New content for Destiny 2 continues to roll out. Following the Leviathan Raid earlier this week, Crucible players now have a high-end challenge as well. Trials of the Nine is now available, but only for a limited time. " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Trials of the Nine is back, and it features a different map and game mode.]
There are a number of pre-requisites for accessing Trials of the Nine, as it's not intended for just anyone. Like other Crucible modes, Trials is a 4v4 mode, but it's one that Bungie describes as "high intensity." To participate, you'll need to have completed the campaign, fulfilled the Call to Arms Milestone (where you simply play enough Crucible matches before the weekly reset) at least once, and have a Power level of at least 260.
While you'll have to tick all of those boxes to even be allowed in, you'll also need to form a Fireteam in advance. Additionally, Trials is one of Destiny 2's activities where your equipment is locked, so be sure to review what you have equipped and get ready before diving in.
Provided none of that stands in your way, Trials will pit you against other teams of four in an attempt to win a total of seven matches before losing three. Successfully doing so will complete the newly added Trials of the Nine Milestone, the reward for which is Spire access. Trials progress reportedly resets as part of the aforementioned weekly reset. We'll report back as more details about Trials are uncovered, but in the meantime, you can see the new social space (of sorts) and its vendor in the gallery above, or check out some of the rewards below.
It may have seemed like an unusual premise at first, but Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is proving to be a critical and commercial success. The Ubisoft game is now Nintendo Switch's top-selling non-Nintendo title, according to sales numbers from the NPD Group and Chart-Track GFK and reported by Eurogamer.
While Nintendo titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2 have continued to dominate the sales charts, other third-party games like Super Bomberman R have sold well. Still, Mario + Rabbids has already topped the list since its release at the end of August. Eurogamer also reports Nintendo has picked up the game for publishing in Japan and South Korea.
Back in early September, sales data from Australia and New Zealand showed Mario + Rabbids was the top-selling game across all platforms in the two countries during its launch week. The game was the second most-purchased game across all platforms during the same week in the UK.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a strategy game with its roots in XCOM-style, turn-based combat. You pick a squad of characters (including Super Mario staples and Mario-ified versions of Ubisoft's Rabbids) and face off against a bunch of enemy Rabbids. It also has a local co-op mode, where you team up with a friend and each control a squad of two.
The game has been a favorite among critics. In his Mario + Rabbids review, GameSpot's Edmond Tran said it "triumphs in creating a magical game world that is undeniably delightful." For anyone just picking up the game, check out our feature on the 13 things we wish we knew before starting Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle.
The next installment in the Star Trek franchise is coming to a television near you on Sunday, September 24. However, watching the entire first season won't be as simple as flipping on your television to CBS, as the new series will be part of its new streaming service, CBS All Access. Here is everything you need to know in order to watch the new show. If you're looking for more details about the show's story and timeline, check out Star Trek Discovery: Everything You Need To Know.
The First Episode Will Air On CBS
Everyone with a television--as long as you have a service to get channels, like cable or an antenna--will be able to watch the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery. The first episode of the series will air on CBS on Sunday, September 24 at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT. However, it could be delayed as it's following 60 Minutes as well as an NFL game. In addition, you will be able to stream the show live and on-demand through CBS All Access.
The Rest Will Air On CBS All Access
However, if you enjoy the first episode, you will not be able to watch the rest of the series on network television. You'll need to subscribe to its streaming service, CBS All Access, which will provide access to all of Star Trek: Discovery. Luckily, the second episode of Discovery will be available on the service after the broadcast premiere. And every following Sunday, new episodes will premiere on-demand after 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT for All Access subscribers in the United States.
According to IMDb, Season 1 of Discovery will consist of 15 episodes. It will run from September 24 until February 18, 2018. There will be a mid-season break from November 7 until January 7, 2018.
How To Watch CBS All Access
Because CBS All Access is not available through cable or satellite packages, like how Comcast incorporates Netflix, you will need to take extra steps in order to watch the series, but it's nothing out of the ordinary. Aside from being able to watch it on your PC, CBS All Access is available for the Roku Player, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Fire TV.
The Price Of CBS All Access
The price point for the service is $6 a month, which includes a one week free trial. Like Hulu, limited commercials will run while you watch the content. However, you can upgrade to a package that has no commercials for $10 a month, which has a free two day trial. All Access also offers a discount of 15% off of an annual plan. This comes out to $60 a year or $100 a year for the commercial-free option.
Your Total Cost To Watch
What it comes down to is the total cost to watch Discovery. If that's your only reason for getting All Access, which also gives subscribers access to previous Star Trek television series, then you're paying for six months of service (counting September as a full month). That's going to run you $36 to watch, unless you get the one week free deal, which should be $30, total. If you choose to watch without commercials, you'll be paying $60 in total.
It's a bit of a double-edged sword for those on the fence with Star Trek: Discovery. Considering All Access doesn't have a ton of original streaming content, this may not be a great deal for someone who already has a cable or satellite service. All Access seems like a better option for cord cutters more than anything else.
Disclosure: GameSpot's parent company is CBS Interactive.
