Much like the NES Classic console from last year, the SNES Classic is a bit of a hot commodity. With an assortment of retro games from the SNES library, there are many games getting a second chance in the spotlight, along with others that have stood the test of time and still hold up as some of Nintendo's finest games.
We at GameSpot are here to give you everything you need to know about Nintendo's throwback console; such as good places to keep an eye out for ordering your console, what games are available on the system, and what sort additions have been added to make the experience of replaying these games feel a bit more unique. Be sure to check back with us for more info about our hands-on time with the console, along with our official review coming soon.
When Is The Release Date For The SNES Classic?
Set for release on September 29 for $80 USD/60 GBP/7,980 Yen, the SNES Classic will be available in most markets. Much like the NES Classic, Japan will have a Famicom version known as the Super Famicom Classic the following week on Oct 5, along with some games unique to their market such as Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki (Legend of the Mystical Ninja). Though the Western release of the Classic console will be missing some titles from its Eastern counterpart, there's still plenty of great games to enjoy.
How Can I Find An SNES Classic?
Learning from the extreme shortages of the NES Classic, Nintendo has increased the amount of units in distribution, and will also be producing them in larger quantities. Moreover, Nintendo has urged fans not to purchase SNES Classic consoles sold at significantly higher rate, as there will be more available for buyers compared to the NES Classic. Much like the pre-ordering phase, it would be best to keep watch of established stores such as Amazon, Target, GameStop, Walmart, and Best Buy for available units as they come. Be sure to check back with GameSpot for updates on availability of units.
Aside from Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, and Super Metroid, there's one game that's been getting a lot of attention, and that's Star Fox 2. Unlocked after completing the first stage in the original Star Fox, Star Fox 2 introduced a number of interesting gameplay innovations, new characters, and brand new vehicles to control. However, for a variety of reasons, it was shelved around the time of its completion. Though unofficial copies have made the rounds over the years, this marks the first time that Nintendo will be releasing the game in an official capacity. To mark this occasion, GameSpot will be publishing a review for the newly released Star Fox 2, which will be our first SNES review in two decades.
What Is The Setup And User-Interface Like?
While the original Super Nintendo was designed for standard definition TVs, the SNES Classic features an updated setup including HDMI cables, and a home menu where you can access all the games. Much like the NES Classic, the Super Nintendo mini-console will give players access to all the games from the menu, where they can jump around between each game. Each game allows for four different save slots, allowing you to save your game on the internal system. Though unlike the NES Classic, the SNES will be a bit more comfortable to play this time around, featuring longer control cables at around 5 feet. Moreover, the UI will also feature a number of tweaks and customization options for players, such as a set of custom borders you can apply to the 4:3 games, CRT filters, and also a rewind option--allowing you to as rollback a bad move in a game and try again.
Keep checking back with GameSpot during the lead up and after the release of the SNES Classic for more information as it comes. Check out some of coverage with our hands-on time below, along with updates from Nintendo, and along with our full-review.
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.
Summer might be coming to a close, but it's just beginning for the counselors of Crystal Lake. Friday the 13th's 1984 Spring Break clothing pack DLC has finally released alongside some updates.
While the $2 DLC pack isn't anything more than some new swimsuits for the gang, it certainly sets the mood for everyone's impending doom. The pack gives each counselor a different swimsuit from mankinis and trunks for the dudes, all the way to one pieces and bikinis for the ladies. Although, we are quite disappointed that Lachappa doesn't have a mankini too.
On the update side of things, the title's customization UI has been altered to make things a bit smoother. You can now customize your clothing's colors too. Eight new emotes and an emote wheel have been thrown into the mix as well, because when you're running in terror, keeping your friends in the loop is a must.
Other fixes, outside of bugs, are focused on Jason and how he interacts with the world. Counselors can't be drowned in shallow water anymore and he can now break through windows and doors while attacking. You can check out all the changes in the game's patch notes here.
As for the future, Jason probably won't be able to break furniture due to lack of manpower, but campsites might actually do more than just sit there soon. Check out all the details on this and more in the developer's notes.
Friday the 13th is available now on Xbox One, PS4 and PC digitally. Physical release is expected on Friday, October 13.
It's a brand-new week during the fall TV season, and that means a whole bunch of fresh television seasons and series. Figuring out what shows are good and bad can be a huge time investment, so we've gone over this past week's shows and summed up our thoughts on them.
