan?
If you're a basic Clan member, it's possible to leave a Clan. But keep in mind that doing so impacts what Clan Perks and what weekly Clan Engrams you can access.
However, if you're a Clan Founder, you cannot leave or join another Clan until you've re-assigned the Founder role to another member or are the last member of the Clan (in which case leaving deletes the Clan).
YouTube's biggest star, PewDiePie, used a racial slur during a livestream today and at least one developer has said some strong words against him in response. PewDiePie, whose real name is Felix Kjellberg, said during a PUBG livestream today, "What a f**king n*****! Geez! Oh my god! What the f**k? Sorry, but what the f***?"
This is not the first time the loud and outspoken streamer--whose YouTube channel has 57 million subscribers, the most on the service--has generated controversy. In February this year, he apologised for a "Death to all Jews" sign; Disney and YouTube severed ties with him in the wake of this.
At least one prominent game developer has responded to PewDiePie's choice of words. Sean Vanaman, the co-founder of Firewatch developer Campo Santo, said his company will file a DMCA takedown notice on PewDiePie's videos about Firewatch and its future games.
"There is a bit of leeway you have to have with the Internet when u wake up every day and make video games. There's also a breaking point," Vanaman explained. "I am sick of this child getting more and more chances to make money off of what we make."
"He's worse than a closeted racist: he's a propagator of despicable garbage that does real damage to the culture around this industry," he added. "I'd urge other developers & will be reaching out to folks much larger than us to cut him off from the content that has made him a millionaire. Furthermore, we're complicit: I'm sure we've made money off of the 5.7M views that video has and that's something for us to think about."
Vanaman added that he does not have a vendetta against streamers. To back up his point, he said Campo Santo sent out more than 3,000 keys for Firewatch to both professional and amateur streamers, and that he watches streamers every day.
As of yet, it doesn't appear that PewDiePie has issued any kind of response about his comments. We'll report back as more information become available.
Destiny 2 had a strong start, it seems. Developer Bungie reported on Twitter that the shooter had more than 1.2 million concurrent users on September 10. Presumably that figure covers the combined playerbases on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
More than 1 million concurrent users is a massive figure. Destiny 2's servers have experienced some issues, presumably due to the influx of users, but generally the game has been stable. To help keep the servers from melting (not literally), Bungie introduced server queues, so some players in particular regions may have had to wait to log in.
Thank you all so much for playing, Guardians! Right now Destiny 2 has over 1.2 Million concurrent players online. We'll see you in the wild.
By comparison, Playerunknown's Battlegrounds, one of the most popular games on the planet right now, recently passed 1 million concurrent users for the first time. That game, however, is only available on one platform (PC) and it's $30 instead of $60.
Destiny 2's playerbase stands to grow further still, as the PC edition launches in October. Neither Bungie nor publisher Activision has announced any specific sales numbers for Destiny 2, but we now know it's over 1 million at the very least. Last week, Bungie said the game welcomed "millions" of players just two days after launch.
The concurrent player figure for Destiny 2--or any game--will always be lower than a strict sales number, as there is no way everyone who owns a game would or could play at the same time.
Destiny 2 is available now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; the PC edition launches on October 24 through Blizzard's Battle.net service. For the latest on Destiny 2, check out editor Kallie Plagge's latest review diary post here.
Microsoft and the DJ duo The Chainsmokers have teamed up for a special-edition Xbox One S that lights up. It's part of a larger initiative that will see Microsoft create custom Xbox One S consoles with "celebrities and brands."
As explained on the Xbox Wire, the Chainsmokers Xbox One S console uses a small, USB-powered processor that converts sound into a changing light show. There are 60 pixels that light up that not only looks cool but also creates what Microsoft says is a 3D effect. You can see the custom console and controllers in the video below.
We partnered with @Xbox to create this this amazing Xbox One S console. Tell us in a Tweet why you love it so much to win! pic.twitter.com/r3OY1WCqWi
"We were really pumped to work with Xbox on this project and help bring our music to life in a new way, by combining it with the best gaming console in the world," The Chainsmokers said in a statement (via Rolling Stone). "We knew the team would do something amazing, but when we saw the custom Xbox One S for the first time, we were both blown away by how cool the design is."
For his part, Xbox marketing director Aaron Greenberg said this console is unlike any custom console Microsoft has ever made. He also called it a "true piece of art."
Microsoft is giving the console away. You can try to win one by following The Chainsmokers on Twitter and replying with a message about why you like the design of the console. You can see the full contest rules here.