It's Friday, and the latest Trials of the Nine event is now live in Destiny 2. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players can now jump into the high-end Crucible activity in the hopes of securing bragging rights (and some quality gear).
For this second appearance of Trials of the Nine, the map is Altar of Flame, and the game mode is Survival. In this gametype, two teams of four compete to exhaust the other team's supply of lives. Each team starts out with eight, and once they're all gone, players are no longer able to respawn (essentially making this a race to secure 12 kills).
To unlock Trials of the Nine, you'll need to have completed the campaign, fulfilled the Call to Arms Milestone (where you simply play enough Crucible matches before the weekly reset) at least once, and have a Power level of at least 260. The competition level is higher than in any other Crucible mode, as teams compete to win seven matches before losing three.
Trials of the Nine is one of the few activities that provides Powerful Gear rewards, which are a reliable way to earn high-Power level equipment. There's also a Milestone to win a Trials of the Nine match, which provides access to the Spire social space. There are special rewards up for grabs; you can see those that were available last week in the gallery above.
Update: The free weekend for Overwatch has officially begun on all platforms. Coinciding with this, Blizzard has discounted the game, dropping the price of the game to $30. Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition drops to $40, while the Game of the Year upgrade can be had for just $10. The free weekend runs through September 25, but the sale extends beyond that, running until September 28 at 11:59 PM PT. The original story follows.
The Overwatch free weekend is starting soon on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. If you want to play exactly when it starts, Blizzard has announced the specific start-times for the major regions around the world. The free weekend begins at 11 AM PT on September 22, and you can see how that translates to where you live in the image below.
The Overwatch free weekend gives players access to all of the game's 25 heroes and 16 maps in a variety of modes, including Quick Play, Custom Games, and the Arcade. You'll also be able to earn Loot Boxes, level up, and unlock customization options; you can carry over all of this progress should you decide to purchase the game following its free trial.
PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold are required on console. Those who intend to play on PC will need a Battle.net account; you can create an account for free here if you don't already have one. The free weekend ends on Sunday, September 25 at 11:59 PM PT.
Square Enix just dropped a healthy helping of new screenshots of Final Fantasy XIV's next patch, The Legend Returns, which is due in early October. This sneak peek gives us a good look at the new main scenario quests, a Final Fantasy XII-inspired raid, dungeon, housing, and more.
For this particular patch, Final Fantasy XII writer and director Matsuno Yasumi and director, illustrator, and designer Keita Amemiya have joined the team as guest creators. Take a look at their work coming to life in the screenshots below.
The new main scenario quests follow Lyse after the liberation of Ala Mhigo. Her people must come to terms with the past, but also find a way to rebuild and move forward towards their free future. Choices will affect Fordola, who still waits in her prison cell, and now that Raubhan's dream has come true for Ala Mhigo, what will he return to?
As for the new alliance raid, Return to Ivalice, the residents of Kugane wake up to a rather large surprise. Above their city is an airship, unlike any they've seen before. Instead of the bleak appearance of the empire's warmachina, this airship, the Prima Vista, belongs to the Majestic Imperial Theater Company. Why the group has appeared here lies within the songs they sing of Ivalice, and their work The Zodiac Brave Story.
The Drowned City of Skalla is this update's latest dungeon addition. Skalla, a small nation in Gyr Abania, existed during the fifth astral era, but war and the great flood of the sixth umbral calamity drowned the city and all of its might. This disaster left it in dilapidated ruins for monsters to lurkin providing plenty of treasures to plunder.
Finally, this patch opens up housing in Shirogane, an epicenter of traditional Eastern Asian design. With this update, you'll not only be able to relocate your in-game home, but also be able to take full advantage of storage.
Patch 4.1, The Legend Returns, will be available on PS4 and PC in early October. This is the latest major update since PS3 support ceased and the MMO's second expansion, Stormblood, released in June.
In addition to this week's batch of PSN deals, Sony is holding another flash sale in the PlayStation Store. This weekend, PS4, PS3, and Vita owners can find some steep discounts on a number of great titles.
You can find the full list of games on sale here. The flash sale ends on Monday, September 25, at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET. Meanwhile, this week's regular batch of deals will be available until the following day. They include discounts on the Assassin's Creed series, as well as a number of games featuring the iconic superhero Batman.
Nintendo has released a new trailer for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the next pair of Pokemon games on the way to 3DS. The video showcases a few of the new features players will find in the upcoming titles, including an expanded photo mode and the ability to surf between islands.
In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players will have access to an all-new Ride Pokemon ability, Mantine Surf. You can ride atop the manta Pokemon and manually surf between the different islands of the Alola region. While surfing, you'll also be able to perform a variety of tricks and earn a high score. You can see some screenshots of Mantine Surf below.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a mode called Alola Photo Club. With this feature, players can take photos with their Pokemon and decorate them with a number of different frames and stickers. You can then share the photos you take with other players.
The trailer also confirmed that island Trials are returning in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but this time, some play out differently than they did in the original Sun and Moon versions. The games will also feature at least one new Trial, which is presided over by Poni Island's captain, Mina. Additionally, players will be able to encounter more than 400 Pokemon in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, some of which can only be found in a certain version; Houndoom, for instance, is only available in Ultra Sun, while Manectric is exclusive to Ultra Moon.