Over the course of the next couple of months, we'll be looking at a selection of new and returning shows and giving you a quick breakdown of what is worth watching and what you should pass on. This week, we're talking about Vice Principals, Channel Zero, Gotham, and Fuller House.
Vice Principals
Neal Gamby is back and recovering from last season, when he was shot in the parking lot of the school. Now on the mend, he returns to North Jackson High School. He finds Lee Russell is now principal, and there have been a ton of changes, including the school's mascot. Gamby goes on a mission to find out who shot him, while adjusting to returning to work.
As far as season premieres go, this one was top notch. Last season ended on a sad note, with one of the main characters being shot, but Vice Principals gets right back to its comedic roots, even if its characters can be sinister and completely despicable. Early on in the episode, Gamby's over-dramatic recovery is wildly funny, especially when he's riding a chairlift to get up the stairs. Overall, it's a solid episode that does a fantastic job at setting up the tone and stories for the season. As far as absurdist dark comedies go, Vice Principals is one of the best.
Is It Worth Watching?: If you enjoyed Eastbound & Down or the work of Danny McBride, this show will become one of your favorites of the fall season.
Vice Principals airs on Sundays at 10:30 PM on HBO.
Channel Zero
The Syfy horror anthology series is back. This season, Channel Zero adapts the creepypasta "No-End House." The television version of the story follows Margot, a young woman dealing with her father's death, a year after his passing. She and a group of friends heads to No-End House, which is seemingly a haunted house with six rooms. However, the rooms get more terrifying and more personal as they venture through the house.
The first episode follows the original story exceptionally well, with a couple small liberties. While the show has a slow pace--which only adds to the horror--it doesn't make the audience wait to get inside the No-End House. It delivers the subject matter in a quick manner, all while doing an excellent job at defining this season's characters, even the ones who don't appear much on screen during the premiere episode. It improves on all the flaws from the first season--like delivering a more simplistic, easily digestible story and creating empathetic characters right out of the gate--and amps up the horror to create an engaging, yet unsettling, premiere.
Is It Worth Watching?: Without a doubt, Channel Zero will be a sleeper hit this year. It's deeply haunting, without entirely relying on jump scares. "No-End House" blows the first season out of the water.
Channel Zero airs on Wednesdays at 9 PM on Syfy.
Gotham
The fourth season of Fox's show is a chaotic mess. The slapstick plot follows Penguin, who is in charge of all crime in Gotham City and hands out licenses to commit crime; no, that's not a joke. Meanwhile, the GCPD are totally cool with it because overall crime is down. Bruce Wayne is in full-on vigilante mode, working to uncover Penguin's plot while a group of criminals without licenses have Dr Crane's fear formula and are terrorizing the city.
This episode was madness. There was so much going on, but at least the supervillains in flashy costumes (Mr. Freeze and Riddler) were gone, meaning the unwatchable campiness from last season was almost entirely absent from the premiere. Don't worry, it was still bonkers even without the costumes. The story is mind-boggling and involves huge jumps in suspension of disbelief to navigate. That being said, it was actually a ton of fun. I may have been having a laugh or two at the show's expense, but I found myself really enjoying it, in the same way that I enjoy the live-action Batman series from 1966. Gotham has a level of fun to it despite presenting itself as a dark and brooding series.
Is It Worth Watching?:Gotham is the car wreck you can't turn away from. If you're looking for something a bit silly and over-the-top, you may find something to enjoy in this onslaught of insanity. Gotham feels more like Schumacher's Batman series than Nolan's at this point, but I can't stop watching. It's not good, but it's not entirely ignorable.
Gotham airs on Thursdays at 8 PM on Fox.
Fuller House
Oh boy. It's summertime, which means tons of free time for the kids in the Tanner household, except for Jackson, who has to go to summer school because of his low grades. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Stephanie find out that Kimmy's husband, Fernando, may be cheating on her. All of this is surrounded by canned laughter, applause, and the occasional quick cut to a baby being cute.
Understandably, you may be wondering why I even watched Fuller House to begin with. Nostalgia is a powerful motivator, even when you know going in that what you're about to watch will be bad. While the original network series wasn't a laugh riot, it had its moments--unlike the Season 3 opener for Fuller House. It's painfully slow and unfunny, and its writing is stuck in the early '90s, which does not play well today. There are plenty of shows that "aren't for me," but Fuller House is barely suitable for kids.