As for the other custom Xbox One consoles that Microsoft is making, these will be produced in partnership with "top personalities from music, sports, television, fashion, art and Hollywood." At least some of them should be announced later this year.
While you may never get your hands on these consoles, Microsoft is launching the Xbox One X in November. It's described as the most powerful console ever made, and it's also the smallest system Microsoft has ever produced. It'll live alongside the Xbox One S, which is less expensive (starting at around $250) compared to $500 for the Xbox One X. The Xbox One games and controllers you may already own will work on Xbox One X.
On the pitch, PES 2018 is fantastic. Every pass is beautiful, every tackle crunching, and every shot ferocious. If you've played any recent Pro Evo, that shouldn't come as a surprise. The series has improved dramatically since the PS3/Xbox 360 era, culminating in possibly the most fluid and satisfying football game ever released. FIFA's gameplay, meanwhile, has stagnated in recent years, becoming less responsive, more sluggish, and more frustrating to play.
Despite this, FIFA easily outsells PES every year for one simple reason: licenses. We're yet to see if EA's behemoth has improved over last year with FIFA 18, but we can count on it letting players realize their childhood dreams and play as Neymar, Ronaldo, Rooney, et al. PES, meanwhile, restricts you to a handful of licensed teams, with much of the English and Spanish leagues, among others, reduced to placeholders such as Man Blue, MD White, and London FC (Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Chelsea, respectively).
Player licenses are thankfully not an issue, so you can still play as your favorite players. But when they're inexplicably playing in a plain green kit rather than their official red or white or blue strip, the fantasy of controlling your team is significantly diminished, and you feel like you're playing a knock-off XStation GameBox cartridge your dad brings back from the car boot sale.
Once upon a time, these inaccuracies were amusing. Playing as "Gregs" rather than Ryan Giggs was funny when I was 10 years old, and even this year, looking at PES 2018's teams did spark a fun game of guessing who "West Glamorgan City," "East Dorsetshire," and "ST Yellow" were in real life. But it's becoming annoying, and it undermines the very reason many people play football games: to get their fix of their favorite club when it's not a Saturday afternoon.
PES is by no means alone in this regard--while FIFA has something of a monopoly on many league licenses, other popular games such as Football Manager also make do with a limited selection. That series, along with PES, has notably struggled to obtain any sort of license for the German Bundesliga, which is completely absent (even in make-believe form) from PES 2018 and only exists in Football Manager 2017 in an unofficial form. But where FM stands almost alone in the football management sim genre, save for a few also-ran mobile titles, PES has FIFA to compete with. Konami's problem is getting worse, too: FIFA's license library is expanding, with the Iceland national team a new addition this year and women's teams being introduced not too long ago. PES is also adding clubs--this season has brought new partnerships with Fulham and Inter Milan, and sees the series' exclusive arrangements with Barcelona and UEFA continue--but teams are being removed as quickly as they're added: Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been fully licensed in PES in recent years, but in 2018 we're back to Man Red and no Bayern at all.
You can mod teams' kits, badges, and names in, of course, and there's a very dedicated community out there to help fill in the gaps with some sterling replicas. But the majority of people who play football games will never realize that, much less know how to mod those details into their game, and never mind care--FIFA already has those kits, after all. Even as a huge fan of both football and video games, and a fairly recent convert to PES, I'm tiring of Konami's homebrew solution. Spending time importing and editing these details--I haven't even mentioned manager and stadium names or competition titles and badges--is a bind, especially when I have to do it every year. Football is perfect pick-up-and-play material, and this is anything but.
So what's the solution? Assuming the lack of licenses is simply a money issue, Konami could stump up the cash to get the official Premier League brand. But after 18 years making Pro Evolution Soccer without any such arrangement, the publisher is clearly either unable or unwilling to acquire a catalog on the level of FIFA's. So the burden must fall to the developers: not only to continue making a superior football game but also to do a better job of replicating the stars we watch on TV and in stadiums around the world every week. While some clubs' kits are imitated fairly accurately, others are wildly different to their real-world counterparts: calling West Brom "West Midlands Stripes" is probably a hint they play in a striped kit, for example, and watch any Tottenham Hotspur game and you'll discover they don't play in dark blue. Finally, an expansion of leagues to include the Bundesliga, and preferably the lower English leagues, is a must. Not only is this a problem when it comes to playing as those teams--bad luck if you're a Wolfsburg fan, or if you support any team in League 1 or League 2--but it also restricts the players available for you to buy in Master League mode.