That isn't the extent of the new content players will find in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon; the games will include a handful of new Pokemon as well. In addition to the previously announced Dusk Form Lycanroc, Nintendo revealed new forms of the Legendary Pokemon Necrozma during its Direct presentation last week. The company also announced two brand-new Ultra Beasts, codenamed UB-Burst and UB-Assembly.
Another week has passed, which means you're older, wiser, and that much closer to shuffling off this mortal coil. But if you're a Destiny 2 player, it also means the tentacle-faced vendor Xur is back in town, and he's got a few new Exotic items for you to purchase and parade around space.
As we learned last week, Xur now shows up on the map, which makes finding his location considerably easier than in the first Destiny. From September 22 to September 26, Xur will be kicking it on Titan, specifically The Rig. Take a look below to see his exact location and what he's selling.
Click image to view in full screen gallery
The Wardcliff Coil (Exotic Rocket Launcher) -- 29 Legendary Shards
Foetracer (Exotic Hunter Class Helmet) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Sunbracers (Exotic Warlock Class Gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Bungie will conduct a round of Destiny 2 maintenance in the coming week, which means the game will be offline for a period of time. Starting at 6 AM PT / 2 PM BST / 11 PM AEST on September 25, players won't be able to sign in. An hour later that day, everyone who is logged in to Destiny 2 will be kicked off. All told, there will be interruptions for around six hours.
We're still digging deep into Destiny 2, but there are some basic things you should know (and habits from the original Destiny you might need to break). You can check our Destiny 2 beginner's guide or our roundup of Destiny 2 guides, tips, and tricks for more information.
Doom appearing on the Nintendo Switch was one of the highlights of the most recent Nintendo Direct. We managed to get some quality time with this acclaimed shooter using Switch's portable screen setup. Note that we played this non-final build on a Switch debug unit, so the frame rate and performance is subject to change. We also encountered some sound glitches during our direct-line audio recording due to the nature of the debug.
Doom looks to be one of the bloodier games for the Switch as we were assured the gore will not be toned down for the Nintendo console. It's also supported by all the original version's post-release content. That includes the suite of multiplayer maps and modes, which will be offered as an optional free download at launch. Doom on Switch is scheduled for release Holiday 2017.
Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene invented the battle royale game mode long before he turned it into a standalone game with PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. But for all of the battle royale mods and games that exist, PUBG has been far more successful: The game has smashed all-time records on Steam and enjoyed a meteoric rise, with no end in sight. As you'd expect, other companies are looking to capitalize on the interest in PUBG, but the game's developer is unhappy with the particular approach Epic Games is taking with a new mode in Fortnite.
Epic announced earlier this month that it was releasing a new battle royale-style game mode for its upcoming free-to-play game, Fortnite. It made no attempt to hide its obvious inspiration, naming the mode Battle Royale and stating in a blog post, "We love battle royale games like PUBG and thought Fortnite would make a great foundation for our own version." After initially opening it only to those who purchased the early access version, Epic recently revealed that it will offer this aspect of the game for free to everyone starting on September 26 (the entirety of Fortnite will be free-to-play beginning next year).
In a curious move, PUBG developer Bluehole has now spoken out about the mode, even going so far as to release a press release sharing its reaction to Epic's announcement. The press release, which refers to PUBG as "the first standalone Battle Royale survival shooter game," states that it's decided to respond to "growing concerns regarding the similarities between the battle royale mode in Epic Games' newly revealed Fortnite and PUBG."
"We've had an ongoing relationship with Epic Games throughout PUBG's development as they are the creators of UE4, the engine we licensed for the game," said Bluehole VP and executive producer Chang Han Kim. "After listening to the growing feedback from our community and reviewing the gameplay for ourselves, we are concerned that Fortnite may be replicating the experience for which PUBG is known."
The press release notes that PUBG developers have "no relationship to Fortnite's development as concerns around User Interface (UI), gameplay, and structural replication in the battle royale mode exist."
Han Kim also took issue with Epic mentioning PUBG in reference to Fortnite's new mode. "We have also noticed that Epic Games references PUBG in the promotion of Fortnite to their community and in communications with the press. This was never discussed with us and we don't feel that it's right."
He also issued a threat, suggesting that Bluehole could attempt to take some "action" against Epic. "The PUBG community has and continues to provide evidence of the many similarities as we contemplate further action," Han Kim said.
No further specifics were shared, and it's unclear whether Bluehole has any intention of actually pursuing legal action. In light of PUBG's massive success, it's no surprise to see other developers looking to it for inspiration. As the press release even points out, Greene discussed copycats in a recent Reddit AMA.
"Other companies will, of course, enter the marketplace, but I would just hope they put their own spin on the game mode and not just make a carbon copy!" he said in response to a question (which didn't specifically mention Fortnite). "I try not to worry about them to be honest and instead just concentrate on completing my vision for a battle royale game."
We've reached out to Epic for a response to Bluehole's comments. We'll report back with anything it has to share.
