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Sources close to GameSpot have confirmed that the adjustments made to the source code of GameSpot and Giant Bomb were in fact executed by famed hacker David Lieberman. A former member of the National Security Agency, Lieberman is also known to go by the alias "Microchip" or "Micro".
While the exact reason for the hack remains unknown, we can confirm that the functionality of GameSpot and Giant Bomb were not impacted. There are rumors circulating the internet that similar hacks have been executed on other websites such as IGN and Kotaku.
Stay tuned to GameSpot for all of the latest information on Micro and The Punisher.
If you want the truth, go to the source and take it.
As part of the most recent Destiny 2 server maintenance, Bungie has released the latest update for the shooter. As you might expect, given that it's dubbed "The one before Curse of Osiris," it's primarily concerned with resolving some lingering issues with the game, rather than introducing any new content or features.
Hotfix 1.0.7 is available now on Xbox One and PS4. It adds an announcement about the upcoming Curse of Osiris DLC expansion, fixes an issue that caused Faction Rally Tokens to be handed out through the clan perk Venture Capital, and resolves a crash during the Taken Blight Public Event. Additionally, it makes some improvements to the companion apps and website; the Progress section of the mobile apps now have Factions and Collections listed, while the help search should be better across the board.
Those playing on PC have also received an additional hotfix update, version 1.0.7.1. This addresses a problem that would cause players to receive the Buffalo error; that's hopefully something you should now see less often. Separately, Nvidia has released a new driver that is said to provide significant improvements for Destiny 2 performance.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War will be getting tons of new DLC in the next few months. Publisher Warner Bros. has announced a series of free content updates, with the first ones rolling out on November 21. These are all in addition to the four Shadow of War DLC expansions four expansions that have already been announced for this year and the next.
The free DLC includes new gameplay modes and tweaks to existing features, like a new difficulty level and photo mode. Here's the schedule and descriptions Warner Bros. shared:
Coming November 21
Endless Siege--Defend your fortresses against Sauron's forces as the Dark Lord tries to reclaim Mordor in the Endless Siege.
Rebellion--Crush the rebel Ologs and Uruks in your forces as they seek to undermine the Bright Lord.
Enhanced Photo Mode--Capture every battle and siege and apply new filters, frames, and textures with the Enhanced Photo Mode update.
Coming December 5
Online Fight Pits--Challenge another player's Orc follower, Overlord vs. Overlord, to a fight to the death in the arena to earn powerful rewards and upgrades.
Coming December 12
Brutal Difficulty--A new higher difficulty level even more challenging than Nemesis with no last chances.
Shadow of War's first paid expansion is also releasing on November 21. The Slaughter Tribe Nemesis Expansion is part of the game's $40 Expansion Pass, and introduces the new Slaughter tribe. They are a "gruesome" tribe of Orcs that are "capable of ambushing players at any point." The expansion also includes new missions, a new fortress with an Overlord throne room, monuments, outposts, and new Epic and Legendary Orcs.
There's also a release date for the following expansion. The Outlaw Tribe Nemesis Expansion is coming December 12 and will introduce the Outlaw Tribe, which is "home to the most rebellious warriors in Orc society."
The remaining two expansions are story campaigns that will launch in 2018, and you can read more about them here. The first three expansions are also available for purchase on their own for $15 each, with the final DLC expansion costing $20. Players who purchased the $100 Gold Edition of Middle-earth: Shadow of War will get the DLC packs for no additional cost.
Black Friday is almost here, and Sony UK has announced a pretty tasty deal for the PSVR Starter Pack plus either The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim or Gran Turismo Sport on PS4. The company has temporarily reduced the RRP of the bundle to £250, which it says "offers a saving of over £100 from standard RRP."
The offer is notable as Skyrim VR isn't even out yet; it launches on November 17 and you can see it in action in some Skyrim VR gameplay. The Starter Pack, meanwhile, includes a PSVR headset plus the PlayStation Camera and the PSVR Worlds game collection, meaning you'll get to play minigames such as Ocean Descent and The London Heist. The offer is valid from November 17 until November 27 at 11:59 PM GMT.
PSVR is also on offer in the US at the moment--for more, check out all our PS4 Black Friday 2017 deals or our retailer-specific deal breakdowns through the links at the bottom of this article.
If you wanted to play Destiny 2 right now, you're out of luck for a few hours. Developer Bungie is taking the game offline to perform some Destiny 2 server maintenance on PS4, Xbox One, and PC, and it will release a new hotfix update in the process. [Update: Server maintenance has begun, meaning you'll be unable to log in for a period of time. We'll report back when we know what's included in update 1.0.7 and when servers are back online. The update is available now (if you're on PC, you'll receive update 1.0.7.1), but you may need to manually trigger the download. Regardless, you won't be able to get back online until servers are brought back up. ]
Players will no longer be able to log in from 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 4 PM GMT on November 16 (that's 2 AM AEST on November 17 in Australia). An hour later, anyone still playing the game will be booted to the title screen. Bungie says the maintenance will end three hours after that--at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM GMT (6 AM on November 17 in Australia)--at which point hotfix 1.0.7 "is expected to be available to download and install on all platforms." However, be aware that previous Destiny 2 maintenance has sometimes gone on for longer than expected.