Until these problems are solved--or those licenses acquired--I fear PES will forever be written off by many as the runner-up to FIFA, no matter how accomplished the former's gameplay may get. FIFA's obsession with realism may be harming the series on the pitch--but for the moment, it's the very thing keeping it ahead.
Check back later this week for GameSpot's full PES 2018 review, once we've had chance to test the game on public servers.
LawBreakers is getting a big new patch this week. Due out on September 11, patch 1.3 makes a number of big changes, one of which is that there will be a limit to how many roles there can be on any one side. When the patch comes out, teams will be limited to two of the same role on any team.
"Ultimately we've decided that the game is simply a lot more fun without role stacking," reads a line from the patch notes. "From now on Quick Play will feature a 2 role limit-- this means that you'll never run into 3 or more of the same role stacked against you."
Blizzard's Overwatch also launched without role limits before being updated to make it so there can be no two same characters on a team.
"If you've ever run into 5 Juggernauts defending a Blitz goal you know what we mean," Boss Key said about why it's making the change. "Our decision to set role limits to 2 is one we think will help inform development on Competitive Ranked as we continue to test it behind the scenes for future launch. As always, we'll be listening to your feedback so please let us know what you think!"
There are no character balance changes included with update 1.3. But developer Boss Key promised that more are coming down the road; they just need more time to test.
Update 1.3 for LawBreakers also adds a nighttime variant of the Promenade map and adds an XP bonus tracker tool that lets you see your progress against streaks and bonuses. There are also bug fixes and many other changes; check out the patch notes below, as written by Boss Key.
New Feature - XP Bonus Tracker shows active streaks and bonuses in main menus.
New Feature - Role limits now set to 2!
New Feature - Kick decals can now be imprinted on the world!
New Map Variant -- Promenade at night
BLITZBALL MODE -
Increased the radius for reducing the Blitzball shield from 850 → 1000.
OVERCHARGE MODE -
Increased the radius for reducing the Battery's shield from 750 → 850.
Increased contest radius for the Battery to 1000.
Changed contest area shape from a sphere to a cylinder for better contest detection.
UPLINK MODE -
Increased the radius for reducing Uplink shield from 750 → 850.
Increased contest radius for the Uplink to 1000.
Changed contest area shape from a sphere to a cylinder for better contest detection.
TRENCH -
Added collision to the top of the the central zone (above capture point B) so that Harrier's can now throw their Supercharger Stations up there. Other projectiles should behave more consistently as well.
BUG FIXES:
UI -
Fixed an issue where character podium visuals would break when FOV was set to extreme values.
Deadzo portrait icon now shows correct silver image in menus and in game.
Fixed an issue where the camera would detach from ragdoll during the death recap screen.
Game Mode UI Fixes
Fixed an issue where the Uplink world icons would stick around if you died while holding the Uplink.
Fixed an issue where the Turf War HUD icons could show 2 different states simultaneously.
Removed loss of consecutive match bonus warning when in lobby between matches or when playing in Custom Game.
SOUND -
Fixed missing or delayed SFX while playing in Occupy matches.
GAMEPLAY -
Matchmaking can no longer be entered with an old version of the game.
Harrier
Fixed animation on Blastback ability to no longer look completely horizontal when performed.
Fixed issues where Raycaster lasers would look like they were coming out at 90 degree angles from feet.
Multiple fixes for Shoc-Croc lasers not rendering properly during spectator view.
Fixed visual issue when looking at Convergence ability to better tell where the ability is actually aiming.
Visuals
Improved Blitzball model visuals when viewing up close.
Fixed multiple issues where weapon impact and ability FX would stick around in world.
Adjusted glow values on all "Hadronium Blue" weapon skins to fix them becoming too bright and distracting.
"Hadronium Blue" Crisper skin fix for the glow visuals fading out when being used.
SETTINGS -
Fixed an issue where key settings would reset on launch of game.
Players can now bind a mouse button for push to talk setting.
GENERAL ADDITIONS/IMPROVEMENTS:
Match leavers now automatically receive a D grade for matches they abandon.
Adjusted score grade requirements so that players will see S and S+ grades more often for performing well in match.
Optimized performance logic behind spawning FX.
Added an "Update Available" notification message for Steam and PS4.
Improved matchmaking logic to not automatically re-queue players joining a match in progress whose MMR is out of range.
No comments:
Post a Comment