Since launch, the Nintendo Switch has been hard to come by, and that may not change soon. It's uncommon to see it in stock, but not only can you pick one up right now in the US, you can do so with a discounted copy of one of its best games for a limited time.
Over on Ebay, highly rated seller antonline is offering a bundle with a Switch with gray Joy-Cons and a copy of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle for $340. Provided you're interested in the game, that's $20 cheaper than you would pay to get them individually (assuming you can actually find a Switch to purchase). Considering there haven't been many deals on the Switch or its games, this is a particularly good deal.
As such, you may want to act quickly if you're interested--we don't know how many are in stock or how long the deal will last for. Free shipping is also available.
Comedian, actor, and director Jordan Peele is working on a new TV show about Nazi hunters in the 1970s. It has been reported that Peele, best known the Comedy Central's sketch show Key & Peele and this year's horror hit Get Out, will develop and produce the series, titled The Hunt.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, this is the first project from a development deal that Peele signed with Sonar Entertainment earlier this year. The site states that The Hunt will tell the true story of "a diverse band of Nazi hunters in 1970s America as they set out on a quest for revenge and justice--tracking and killing hundreds of Nazis who, with the unconscionable help of the U.S. government, escaped justice and embedded themselves in American society."
Although no network is yet attached to the show, THR says that the project is already attracting interest from potential broadcasters.
Peele wrote and starred in five season of Key & Peele, alongside comedy partner Keegan-Michael Key, and the pair collaborated on last year's comedy Keanu as well as appearing in the first season of Fargo. Get Out was Peele's writing/directing debut; produced by Blumhouse films, the social horror movie has became one of the 2017's most profitable movies. To date it has made $252 million from a budget of just $4.5 million.
If you're starved for new information about Red Dead Redemption 2, it seems we have something to look forward to quite soon. Rockstar has teased that some kind of announcement or reveal is slated for next week.
Unfortunately, we have almost no idea of what to expect--Rockstar merely tweeted the image below. It contains nothing but a date and time--Thursday, September 28, at 11 AM ET (8 AM PT/4 PM BST, or 1 AM AEST the next day)--on a background that resembles the look of Red Dead Redemption 2's marketing materials. The company might plan to share new details or release another trailer, but for the time being, there's no way to know exactly what's coming.
It's been months since Rockstar had anything to share from the game. It was originally slated for release this fall, only to be delayed until next year. New screenshots were shared in May, and prior to that, we got the trailer above. Beyond that it's been an excruciatingly quiet period for the game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn't have an exact release date yet, but it's due out during Spring 2018 (no sooner than April 1). It's slated for release on PS4 and Xbox One. Like the first game, there's no word on a PC version, a possibility that Rockstar parent company Take-Two has declined to address.
The next major update for Minecraft is out now for Xbox One, PC, VR, and mobile. Dubbed the Better Together update, it adds a number of new features to the popular sandbox title, most notably cross-play support between the different platforms.
With the new update, players on Xbox One, PC, and mobile devices are now able to play together online regardless of what platform they're on. The update will also be released for the Nintendo Switch version to allow cross-play with Nintendo's console, though developer Mojang says that won't be ready until sometime this winter.
In addition to cross-play, the Better Together update gives all players access to a ton of player-made items on the Marketplace and adds stained glass, fireworks, banners, parrots, and many other new features to the game. The update also allows players to continue their progress in their Realm on a different platform, and they can now share invite links to Realms with other players.
New world start options: Starting Map; Bonus Chest; Trust Players
New game rules: Show Coordinates; TNT Explodes; Natural Regeneration
Added "/tickingarea" command to create areas that still update when no players are there
Player permissions
Zombie Villager spawn egg
In-game host options
Paper doll viewer
Outline selection toggle
In-game player names toggle
HUD opacity toggle
Expanded Xbox Live multiplayer world settings
New loading screens with funny and helpful tips
How to Play screen
Remix 3D export functionality (Windows 10 only)
New achievements
Server Partners
Realms invite links
Mash-up Packs and Texture Packs will now decorate the main menu and in-game HUD
Tweaks
Rebalanced most of the game sound effects and music, such as rain being much quieter
It is now much easier to see underwater after drinking a Potion of Water Breathing and Potion of Night Vision
Blaze Powder is now needed to fuel brewing stands
Ice blocks are now transparent
Maps can now be held off-hand and show the heads of players' skins
Locator maps now track the owner's position, regardless of dimension
Worlds can now be set to Invite Only, Friends Only, or Friends of Friends
Various improvements and changes to navigating the user interface
Redesigned button mapping and added Pick Block for controllers
Render Clouds and Fancy Leaves can now be toggled in Video Settings
Skins can now be changed from the pause menu
Chat messages can now be muted
Items picked up are now animated on the hotbar
Stained glass and banners will now spawn on End Cities
Increased the default player limit on worlds from 5 to 8 on higher-end devices
Block placement speed now matches the player's movement speed
Temperature decreases with height and it can now snow at high elevations
Observer blocks have updated textures and will now blink red when outputting a redstone pulse
Adjusted the color that flashes when mobs are attacked
Brick Blocks, Nether Brick Blocks, and Clay Blocks have been renamed to better differentiate from other items
Underwater particles
Jungle leaves are now transparent on higher-end devices when Fancy Leaves are enabled
Changed the sound effects for Creeper explosions
Added sound effects for placing Eyes of Ender into portal frames and opening The End portal
Bug fixes
"Too many to mention. My favourites are: making cats purr again, preventing bats from swimming underwater and stopping llamas from creepily turning their heads to stare at you while riding them."