Is It Worth Watching?: No. Even if you're the type of person who falls into the nostalgia trap, this won't satisfy you on any level. Getting through the opening musical number was excruciating.
All three seasons of Fuller House are available on Netflix.
Come back next week when we're talking about Star Trek: Discovery, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Nathan For You, and Marvel's Inhumans.
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About The Amazing Eternals:
The Amazing Eternals is a new free-to-play competitive hero shooter from Digital Extremes, the studio behind Warframe. Players have the ability to construct and customize decks from sets of cards unique to each Eternal before each match. This offers players an additional layer of strategy and customization. These cards can give players powerful passive buffs, upgrades to their abilities, even devastating weapons that can turn the tide of battle in key moments.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi has completed post-production. Director Rian Johnson has confirmed that the latest movie in the blockbuster franchise is now finished, ahead of its December release.
Johnson announced the news with an Instagram selfie, in which he featured some of the post-production crew (and the top of his head). Check it out below:
The Last Jedi arrives in theaters on December 15. It also stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, and Andy Serkis. While we are yet to see any new footage from the film, there have been a number of vehicles and characters revealed, including these cool First Order vehicles, and this new droid, which resembles an evil BB-8.
The Tokyo Game Show is happening this weekend, and while the biggest draw might be the cosplay, the other big thing to look forward to are new game trailers. And of course, Namco Bandai are going to deliver. Here are three new trailers released by the publisher during the show. And in case you missed it, we also have a full roundup of all the Sony announcements from earlier this week. Although it doesn't have a presence at the show, Nintendo went ahead and had a Nintendo Direct video presentation last week detailing its remaining 2017 lineup.
If you're looking for a Dark Souls like challenge, the vampire-themed Code Vein will not have any easier difficulty settings. While we know the game is coming in 2018, the trailer above only raises new questions: "Who is the queen? What is the Red Mist? Why do the Revenant continue to fight and feed?"
Despite the "online" moniker, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet isn't an MMO. Instead this action RPG is based on the anime of the same name. From the trailer description: "Experience an all new story with original characters Kureha and Zeliska, uncover the mysteries of the ArFA-sys, and become the hero with the all new character customization features! With multiple skills and appearances at your disposal, you can control your own future. You are now the hero, and your choice is faster and heavier than a bullet."
We also have a crew reporting live from Tokyo all weekend, so check out the main site for even more TGS-related content on the way.
EA's FIFA 18 is still a week away from release, but critics have already begun offering their thoughts on the new soccer game. FIFA 18 doesn't differ radically from last year's installment, but EA has made some notable tweaks to the gameplay that make the game an improvement over its predecessor. In GameSpot's FIFA 18 review, critic Oscar Dayus said the game's "on-pitch improvements represent the beginnings of a recovery for the series," though it is "still lagging far behind PES 2018's more fluid, satisfying football."
Other reviews and impressions have begun appearing online as well, and most seem to agree that FIFA 18 is yet another worthwhile entry in the long-running sports franchise. You can find a sample of reviews and reviews-in-progress below; for a wider look at what critics think of the game, be sure to check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"It's off the pitch that EA excels. From the variety of game modes on offer and how everything's presented, to the constant updates in FUT's Team of the Week, Daily Objectives, and discussion of real-world happenings in commentary, FIFA 18 captures the world of football and confidently translates it into a video game. On the pitch, however, EA's soccer series is still lagging far behind PES 2018's more fluid, satisfying football. This year's improvements are welcome, but more needs to be done in the coming years if FIFA is to be a world-beater once again." -- Oscar Dayus " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
IGN -- Review-in-Progress
"Ultimately, FIFA 18 introduces enough new ideas to suggest it's not sitting on the laurels of its success. However, it's a simplified experience, one that fails to embrace the complexity of football at the highest level. Its focus on attack makes for spectacular matches, but they often feel like extravagant offensive training sessions than a proper match with depth and strategy." -- John Robertson " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review-in-progress]
US Gamer -- 4/5
"This series hasn't changed much over the years, and it's certainly not as dynamic and ambitious as it was back in the days of the Xbox 360. But the foundation EA built back in 2010 has held up remarkably well over the years. And with FIFA 18, it goes back to its strengths a little bit after a year that frankly wasn't that much fun to play." -- Kat Bailey " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
GamesRadar+ -- Review-in-Progress
"There's more punch to shooting from distance, more intent on crosses (with genuine whip added to the ball--my favourite of all the new changes), and players are sharper when it comes to breaking onto loose balls or throwing themselves at shots." -- Ben Wilson " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review-in-progress]
The Telegraph -- Review-in-Progress
"FIFA 18 is a significantly better football game than its predecessor. I was rather fond of FIFA 17, but despite the engine overhaul it was still beholden to some of FIFA's more long-standing issues. Animations taking too long to unfold and delaying your move; wrestling to control unresponsive players; a lack of individuality from player to player. FIFA 18 has addressed these issues quietly but confidently, like a successful team signing a full-back under the radar because the previous one kept picking up daft bookings." -- " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review-in-progress]
Digital Trends -- 4/5
"FIFA 18 relies a little too much on back-patting and the illusion of choice during its story mode, but it's still remarkable how well Electronic Arts managed to tell the tale of Alex Hunter and his family. The soccer on the field more than backs up the writing, with rewarding gameplay that can entertain even those who normally hate the sport. Just make sure that you carve out plenty of time and say farewell to your family members for the foreseeable future, because you're going to need all the extra time you can get." -- Gabe Gurwin " style="word-wrap: break-word;-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%;-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;color: #6DC6DD;font-weight: normal;text-decoration: underline;">Full review]
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.