Destiny 2's weekly reset occurred, as always, on Tuesday this week. It marked the end of the latest Faction Rally event and kicked off Victory Week, which means there's a new Legendary weapon available for purchase. Bungie has also shifted the Flashpoint to Titan and rotated the selection of items available at Eververse. Most significantly, the weekly reset has introduced the next Nightfall Strike: Savathun's Song. For more, check out all the details on Destiny 2's weekly reset.
It's a packed week of releases for Nintendo Switch. A total of 15 games launch for the console this week, and they include some particularly noteworthy titles if you're looking for something new to play on Nintendo's console.
Arguably the biggest release this week is the Switch version of Skyrim, which launches tomorrow, November 17. On top of the base adventure, it includes all of Skyrim's DLC expansions: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. The game also features new motion controls and is compatible with Legend of Zelda Amiibo, which can unlock signature items from the series like the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Link's Champion's Tunic. We acquired all of the items and captured footage of them in action.
Surprisingly, while Thursday is typically the busiest day of the week in terms of Eshop releases, only two titles arrive on the service today: the latest ACA Neo Geo game, Karnov's Revenge, and the retro-style RPG Antiquia Lost. The bulk of this week's releases launched on Tuesday, and they included some particularly notable ports like Rocket League, LA Noire, and Batman: The Telltale Series, as well as the charming Ittle Dew 2+ and Rime.
A handful of other titles are also slated to arrive in the Eshop alongside Skyrim on November 17. Rounding out this week's releases is the gravity-switching 2D platformer VVVVVV; the intense 2D shooter/action game Rive: Ultimate Edition; and the top-down shoot-'em-up Xenoraid, among others. You can find the full list of this week's releases below.
Whether successful or not, Rime is almost entirely focused on evoking emotional reactions. It's a shame, then, that when playing its Nintendo Switch port, I could only think about cold, hard numbers like frame rate and resolution.
As with the PS4 and Xbox One versions, the Nintendo Switch edition of Rime suffers from frame rate issues. It's much worse than those platforms, however. In some of its more open areas, Rime slows down dramatically, dragging you out of the ostensibly affecting story it's trying to tell and into the realm of that most exciting and touching subject: mathematics.
The problem is (mostly) lessened when you're indoors, but here frame dips are still common--and in any case, saying it's fine when you're inside is little consolation when Rime's main attractions lie outside the front door and in its colorful landscapes. Developer Tequila Works and publisher Grey Box have addressed some of the port's early criticism by saying, "Rime runs at 30 FPS in 720p throughout most of the game while docked. This is a considerable improvement from where the game was at earlier this year when we announced the first delay."
They continued: "With Rime being very open in many locations, it's incredibly difficult to get these level segments small enough to not cause a hiccup in performance. We were faced with the choice of adding loading screens throughout the stages, rebuilding the game completely to be more closed in (undermining the product vision in the process), or living with these small hiccups to preserve what the game was intended to be. We chose the latter."
Undocking the Switch can help smoothen out the frame rate a little, but playing Rime while on the go isn't ideal either: this drops the resolution down to levels of blur only seen when I try and use my iPhone after eating a pizza. The decrease in fidelity makes it hard to see what you're doing or where you're going, and distracts from the story Rime attempts to tell.
"When looking at the handheld mode, we had to make a choice between lowering the resolution, removing/replacing major parts of the level geometry, or having a bigger hit in performance," Grey Box and Tequila Works said of the game in undocked mode. "We decided to go for the former, because it allows us to maintain the integrity of the gameplay experience."
Of course, Rime's allure mostly lies in its aesthetic rather than in raw graphical power, and much of that natural beauty has survived the porting process. However, some textures appear rougher than on PS4 and Xbox One, and our nameless protagonist has grown a jagged edge or two.
Rime's comparisons to Zelda may have helped its public perception before and even after its PS4 / Xbox One release. But with this Switch port now complete and available worldwide this week, any such comparisons are no longer favorable for Rime. In a time and on a console where the big and beautiful Breath of the Wild exists and looks as good as it does, Rime's shortcomings are exposed more than ever.
Even if you're not a fan of DC Comics, chances are you've heard of Gotham City, or Metropolis. You might even have heard of Themyscira--the home of Wonder Woman and the Amazons--too. But names like "Apokolips" and "New Genesis" are probably still a bit vague on associations.