That latest batch of discounts is now available in the PlayStation Store for North America. This week, PS4, PS3, and Vita owners can find deals on the Assassin's Creed series, as well as on a number of games featuring the Caped Crusader.
Those looking to jump into an Assassin's Creed game before the series' newest entry, Assassin's Creed Origins, arrives next month can find some sizable discounts on previous installments this week. PS4 owners can pick up Assassin's Creed Syndicate and Unity for $20 and $12, respectively. Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is likewise on sale for $9.89, while The Ezio Collection runs for $25. PS3 players can also pick up Black Flag at a discounted $8, while Assassin's Creed III: Ultimate Edition is available for $15. Other games on sale include:
Sony is also holding a Batman Day sale on the PlayStation Store, which features discounts on several games starring the iconic hero. PS4 owners can pick up the superhero fighting game Injustice 2 for $48 (or $42 with PlayStation Plus), while Batman: Arkham Knight is on sale for $10 ($8). Other discounted titles include Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition ($10 / $8), Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham: Deluxe Edition ($17.49 / $14), and Batman: Arkham VR ($16 / $14).
Also ongoing is the Day 1 Digital promotion, which allows you to get a discount by purchasing two or more recently released or upcoming titles from the PlayStation Store, such as Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Doing so by November 7 will earn you a 20% off coupon for a future PSN purchase.
The Assassin's Creed and Batman Day sales are available until September 26. You can find the full list of discounted games here.
We're not quite in the full swing of the holiday season, but there are quite a few notable games releasing this week on Xbox One. Perhaps most notable is the highly anticipated fighting game Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, which launched on September 19.
GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain said in his review in progress, "the mechanics underlying Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite make it an outstanding fighting game." You can read Tamoor's full review in progress here; keep checking back for the full thing.
Another big release this week is NBA 2K18, which officially came out on September 19 after its launch last week for people who pre-ordered. The racing game sequel Project Cars and Lego Ninjago Movie Video Game are out on September 22. Also due out on September 22 is The Coma: Recut, a remastered version of the horror game. Additionally, the 4v1 shooter Raiders of the Broken Planet from Castlevania developer Mercury Steam, is out this week.
The Evil Within 2 is out in just a few weeks for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, and now producer Shinji Mikami--who previously directed the original game as well as the Resident Evil series--has said he would like to see a Switch version of the horror title.
In an interview with GameSpot, Mikami said, "I think a Switch version would be interesting. I'd like to try it if I had the chance." While not exactly confirmation that such a port is happening, it's at least promising that such a prominent figure in the series (Mikami is acting as producer and supervisor on the sequel) would like to see it happen.
There's at least one small stumbling block however: "First I'd like to buy a Switch myself," Mikami said. "I had to borrow Zelda with the Switch from another staff member to play it."
We also asked Mikami about the growing expense of game development, particularly for bigger projects. Noting that it isn't a new trend, he said, "It's hard to make an original [game] now. The budgets are very big and the stakes are higher than they used to be." As for whether he would like to do a smaller project, he said, "Yes. I would like to do that," adding, "I don't know if it's OK to say that."
The Evil Within 2 is just a few weeks away; its release date is set for October 13 on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. For more, You can read our impressions of The Evil Within 2.
Super Bomberman R on Nintendo Switch is getting new characters and a brand new game mode. Publisher Konami announced the upcoming DLC at the Tokyo Game Show.
At the heart of the announcement is the new Grand Prix mode. Teams of up to three players will get to compete with each other in explosive combat, and Grand Prix will have "new rule-sets, unique new stages, new characters, and special skills," Konami said. It will also introduce a new rule called Crystal (check out a screenshot of the new mode and rule below).
"The two teams will battle it out to see who can collect the most crystals strewn around the stage. Make your opponents drop their crystals and then steal them. You have to work together--teamwork is a must," the publisher said.
Developer Konami has suggested that the new characters may be available sooner than the new mode: "Oh and just to hold you over, presenting Jehuty, Anubis and Reiko Hinomoto Bombers," it said on Facebook. It's currently unclear whether the new fighters are already live.
In related TGS news, Sony has announced a virtual reality version of Konami's game Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is on its way for PS4 and PC, featuring enhanced graphics and support for 4K resolution. The remaster will be called Zone of the Enders: Anubis Mars and is due out in spring 2018.
Pokemon Gold and Silver are now available in the 3DS Eshop, and those who purchase either of the classic titles will receive a free gift: a code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi, which you can redeem in either Pokemon Sun, Moon, or the upcoming Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. However, how you get your code may not be readily apparent, so we've outlined the steps you'll need to take to receive your Celebi.