Picking up a copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection is no longer the only way to a handful of Halo games on Xbox One. Microsoft has added four more games to the backwards compatibility library, all of them Xbox 360 entries in the Halo series.
As promised, Microsoft has made four games--Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, and Halo 4--playable on Xbox One. The full campaigns and multiplayer modes are included, and these are accompanied by all of their DLC packs, which are accessible for free. If you own any of these games, you can simply pop the disc in (or install it from the Ready to Download list, in the case of digital copies) and start playing.
These games are curious--but welcome--additions to the backwards compatibility list, given that Microsoft stands to make money from sales of The Master Chief Collection. That compilation includes improved versions of all of these games (Halo 3: ODST was offered as free DLC post-release), as well as a fully remastered version of Halo 2. MCC remains an attractive option for those looking to play the best-looking versions of these games (or to play Halo 2 on Xbox One), but being able to play the original versions for free is a nice gesture.
Sure, the latest update for Minecraft is a notable one for introducing cross-play to the wildly popular game--that's all well and good. But it's the bug fixes located in the patch notes that I think are the real highlight.
The latest instance of "patch notes that are much funnier than they have any right to be" comes with this week's Better Together update for Minecraft. There are a wide range of new features and tweaks, including the aforementioned cross-play support, but it also fixes so many bug fixes that developer Mojang decided not to share them all. Luckily, it did include a few.
Among them: This patch "stop[s] llamas from creepily turning their heads to stare at you while riding them." Not being a hardcore Minecraft player, this is something I was admittedly unaware of--you can seemingly see it in the image above, which comes from this YouTube video by Aiden Art. Suffice it to say, it's something I will forever regret not being able to experience myself.
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.
As cord-cutting continues and an increasing number of internet-based companies look to capitalize on the situation, we've seen some new ways to watch NFL games pop up in recent years. A select number of games have been broadcast through places like Twitter, and this coming Sunday will see Yahoo stream a game online. You'll be able to watch for free on a variety of platforms, including Xbox One, PC, and mobile.
Yahoo has the rights to broadcast this Sunday's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars. While far from a marquee match-up, it is effectively an extra game; it's set to be played in London, and thus airs earlier in the day, before the day's regular slate of games. The action kicks off at 6:30 AM PT / 9:30 AM ET on Sunday, September 24.
There are a wide variety of ways to watch, including everywhere from Yahoo Mail to Tumblr to AOL.com on your computer. A variety of mobile apps will also carry the game, as will those on various streaming devices--including both the Xbox 360 and Xbox One (but not PS3 or PS4, unfortunately).
Those on Xbox One will be able to access the game through the NFL app, while the Yahoo app will host it on Xbox 360. If you have an Apple TV, Roku, or Fire TV, those are also among the long list of supported platforms. You can check out all of the ways you can watch here.
The run of new releases continues this week with a bunch of new titles out for PlayStation consoles. While this week isn't as busy as it'll be next month and into the holiday season, there are quite a few notable big-name releases coming out this week.