That's OK. In terms of idiosyncratic DC Universe iconography, a map of the Fourth World is a pretty far cry from the comforting black and yellow of the Bat Signal--at least for now.
The release of Justice League marks DC's first attempt at translating the bombast of the New Gods to the big screen. So what does that actually mean? What is the Fourth World, who are the New Gods, and why should you care?
In The Beginning
To call the Fourth World totally arcane wouldn't really be fair--what it lacks in franchise and branding power, it makes up in (admittedly kind of niche) critical acclaim. In the simplest possible terms, the Fourth World is the collective name for a saga created (and when I say "created" I mean created--written, drawn, edited, top to bottom) by the legendary Jack Kirby after he left Marvel for DC in the 70s. The story actually got its start, strangely enough, in an issue of an ongoing book called Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, but promptly spilled out into its own titles like New Gods, Mister Miracle, and Forever People.
All told, the whole Fourth World saga has 59 issues, hopscotching across multiple books to form an endless, cosmic, mythological spine for the DC Universe that's still looked at as a touchstone for heroes and villains even today.
The story of the Fourth World isn't all that complicated. The twin worlds of New Genesis and Apokolips were created when an ancient planet called Urgrund was torn in two by a war between its immortal citizens called--surprise--the Old Gods. The cataclysm on Urgrund was so terrible that it actually forced both new planets into a new corner of space and time--not a new universe, but a place outside the multiverse entirely, a literal fourth world populated by people who called themselves New Gods for reasons that are hopefully pretty obvious.
As you can probably guess by their rather on-the-nose names, Apokolips was an industrialized wasteland--Kirby's thinly veiled interpretation of hell--while New Genesis was a sparkling utopia--the equivalent of heaven. Apokolips was ruled by the tyrannical war monger Darkseid, while New Genesis was ruled by the cold-but-benevolent Highfather.
The war between the two planets was endless and all-consuming until an unconventional treaty was brokered. Darkseid and Highfather would swap sons--each giving an infant to their sworn enemy to be raised on the opposite planet as a sort of collateral. The son of Darkseid, Orion, would be doomed to forever feel like an outcast in the vain and superficial society of New Genesis, while the son of Highfather, Scott Free (aka Mister Miracle), would be subjected to untold tortures on Apokolips.
It worked--sort of. Nevermind that neither son had much say in the matter. Orion grew to adulthood on New Genesis while Scott scraped by in Apokolips, eventually finding love--a native of Apokolips named Big Barda--and escaping to Earth to be rid of his family tree all together. But eventually Darkseid's lust for power grew too intense for peace and he had his uncle (that's right, uncle, even immortal tyrant gods have to come from somewhere), the elite military general Steppenwolf, assassinate Highfather's wife to reignite the war, and then everything was off to the races once more with both New Genesis and Apokolips consumed by violence without end.
This sort of circular, unwinnable conflict defined much of the Fourth World. Everything from the dueling narratives of two prodigal sons to the nature of war and peace were on the table for exploration--big questions without real or concrete answers, remixed Bible stories that blended in with Star Trek and Lord of The Rings. The New Gods became DC's equivalent of a pantheon, a 70s sci-fi flavored answer to Marvel's super-heroic version of Norse mythology, but with no historical constraints or real world sources to consult.
Into The Future
Now, while the planets of the New Gods were technically isolated from Earth in their own area of space and time, Kirby also invented the technology in fiction to allow them to come and go from the stories of DC's other heroes. Nearly every New God had access to, or carried with them a "living" sentient personal computer called a Mother Box, which were able to (among other things) open and close "Boom Tubes"--point to point extradimensional transportation that would allow a person to travel from New Genesis to Earth, or Apokolips to Earth or--well, anywhere, really.
The barrier between the New Gods and the DC Universe at large became virtually nonexistent, and suddenly heroes like Superman and Batman were able to come face to face with literal immortal superhumans like Orion and Mister Miracle--or even the Lord of Apokolips himself, Darkseid.
This is how the New Gods really began to dig their heels into the DCU in a way that still matters today. Allowing someone like Darkseid, the immortal embodiment of all evil, to come and go from Earth essentially at will was a narrative booster shot for DC's shared universe like no other. Darkseid became the sort of "final boss" for DC's roster of superheroes; certain death, unstoppable destruction, something that even an all-but-invincible character like Superman couldn't face down on his own.
The same way Marvel has been teasing the arrival of their very own end-game villain, Thanos, in the MCU for years, all roads in the DCEU will eventually lead to Darkseid, and we've already seen the first hints. Justice League's Steppenwolf and his Parademons are remixed from their comic book origins, but the spine of the New Gods ideology is still there: The concept of Apokolips is, very much, a component of this world, as well as the idea of the advanced, alien Mother Box. It's probably best to start paying attention now while their cinematic incarnations are still in their infant stages than try to play catch up down the line.