To find your code, launch the 3DS Eshop and select the Settings/Other option from the main menu. From there, choose Account Activity and view your receipt for either Pokemon Gold or Silver, depending on which version you purchased. Your code can be found at the bottom of the receipt. Make a note of the code, then launch either Pokemon Sun or Moon (or Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, if you choose to wait for those versions to launch) and select the Mystery Gift option. Input your code, and you'll be able to pick your Celebi up from the deliveryman waiting inside any of the games' Pokemon Centers.
While Nintendo has given away Celebi for several previous Pokemon games, this marks the first time the Mythical Pokemon has been distributed for Sun and Moon. The Grass/Psychic-type comes at level 30 and knows the following moves:
Heal Bell
Safeguard
Ancient Power
Future Sight
All players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver between September 22, 2017 and September 21, 2018 will receive a code for Celebi. You have until October 31, 2018 to redeem it.
Following the announcement of Square Enix's intriguing-looking game Left Alive during Sony's TGS briefing this week, a mountain of new details about it have come to light. The details come by way of a Weekly Famitsu story, translated and reported by Gematsu.
Starting off, Left Alive is a third-person "survival action shooter" for PS4 and PC due out in 2018. The game is set in the Front Mission series, taking place between Front Mission 5 and Front Mission Evolved. Left Alive has three protagonists, one of which is a woman, and you'll switch between them as the game progresses. You can see the three protagonists in the artwork below.
We also learned that Left Alive's story has one ending but the final outcome for your character can change depending on the actions you take. Here are some other tidbits:
Mainly offline but there could be online elements
There are Wanzer-riding scenes and stealth
The game takes place in Russia, in 2127
Development is 50 percent finished
These are just a few of the newly revealed details about Left Alive. Go to Gematsu to learn a lot more about Left Alive.
Another interesting part of the announcement is that Metal Gear veteran Yoji Shinkawa is working on the project. His artwork can be seen in the trailer above and is also featured below.
Shinji Hashimoto, who has worked on the Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts franchises, is producing Left Alive, while Toshifumi Nabeshima, director of the Armored Core series, and Takayuki Yanase, mech designer on Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, and Xenoblade Chronicles X are also involved.
Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment would "certainly love to" make another game in Bethesda's acclaimed RPG series. New Vegas director Josh Sawyer said in a recent interview that he and other staffers at the studio would be jazzed about returning to the post-apocalyptic series after making the beloved New Vegas.
"I would certainly love to work on a Fallout game again," Sawyer told IGN. "I know there are tons of people at Obsidian who would love to work on a Fallout game again. If we were given the chance, we would certainly love to."
Sawyer went on to say that he frequently gets asked about Obsidian making another Fallout game. He said he fields "more questions about Fallout than anything else." And there is good reason; New Vegas was well received.
GameSpot's review scored it a 7.5/10. Review Kevin VanOrd said at the time, "Fallout: New Vegas is periodically awesome and consistently compelling. If you've got the stomach for some technological lunacy, this is one gamble that will pay off."
"I think if we were to do Fallout: New Vegas 2--or just a new Fallout--we would probably separate it from what the internal team at Bethesda's doing," Urquhart said said in 2013. "We'd keep it on the West Coast, because we're West Coast people. They're East Coast, so it makes sense."
"And we need an interesting confined area. So I mean, it could be LA. Fallout LA," he added at the time. "That could be interesting. It'd probably be The Boneyard, which is from Fallout 1. It could be very different. It could be almost a Walking Dead meets Fallout-like thing because of all the radiation."
Given how massively popular the Fallout series is, publisher Bethesda will surely announce more games in due time. But whether or not Obsidian will get the job to make a new entry could depend on a number of factors.
Would you like to see Obsidian make a sequel to New Vegas? Let us know in the comments below!
Back in May, Square Enix management said the video game industry is heading towards the "games as a service" model, at the time stating that the Final Fantasy publisher "will approach game design with a mind to generate recurring revenue streams." Now, Square Enix president Yousuke Matsuda has doubled down on those comments, saying in a new note to shareholders that the games as a service model is the way forward.
"Gone are the days in which single-player games were of primary status and multiplayer games secondary," Matsuda said (via @Nibellion). "Lately, multiplayer games have taken the lead, and it is standard for games to be designed for long-term play."
Games as a service is not a new concept, and it's a term that is defined differently depending on which company you're looking at. For Square Enix, games as a service means a game that "place[s] a strong emphasis on longer-term user engagement."
Square Enix will continue to make games that fit this description. The idea is to make games that people play for a long time instead of completing them quickly and moving on. "In so doing, we will increase customer satisfaction and enhance the lifetime value of the games themselves," Matsuda said.
One of Square Enix's biggest recent games, Final Fantasy XV, is adding online multiplayer through an expansion coming up soon. And just this week, the company announced a brand-new shooter called Left Alive, which we wouldn't be surprised to learn has a significant online element. The games as a service model makes business sense, as a publisher can continue to sell the game and its related content over time. And provided that content is compelling enough, it can be a good thing for gamers.
Also in the note to investors, Matsuda spoke about the growing importance of gameplay streaming. Square Enix is looking into how it can turn this into a business to create another form of revenue.