Starting off, NBA 2K18 officially launched on September 19 following its release for pre-order shoppers last week. Another big-name title out this week is Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, while Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 hits retail this week as well. Racing game sequel Project Cars 2 hits this week, as does the 4v1 shooter Raiders of the Broken Planet. Scroll down to see a full rundown of new PlayStation games out this week.
Microsoft's new Xbox One X is still over a month away from release, but you'll have a chance to go hands-on with the console early. Microsoft is partnering with Best Buy to host demos of the new console this weekend.
On Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24, select Best Buy stores across the US will have the Xbox One X on display with Forza Motorsport 7, giving many their first opportunity to play the upcoming console. The Saturday session will be available from 12 PM - 7 PM local time, while the Sunday demo will run from 11 AM - 6 PM.
You can find your nearest participating Best Buy store here. Future demo events will also be held at Microsoft Stores and GameStop locations; Microsoft will announce the details of those demos leading up to the events.
Since it launched back in March, the Nintendo Switch has been notoriously difficult to find, with retailers such as GameStop often selling out of their allotments soon after they arrive. Even some big-name game developers like Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami haven't been able to purchase a Switch due to its scarcity. Naturally, it's easy to think that resolving the issue would be as simple as manufacturing more consoles, but Nintendo says it has already delivered more than expected.
In an interview with Mashable, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime commented on Switch's ongoing supply issues. According to Fils-Aime, the company made 2 million consoles available at launch, despite the fact that analysts predicted demand for the system would be much lower than that. "We actually sold through almost 2.8 million units, so we dramatically over delivered," Fils-Aime said. "So what do some of the consumers on Reddit say? 'Gosh, Nintendo, if you would've made more you would've sold more.' Well, we did make more! And certainly we're on a pace to supply in the current fiscal year 10 million units."
While Nintendo has said that it is planning to "ramp up" Switch production heading into the holiday season, there could still be console shortages this year. During a Variety speaking event, Fils-Aime affirmed the possibility that Nintendo may not deliver enough systems to satisfy demand. "Are we going to have enough for the holiday? That's what we are focused on," he said.
September 22 update: Amazon also now shows itself to be sold out, joining Target. A number of other US retailers are still offering pre-orders, but there's no telling how long they will last. Similarly, we don't know how easy it will be to find one in stores on release day, November 7.
September 21 update: More Xbox One X-enhanced games have now been confirmed, but Target has apparently sold out of its allotment of systems. Other retailers still show stock being available, however. Meanwhile, Walmart has brought its pre-orders online, giving you another potential place to pick one up. Stores may also have a limited selection of Xbox One X systems on its release date, November 7.
September 20 update 2:Xbox One X pre-orders have gone live at multiple retailers in the US. For as long as they remain in stock, you can pre-order through Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, Microsoft Store, and Newegg. The previously announced GameStop bundles range in price from $570 to $800, although the system is also available on its own, too. Keep in mind these are the standard editions, not the Scorpio edition. They offer the same functionality; you'll simply be missing out on a special design and a free vertical base that allows you to stand your console upright.
September 20 update: GameStop's Xbox One X pre-orders go live today, and Microsoft has announced that a number of other retailers will also follow suit. These include the Microsoft Store and Amazon. We'll report back with more specifics as they're available.
September 19 update: GameStop has announced that it will offer pre-orders on the standard edition Xbox One X beginning on September 20 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET. Quantities are likely to be limited. The retailer will also offer optional layaway bundles, as well as up to $200 in credit for PowerUp Rewards members who trade in their existing console toward the new system.
August 25 update: If you've had trouble pre-ordering an Xbox One X, this might be why: Microsoft has announced it is the fastest pre-ordered Xbox console ever. The Scorpio Edition appears to be mostly sold out--although, again, you might have luck by continuing to check in at retailers that are currently out of stock. Microsoft says details on pre-orders of the standard edition will be shared at some point in September. We'll report back as we receive more information.
August 23 update: Retailers have sporadically been bringing pre-orders back online over the last day. As of this writing, Target has them back in stock again, although they may not last long. As with the SNES Classics, which have reappeared briefly, it may be worth periodically checking the retailer listings linked below to see if you can get lucky. Keep in mind, the Scorpio Edition will be available by pre-order only, though the system is functionally identical to the standard Xbox One X model.
Original Story: Microsoft's Gamescom livestream today brought with it the expected news: Xbox One X pre-orders are now live. Below, you'll find the basic details on how and where to pre-order the system. We'll continue to update this as more retailers bring their pre-orders online. The Xbox One X launches worldwide on November 7 for $500 / £449 / AU $649. Pre-orders are already available through a number of retailers, which you can visit through the links below.