After all, even when he's not immediately on the screen or on the page, the threat of Darkseid and the armies of Apokolips are a shadow looming large over the DC Universe. The presence of the New Gods may be a subtle one--they can even go completely unnoticed if you don't know what you're looking for--but the eventuality that New Genesis and Apokolips's unending, undying war will spill out into Earth and suddenly become the Justice League's problem is all but inevitable. It's one of the most fundamental building blocks of the DCU's shared universe--and it's already making it's way to theaters.
On whichever side of the Great DC Debate you fight, there's no denying that Justice League has a lot to prove. DC diehards who insist there's nothing wrong with the direction and tone of the DC Extended Universe up to this point might worry that the pivotal team-up has been "Disney-fied" or made into a comedy to appease critics and Marvel fans; others that the beloved Wonder Woman was the exception to the rule for the DCEU, rather than a fresh start. Fans on all sides have followed the various controversies surrounding Justice League's production, like Joss Whedon taking over director duties from Zack Snyder at the last minute, and simply wondered how it will all turn out.
Through all the setbacks, uncertainties, reshoots, shake-ups, and drama, it seemed unlikely that Justice League would wind up anything other than a complete mess. And yet, here we are: Justice League is a pretty good movie.
The plot is basic: Batman and Wonder Woman sense an incoming threat, an ancient alien invader named Steppenwolf. They determine their best course of action is to assemble a super-team comprising Cyborg, The Flash, and Aquaman in addition to the two of them. The League comes together in fits and starts, but by the end, every hero--yes, all of them, wink, wink--shows up to do his or her part in a climactic battle.
It's Superhero Movie Plot 101, but crucially, it's more or less coherent from beginning to end. It's also fun, with plenty of huge laughs and some terrific (although CG-heavy) action scenes. Yet overall, it retains that serious, Zack Snyder-ish tone that sets the DCEU apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Much of Justice League's thematic focus zeroes in on the hopelessness of a world that's suffered defeat after defeat, of which Superman's death in BvS is only the latest. For a variety of real world reasons, from the current state of politics to the seemingly endless tragic mass shootings, this is going to resonate with audiences right now.
It would be condescending and unfair to simply heap Justice League with praise for these accomplishments, when it actually suffers from many of the same flaws that have plagued both DC and Marvel's movies for years. Like Hela in Thor: Ragnarok, Justice League's Steppenwolf has about as much depth as a shallow pothole. He shows up in search of the "Mother Boxes" with the sole goal of destroying the world, serving as nothing more than the catalyst for the Justice League to form.
Also similarly to Thor, Justice League's CG is occasionally distracting, especially where Steppenwolf is concerned. In close-ups the villain's face can look like a video game character's, and not in a good way. In addition, the movie opens with a cute smartphone video of Superman from before the events of BvS--not unlike the opening of Spider-Man: Homecoming--during which you should try not to stare too hard at Henry Cavill's mouth, given they had to digitally remove his mustache during reshoots.
The mad and the mighty
All that aside, Justice League's real draw is the epic team-up of this handful of super-powered heroes. They all have their time in the spotlight, including a surprising number of smaller, character-to-character moments that help flesh each one out and establish them at concrete points in their personal arcs that can be picked up in later movies.
The Flash, for example, gets a couple of scenes with his dad, imprisoned early in Barry Allen's life for allegedly murdering Barry's mother. We get to see Cyborg wrestle with his newly minted body, struggling with his father's decision to rebuild him--but also interacting with other heroes, including Flash and Wonder Woman, in believable scenes that add layers to all involved. Bringing this many main characters together isn't easy no matter who's in the director's chair, especially when half of them are being introduced here for the first time. Amazingly, Justice League mostly pulls it off, even if a couple of plot points get glossed over too quickly.
Ben Affleck continues to do just fine as an older, more hardened Batman. He lacks the charm of previous Bruce Waynes like Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, but you could also blame that on this Batman's place in the story as an underpowered hero who's been outstripped by god-like colleagues and foes. He's also taken to subtly self-medicating with presumably very fine brown liquors--watch how much whiskey he pours himself in one scene after a tough fight--which is a chewy little detail for those paying attention.
Wonder Woman has the second largest presence of all the heroes, though her role was reportedly not expanded in this year's reshoots, counter to speculation that she'd be made more prominent thanks to her standalone movie's success. Gal Gadot's youthful, idealistic, positive character is a perfect counter to Batman, and it often seems like she's holding the team together--if not leading them outright. She glows, and her presence is much appreciated.
The three we haven't met before--Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg--hold up admirably thanks to some fantastic casting.