"An increasing number of our customers around the world enjoy not only playing games themselves, but also watching other gamers play them. You do not actually need to play a game yourself to enjoy it," Matsuda said. "Watching the advanced techniques of professional gamers and the unique broadcasts of game streamers is another way to enjoy games. Watching gaming is growing into a major form of entertainment thanks to considerable advances in the online streaming environment. It is the presence of e-sports spectators that make this meaningful."
"Once the size of gaming spectatorship grows, gaming itself will gain value as a form of media. This conversion of gaming into a form of media is proceeding rapidly. We also have a great deal of interest in this field and intend to proactively work to turn it into an actual business."
You can read Matsuda's full note to investors here.
One of the new features coming to Destiny 2 is what Bungie is calling "Guided Games." This is where a solo player can group up with a higher-level players to help learn the ropes of end-game activities such as Nightfalls and Raids. The Guided Games feature officially rolls out on September 26, but it's been available for testers for a little over a week now in beta form, and Bungie has now talked about how many people tested it out and what it learned from the beta.
Senior designer Steve Dolan said in the latest Bungie weekly blog post that more than 100,000 people have used the Guided Games feature to get through the Nightfall Strike, with a 90 percent completion rate. For Nightfalls, communication is important for the success of a team. Dolan pointed out in the blog that while players are not forced to join group chat, it is recommended. But even if you don't have a mic or don't want to use one, listening in on the battle chatter can help your team get through a mission easier.
Here are some other takeaways and key details that Dolan shared about Guided Games:
Finishing a Guided Game version of any activity will advance you through a milestone, even though the UI does not mention this.
If a Clan leading your Guided Game does a bad job, potentially on purpose, their Oathkeeper rating will fall. It is recommended that you look at the Oathkeeper score of a Clan before jumping into an activity.
Oathkeeper scores are given after completing four Guided Games. You can join a Guided Game for a Clan with a blank Oathkeeper score, but that could be a risk.
If all three players in a Nightfall agree to abandon their Guided Game, the Oathkeeper score won't be affected. This could be for a situation like you need to take an important phone call or have to run somewhere in real life. "Sometimes life happens," Bungie said.
When you match with a Clan for a Guided Games activity, you can decline joining that crew--for whatever reason--and you will stay at the front of the queue to find another.
Bungie reviews Clan names to ensure they don't included "objectionable" names, missions, statements, or mottos. Players can file a report about this if they come across something unsavoury, and doing so won't kick you out of the Guided Games queue.
Bungie has updated its list of Destiny 2 known issues to let players know what problems the studio is aware of and actively working to fix. The studio outlined these in its latest weekly blog post.
Starting off, the limited-time multiplayer event, Trials of the Nine, was disabled at the wrong time this week. Going forward, you can expect it to run from 10 AM PT on Friday until Tuesday at 2 AM PT. Another issue Bungie is aware of and working on is that Clan XP is not always being awarded upon completion of public events. Bungie said it's also aware of a problem where Clan Engrams are not given to members. One note Bungie provided is that you can't earn a Clan Engram if you quit a clan and join another one before the weekly reset.
Additionally, there is a problem with Destiny's microtransaction store, Eververse. Players are experiencing delays in receiving Silver after buying it through errors such as "Silver Sync Pending" and "Query Failed."
If you bought Destiny 2 Silver but it's not attached to your account yet, you should close Destiny fully, clear your console's cache, relaunch the game, and then select your character. This should fix the problem until a more permanent solution is implemented, Bungie said. If it doesn't work, you can reach out to Bungie through this Eververse Contact Form.
Destiny 2 Known Issues
Trials of the Nine was not disabled properly at this week's ritual reset. Moving forward, players should expect this activity to be available each Friday at 10 AM PDT through Tuesday at 2 AM PDT.
The quest step "His Highness's Seal" is not properly incrementing when players acquire Emperor Seals.
Occasionally, objects aren't properly spawning within the Exodus Crash Nightfall strike. Players may need to relaunch the activity for objectives to properly spawn.
Public event completions are not properly granting Clan XP upon completion.
Clan Engrams are not being rewarded to some qualifying players. NOTE: If a player leaves a clan and joins a new clan mid-week, they will not be able to earn further Clan Engrams until the following weekly reset.
If a player creates a new character after an alternate character has earned a raid key on a given week, the key will be erroneously removed from character Inventory. NOTE: Raid keys are removed, by design, with each weekly ritual reset.
In other Destiny 2 news, Bungie has announced that the game's servers will be offline next week for a round of maintenance. The servers will be down for 5 hours or more.
Bungie will conduct another round of Destiny 2 maintenance next week, which meansd the game will be offline for a period of time. In its latest weekly blog post, Bungie said the server maintenance period for Update 1.0.3.
Starting at 6 AM PT on September 25, players won't be able to sign in. At 7 AM PT that day, everyone who is logged in to Destiny 2 will be kicked off. The maintenance period is scheduled to run until 12 PM PT, so all told, there will be interruptions for around six hours. That's if everything goes to plan; there is always a chance the maintenance period could wrap up sooner or, as was the case last time, take longer.