There are at least two bundles available--GameStop is packaging the Elite controller with the Xbox One X for $600 in the US, a $50 discount over buying them separately. It also has another bundle with a second controller and more for $583.
Microsoft has also announced a Project Scorpio Edition of Xbox One X for the same price as the standard edition. This is available by pre-order only and features a unique design and an exclusive vertical stand. According to a tweet from Microsoft's Albert Penello, any Xbox One X pre-order listing you see is for the Scorpio Edition, whether or not the listing reflects that. There's no word yet on when or if you'll be able to pre-order the non-Scorpio Edition.
When it was first released in 2003, Rise of Nations was celebrated as an excellent mix between Civilization and Age of Empires. Nearly 15 years later, the PC game continues to appeal to RTS fans, with publisher Microsoft releasing the game on its own store with a huge discount.
For a limited time, the game's Extended Edition (which includes the game's expansion Thrones and Patriots and upgraded graphics) is just $5 on the Windows Store (75% off the regular price of $20). The same deal is available on Steam, and it's worth noting the Expanded Edition also allows cross-play between the Windows Store and Steam versions. The special pricing is available until September 28.
In 2014, Microsoft announced it had acquired the rights to Rise of Nations and re-released the game, following a series of set backs and the eventual folding of developer Big Huge Games. The Extended Edition's graphics are an improvement over the original; water and textures have been identified specifically as areas of improvement, and full-screen anti-aliasing has been added. When it first debuted, the game was celebrated for how well it expanded on the traditional RTS games of the time.
"Rise of Nations might resemble Microsoft's Age of Empires games at a glance--like other, similar games, it has a host of different civilizations (18, to be exact), each with unique bonuses and four to five unique units," wrote GameSpot's Elliott Chin in his 2003 Rise of Nations review.
"But beyond that, the game has a lot of depth, more so than other real-time strategy games, thanks to novel concepts such as national borders, city assimilation, and more."
It's been a long wait for the game, but South Park: The Fractured But Whole has finally gone gold, meaning it's ready to begin being manufactured ahead of its release in October. To mark the occasion, Ubisoft has released a new trailer which--while innocuous on the surface--cracks a joke at the expense of Kanye West and his upcoming video game.
As seen above, the trailer focuses on a talking, chain-wearing gay fish character and his mother. The fish enlists the help of the player's character to ensure the fish's mother gets into heaven; this unfolds through a sequence that's reminiscent of both Flappy Bird and Robot Unicorn Attack. This seems harmless enough, though there are references you may not put together if you aren't caught up on the show or your latest Kanye West game development news.
The fish character is a callback to the Season 13 episode of South Park called "Fishsticks," which originally aired in 2009. In it, the show parodies a song of West's and refers to him as a gay fish. Additionally, remember back to last year, when West revealed the first details and footage of his in-development video game, Only One: The Game, which features his mother (who passed away in 2007) riding to heaven on a unicorn.
If the similarities weren't obvious enough, we know that South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are aware of the connection. During Ubisoft's E3 2016 press conference, they described this scenario from the game. Parker punctuated this by saying, "Y'all just be acting like this s*** is regular," which is precisely what West said when he first showed off his game.
Since it was first unveiled earlier this year, Bandai Namco's Code Vein has drawn comparisons to another of the publisher's series, Dark Souls, due to its similar combat system. It appears that isn't the only thing it shares with the Souls games, as it will also be very challenging.
During a roundtable interview at Tokyo Game Show, Bandai Namco revealed that Code Vein doesn't have any difficulty settings. The game is deliberately designed to be challenging, and players won't be able to switch to an easier setting to overcome a particularly difficult boss or sequence. However, the publisher revealed that you can freely change your character's Blood Code during the course of the game, allowing you adjust your character's stats to adapt to new challenges.
That isn't the only means players have to help them along the way; as the publisher previously detailed, you will be able to choose a companion to accompany you. The character you select will follow you while exploring and assist you during battle, providing backup and healing when you need it. The publisher revealed two of your possible companions earlier this summer: Mia Karnstein, a wandering Revenant who wields a bayonet-like weapon; and Yakumo Shinonome, a "faithful man" who "conducts himself in a cool and professional manner during combat."
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