Jason Momoa may not be the Aquaman fans recognize from the comics, but he's one you'll want to get to know better. The hard-drinking, no-BS King of Atlantis is relatively early in his personal story arc, but the equal draughts of humorous pessimism and raw badassery Momoa brings to the screen should have everyone excited for his standalone film next year. At one point he rescues a drowning sailor, unloads him unceremoniously in the nearest pub, and downs a full bottle of whiskey on the unconscious man's tab. Yet later, Momoa shows off his comedic chops in a scene that may or may not involve Wonder Woman's confessional lasso.
Cyborg is the most dour of the bunch, which is saying something, for a team that also includes Batman. Granted, Victor Stone is also early in his arc, hooking up with the League shortly after being rebuilt as Cyborg. There's no faulting him for being less fun than the others, given his personal trauma and turmoil; the bigger problem is how his deliberately vaguely-defined powers allow Cyborg to serve as constant deus ex machina, hacking anything and everything that needs to be hacked.
Thankfully Ezra Miller keeps things light as The Flash. Miller has impeccable comedic timing, and although every characters gets a proportionate number of quips throughout Justice League, most of the big laughs come from him.
Hatchet vs. scalpel
Batman v. Superman and Suicide Squad felt like giant compromises marred by meddling, half measures, and band-aids stuck on bleeding wounds. They were hatchet jobs. But while Justice League went through about as much production turmoil as either of those, the changes to it might have been made with a scalpel wielded by a skilled hand, cutting away only what was necessary to make it a stronger movie.
It's not trying to solve all the genre's problems--and it doesn't.
So the villain is uninteresting and the plot occasionally moves too quickly as Justice League juggles a half dozen main characters. These are small prices to pay. Like one of its many taglines, Justice League feels "all in"--a movie driven by a vision shared among its stars and filmmakers, that succeeds at the most important things it sets out to do.
Justice League is everything you want in a modern super team-up movie: a diverse crew of well-developed heroes coming together, butting heads, cracking jokes, and kicking butt. Despite the DCEU's sputtering start, Justice League coalesces in the end, and it works in many more ways than not. It's not trying to solve all the genre's problems--and it doesn't. But as a team-up movie and a fresh jumping-off point for the DCEU, Justice League is a 100-story leap in the right direction.
The Microsoft Store may not be the first retailer that comes to mind when thinking about Black Friday deals, but Microsoft's retail branch does frequently have some worthwhile offers. This year is no exception, as the store--like many others--has released its Black Friday ad in advance of the big shopping day. As you'd expect, you won't find any PS4 or Nintendo Switch discounts here, but those in the market for Xbox One or PC games or hardware have some options.
In terms of consoles, you have a variety of Xbox One choices, although you won't find any promotions tied to the newly released Xbox One X. But if you're interested in an Xbox One S, you can actually place an order prior to Black Friday; the Microsoft Store will roll out offers throughout next week. On Sunday, November 19, it will take $50 off the price of the special edition 1 TB Minecraft Xbox One S bundle (bringing it to $350) and throw in a pair of free games. One of these is from a limited selection of older titles (such as The Division and The Crew), but the other includes new releases like Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, Forza Motorsport 7, and Assassin's Creed Origins.
A similar but cheaper option involves the 500 GB Xbox One S Starter bundle, the primary feature of which is three months of Xbox Game Pass. It will also be $50 off (bringing it to $229) starting on November 19 and gets you two free games, one from each of the aforementioned pools. Other Xbox One bundles will also be $50 off on November 19. The cheapest option arrives on November 23; for $189, you get a 500 GB Xbox One S and a free select game: your choice of Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack.
In terms of games, quite a few will be on sale starting on November 23, but exact pricing remains unknown in most cases. Forza Motorsport 7 will be $40, Call of Duty: WWII will be $50, and a month of Game Pass will be $1. There will also be a variety of games "up to" 50% off, including Shadow of War, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition.
On November 23, Xbox One controllers will be up to $20, making the cheapest option $40. A number of laptops will be on sale, while the Lenovo Explorer mixed reality headset drops to $299 (from $399) on November 19.