In other Destiny 2 news, Bungie today announced some key details about the new Faction Rallies event. They'll begin on September 26, and all three factions from the first game--Dead Orbit, Future War Cult, and New Monarchy--are back to challenge players to complete tasks to earn Faction Tokens. You can read more about Factional Rallies here.
Destiny 2 also recently had its latest weekly rest. You can check out GameSpot's guide here to find out what you need to know about what that means for the Nightfall, Raid, and Flashpoint.
Weapons tied to factions have begun to pop up in Destiny 2, but things will soon become much more involved. Bungie previously revealed that something called Faction Rallies would begin on September 26, but we had no idea of what those would actually entail. The developer has now provided details on how they'll work and what you can get by participating.
Faction Rallies are a special event that kicks off with the weekly reset on Tuesday, September 26, at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM BST and runs until the same time on October 3. All three factions return from the original Destiny--Dead Orbit (represented by Arach Jalaal), Future War Cult (Lakshmi-2), and New Monarchy (Executor Hideo)--to task players with "gather[ing] supplies for their faction and destroy[ing] enemy resources." This is done by simply playing the game--you'll choose one of the three factions to align yourself with and then earn Faction Tokens by completing public events, Lost Sectors, Strikes, or the Raid, or by playing Crucible.
Faction Tokens can be turned in for rewards packages, which include a variety of faction-specific items, including weapons, armor, and shaders (you can see all of these in the gallery above). There looks to be quite a lot of gear for each faction.
Additionally, each faction has a "powerful weapon" that is specific to it--Dead Orbit has a scout rifle, FWC a pulse rifle, and New Monarchy a sidearm (also pictured above). At the end of the event, the faction that collected the most packages is named the winner, and its weapon will be sold to all players for 50,000 glimmer. Members of the winning faction will be able to purchase it for only 1,000 glimmer. The winner will be named at 10 AM PT on October 3.
Last month, we got the surprise announcement of the next game coming from the Yakuza devs, an adaptation of the popular and incredibly gory martial-arts action anime Fist Of The North Star. Titled Hokuto Ga Gotoku (a hybrid of Hokuto No Ken and Ryu Ga Gotoku), the developers plan to inject their particular style and charms into the brooding and incredibly violent atmosphere of post-apocylptic Earth. During Tokyo Game Show 2017, the developers behind the game showed off much more of what people can expect from this bizarre and absurdly violent manga-inspired brawler.
Focusing on the exploits of the nearly unstoppable and skilled fighter Kenshiro, he faces off against hordes of bandits, criminals, and tyrants in post-apocalyptic Earth. While this setup alone already makes for an interesting setting, this new game--which apparently takes place after one of the early main arcs in the manga--takes some rather interesting liberties with the source material. Ken will of course have plenty of bad guys to fight, but he'll also moonlight as a bartender serving post-apocalyptic alcohol, and occasionally mingle with hostesses in the various bars and social spots. While strange for the Fist of the North Star series, it totally fits with what the devs are familiar with for their games.
In this gameplay video from TGS, we see Ken brawling with a number of bad guys while using his particular set of skills. Similar to the Yakuza series, Ken will occasionally get into some scrapes with bad guys while wandering around town. From there, he'll take on well over a dozen bad guys, and use his head-popping and physics defying moves to take them down. Combat looks appropriately more fast and violent than its Yakuza counterpart.
While they've still yet to show off the side-content and events focusing on Ken working odd-jobs and mingling with the inhabitants, the developers from the Yakuza series already look to have a handle on the new setting. We're still a bit unclear on the specifics of the game, but with a PS4 release in Japan set for 2018, we will learn about this game soon enough.
Looking for a deal? Microsoft has announced the latest set of weekly deals for Xbox Live, covering Xbox One and Xbox 360. This week's lineup is not all that extensive, though there are quite a few solid offers to be had.
Starting with Xbox One, games like the Battlefield 1 + Expansion Pass bundle ($42/£38.50/$63 AU), Far Cry 4 ($16 £9.60/$16 AU), Far Cry Primal ($20/£12/$24 AU), and Overwatch ($39/£30/$65 AU) are on sale. Additionally, quite a lot of Battlefield 1 DLC is on sale this week, including the military shooter's numerous shortcut kits.
Go to Major Nelson's blog to see the complete rundown of weekly deals for Xbox One and Xbox 360, some of which require a Gold membership. This week's deals are good through September 25.
Netflix has pulled down an episode of its children's animated show Maya the Bee after someone spotted that a penis drawing could be seen in the background.
This apparently came to light after a parent spotted the image in question. A mother wrote a Facebook post (via Entertainment Weekly) that said in part, "Please be mindful of what your kids are watching. I know I'm not going crazy and I know that something like this shouldn't be in a kids' show whatsoever."
The parent attached a picture of the drawing and you can see it in the embed above. It is definitely, 100 percent a penis.
The show has been available since 2013, and the image can reportedly be seen in Season 1, Episode 35. Maya the Bee, which is based on a German children's book series first published in the early 1900s, was produced by Studio 100 Animation, a production company based out of Europe.
Netflix is yet to comment on the phallic matter. It remains to be seen if the scene will be edited and put back online.
This story has been updated.
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