Below, we've laid out all of the deals we know about at this point. Due to the way Microsoft has explained some of these, we can't be sure about the exact pricing for many of the games, so we'll have to wait until the sales go into effect to know the specifics. You can see all the Microsoft Store deals here. For more, check out our roundups of Black Friday deals at other retailers:
Xbox One S 1 TB limited edition Minecraft system (with Creeper-themed controller)
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 on Xbox One Starter bundle (MSRP: $279)
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Xbox One controller
Xbox Game Pass three-month subscription
Xbox Live Gold three-month subscription
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Save $50 off select Xbox One S bundles (MSRP: $249 - $399)
Eligible bundles include 500 GB and 1 TB systems with a variety of bundled games
Choice of free game (Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Shadow of War, Forza 7, Assassin's Creed Origins, Destiny 2, FIFA 18, Madden 18, Overwatch: Game of the Year Edition, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein: The New Colossus, and more options)
Choice of second free game (The Crew, Hasbro Family Fun Pack, Just Dance 2016, The Division, Watch Dogs)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Available November 23:
$189 Xbox One S bundle
Xbox One S 500 GB system
Choice of free game (Watch Dogs 2: Gold Edition, Steep, Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection, Just Dance 2018, or Hasbro Family Fun Pack)
$10 off extra Xbox controller
Accessories
Available November 23:
Xbox Game Pass one-month subscription -- $1
Xbox Live Gold three-month/six-month subscriptions -- $10 off
Select Microsoft accessories -- 25% off
Turtle Beach Elite 800x wireless headset -- $200
Xbox One Minecraft Creeper controller -- $55
Xbox One controllers -- up to $20 off (lowest MSRP: $60)
It took a bit longer than some other retailers, but Toys R Us has finally given us a look at its Black Friday 2017 deals. The retailer's ad has been released, and while its focus is on toys, as you'd expect, there are also quite a few deals to be had across PS4 and Xbox One, as well as some for Nintendo Switch and 3DS.
In terms of hardware, we're seeing similar offers to elsewhere. The Switch console itself is not listed, nor is Xbox One X or PS4 Pro. However, the older models of those two consoles are on sale. You can pick up a 1 TB PS4 for $200, or a 500 GB Xbox One S for $190. In both cases, you won't get any bundled games. The LucidSound LS20 wired headset, which works with both consoles, will be on sale for 50% off, dropping its price to $40. Select controllers for Microsoft and Sony boxes are $20 off, bringing the cheapest options to $40.
A number of games are on sale as well, although frustratingly, the ad only lists the amount you'll save--not the actual price. In our comprehensive list of deals below, we've calculated the sale price using the currently listed MSRP on the Toys R Us website. In some cases, this results in prices that are markedly higher than what the competition is offering, while other prices are roughly in line with what you'll find at places like Best Buy and Walmart. In other words, some of the actual prices may end up being lower than what we've listed, but you can at least get a sense of what the possible costs will be. None are likely to end up higher than what we've laid out.
You can find the full list of games, consoles, and accessories in Toys R Us's flyer below or on its website. The ad doesn't make it clear if it will have more games on sale than those included. Also of note is the special green Zelda 2DS, which is launching on Black Friday at select retailers, is not shown, so you may need to head elsewhere if you're interested. For a complete rundown on Black Friday deals, hit the links below to check out our other sale roundups.
In Star Wars Battlefront II's single-player campaign, Iden Versio and the Imperial special-forces unit Inferno Squad work to keep the Empire in control of the galaxy. While the days of the Empire are ultimately numbered, what follows throughout the lead character's story are several clues and hints for the events that would come to pass in The Force Awakens. However, there's one mission during the single-player adventure that teases something that has yet to come to pass in The Last Jedi. Be warned, what follows are slight-spoilers for Battlefront II's story campaign, along with some small speculation for The Last Jedi.
During Chapter 3 in the campaign, players take control of Luke Skywalker on the uncolonized planet of Pillio. As the Jedi Master searches for the Emperor's secret vault, he runs into several stormtroopers and hostile wildlife. He eventually crosses paths with Officer Del of Inferno Squad--who's come to the planet to destroy the vault as per the Emperor's posthumous orders. Working together, they make it through a number of obstacles while learning more about each other. Eventually, they make it to the vault and Luke finds a peculiar compass hidden inside one of the Emperor's treasure chests. Del allows him to keep it despite going against his orders, and the two part ways on good terms.
This is the only appearance Luke makes in the campaign, and the game makes a point to show that this item is important. The compass features designs similar to that of a star map, which were an important part of the story for The Force Awakens. With the story in Battlefront II being entirely canonical--meaning what happens during the campaign is now a part of the established Star Wars story--everything mentioned in the story picks up from past events, but also has the potential to tease what's to come, even with smaller interludes like this.
On Reddit, a user took a photo of some upcoming Hot Toys merchandise for The Last Jedi, and some promo art features an older Luke Skywalker holding a rather peculiar item. Upon closer look, you'll see that it's none other than the compass shown in Battlefront II's campaign.
What this could mean for The Last Jedi remains to be seen, but it could potentially bring Rey and Luke on a journey that could take them to the hidden corners of the universe, where possibly more history behind the Jedi order could be revealed.
Be sure to check out our review in progress for Star Wars Battlefront II, along with upcoming guides for the game closer to its release. Next month, GameSpot will also have our full-review of The Last Jedi, where we'll dive into whether or not the next sequel lives up to the last film.
Bungie has detailed the first expansion for Destiny 2, called Curse of Osiris, in a livestream today. Recently, GameSpot got a chance to check out the expansion at Bungie's headquarters. In the video above, you can watch the first mission from Curse of Osiris, called Gateway.
The expansion takes you to Mercury for the first time (in Destiny 2, anyway) and prominently features Ikora and, as you might expect, Osiris. The Vex have converted Mercury into a giant computer called the Infinite Forest that simulates reality, similar to Destiny 1's Vault of Glass. Without getting spoilery, Osiris has essentially hacked his way inside and needs your help.
This first mission takes you to the Lighthouse for the first time, which is much easier than it was in Destiny 1. It serves as a safe area like the church in the EDZ, and Brother Vance, a follower of Osiris, is the NPC vendor here. The expansion will also introduce the first Raid Lair, which looks to be a major part of Destiny 2 moving forward.
Alongside most high-profile game launches on PC, Nvidia releases an update to its Game-Ready graphics driver for users of GeForce video cards. Version 388.31 is out now in support of the anticipated shooter Star Wars Battlefront 2 and the DC universe fighting game Injustice 2. In addition, Destiny 2 receives a significant boost in performance on Nvidia cards with numbers to show off the gains.
Aside from optimizing Star Wars Battlefront 2 on PC, the game gets an SLI profile. Nvidia also put out recommendations for video cards on general graphics settings. A system with an Intel Core i7-6700K and 16GB of RAM was used for Nvidia's internal tests, and the performance numbers are derived from the single-player campaign.
Star Wars Battlefront II PC Performance
Graphics Settings
Video Card
Average FPS
1080p, High
GTX 1060
72 FPS
1440p, High
GTX 1070
66 FPS
4K, High
GTX 1080 Ti
55 FPS
The PC port of Injustice 2 came out this week and you'll want update your video driver to help maintain smooth performance and 60 FPS, since frames are key in fighting games. A GTX 570 or GTX 1050 (or equivalent) is the bare minimum to run the game, while a GTX 780 or GTX 1060 (or equivalent) is recommended.
GeForce graphics cards get a drastic performance boost in Destiny 2. Over double-digit average framerate improvements are seen at maximum settings in 1440p and 4K resolutions among the GTX 10-series cards. A system with an Intel Core i7-7820X and 16GB of RAM was used for Nvidia's tests.
Destiny 2 PC Performance (1440p, Max Settings)
Video Card
Old Driver (388.13) FPS
New Driver (388.31) FPS
GTX 1080 Ti
91.2 FPS
132.4 FPS
GTX 1080
75.8 FPS
105.9 FPS
GTX 1070 Ti
72.3 FPS
93.8 FPS
GTX 1060 (6GB)
45.4 FPS
62.4 FPS
Destiny 2 PC Performance (4K, Max Settings)
Video Card
Old Driver (388.13) FPS
New Driver (388.31) FPS
GTX 1080 Ti SLI
70.2 FPS
99.0 FPS
GTX 1080 Ti
48.0 FPS
73.3 FPS
GTX 1080
39.8 FPS
58.4 FPS
GTX 1070 Ti
35.2 FPS
51.3 FPS
You can read the full breakdown of how Nvidia's 388.31 graphics driver improves performance in the full analysis. For more on bug fixes and optimizations, check out the PDF of the driver release notes. And if you're thinking about jumping into any of these games, be sure to read our reviews of Star Wars Battlefront 2, Injustice 2, and Destiny 2 as well.
Rockstar's ongoing support for GTA Online continues today with the release of the even more content and weekly events. New in GTA V's online mode today is the new Coil Cyclone vehicle, which is a super-fast electric car.
"That fossil-fueled comfort zone is about to be nothing more than a distant speck in your rear-view mirror as you surrender to this harbinger of the electric age," reads a line from Rockstar's official description of the vehicle. You can buy it at Legendary Motorsport right now.
In terms of the new weekly events in GTA Online, Rockstar is offering double GTA$ and RP in the Motor Wars and Transform Race playlists. You can also earn double GTA$ in freemode when playing as a bodyguard or associate. These bonuses are good through November 20.
There are also sales going on in GTA Online right now, covering weapons, tattoos, upgrades, and more. Everything listed below is 25 percent off through November 20:
BIKERS
Biker Clubhouse Customizations
Biker Business Upgrades
GUNRUNNING
Anti-Aircraft Trailer (Buy It Now & Trade Price)
Gunrunning Tattoos
SMUGGLER'S RUN
Ultralight (Buy It Now & Trade price)
Aircraft Weapons
AMMU-NATION
Assault Rifles
Sniper Rifles
WARSTOCK CACHE & CARRY
Technical Aqua (Buy It Now & Trade price)
Turreted Limo
Finally, Rockstar announced this week's Premium race and Time Trial events. The Premium race is "Zebra," and it's locked to Sports vehicles. The Time Trial, meanwhie, is "Mount Gordo." As usual, if you finish in the top three in the Premium Race you'll earn an allotment of GTA$, while everyone gets triple RP no matter how they finish. For the Time Trial, racers who beat the average time receive GTA$ and RP.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, launch on 3DS this month, marking the series' final installments for Nintendo's dual-screen handheld. The titles are based on last year's Sun and Moon versions but tell an "alternate" story that revolves around the mysterious Legendary Pokemon Necrozma.
While the core adventure remains the same across both versions, each game has some some distinct elements, so you may be unsure of which to pick up. We break down the biggest differences between the two versions below to help you decide which one to play. For more, you can also check out our Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon review.
Which Version Should You Get?
We recently had the opportunity to interview the developers of Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and one of the topics they weighed in on is which version players should pick up.
"In essence there's no real problem with whichever one you buy, you're going to get a really good experience of Pokemon," said Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon director Kazumasa Iwao. "But one point users might want to consider is that the Pokedex in Pokemon Ultra Sun is based on the Pokedex in Pokemon Sun and the same for Ultra Moon and Moon. So if something the players are really looking for is Pokedex completion, they might find it better to go for the opposite version this time round in order to help complete their Pokedex. So if they bought Pokemon Sun, they might want to choose Pokemon Ultra Moon this time."
However, those who care more about the games' narrative may want to consider sticking with the same version this time. As producer Shigeru Ohmori explained, "[I]f you're looking for a story-based experience then those who played Pokemon Sun may want to go for Ultra Sun as there are some small details that remain consistent throughout the two that might appeal to people looking for a story-based game."
General Differences
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon tell the same story and feature the same cast of major characters, but there are some slight differences between the two titles that will make the experience unique depending on the version you choose to play. As in the original Sun and Moon, the two games are set 12 hours apart. Ultra Sun will reflect the time that is set in your 3DS clock, while Ultra Moon will be 12 hours ahead--meaning if you play during the day, it will be night in the game.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon introduce a mysterious new group called the Ultra Recon Squad. This team arrives in Alola through an Ultra Wormhole and has some sort of connection to the Ultra Beasts; in one trailer, the group can be seen commanding the new Ultra Beast, UB-Adhesive. You'll encounter different members of the Ultra Recon Squad depending on which version you play. In Ultra Sun, players will cross paths with Dulse and Zossie; in Ultra Moon, players will meet Phyco and Soliera.
Ultra Recon Squad, from left to right: Dulse, Zossie, Soliera, and Phyco
Version-Exclusive Pokemon
As with every pair of Pokemon titles, the primary difference between Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon is the kinds of Pokemon you can encounter in each version. While both games feature most of the same monsters, each one is also home to a handful of exclusive Pokemon that cannot be captured in the other version. Below you'll find a list of all the version-exclusive Pokemon that have been confirmed so far:
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Vulpix
Alolan Ninetales
Houndour
Houndoom
Cranidos
Rampardos
Cottonee
Whimsicott
Tirtouga
Carracosta
Rufflet
Braviary
Lurantis (Totem-sized)
Passimian
Turtonator
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Pokemon
Alolan Sandshrew
Alolan Sandslash
Electrike
Manectric
Shieldon
Bastiodon
Petilil
Lilligant
Archen
Archeops
Vullaby
Mandibuzz
Salazzle (Totem-sized)
Oranguru
Drampa
Legendary Pokemon
The Alola region is also home to a diverse array of Legendary Pokemon, and thanks to the appearance of Ultra Wormholes in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, players will be able to encounter Legendaries from past regions, as well. Every single Legendary Pokemon from previous gens returns in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, though as is the case with regular Pokemon, some can only be encountered in a specific version. Here's the list of all the version-exclusive Legendaries that appear in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Ultra Sun-Exclusive Legendaries
Ho-oh
Raikou
Groudon
Latios
Dialga
Heatran
Reshiram
Tornadus
Xerneas
Buzzwole
Kartana
Dusk Mane Necrozma
UB-Burst
Ultra Moon-Exclusive Legendaries
Lugia
Entei
Kyogre
Latias
Palkia
Regigigas
Zekrom
Thundurus
Yveltal
Lunala
Pheromosa
Celesteela
Dawn Wings Necrozma
UB-Assembly
Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon release for 3DS on November 17. Along with an expanded storyline, the games introduce many new features and characters, including a new surfing game and Team Rainbow Rocket, a villainous supergroup comprised of the leaders from past teams. Players who purchase either title by January 10, 2018 will receive a free gift: a special Rockruff that evolves into the new Dusk Form Lycanroc.
The latest weekly lineup of deals on Xbox Live has been revealed. The list of deals for Xbox One and Xbox 360 is not all that extensive, though there are some solid deals to be had ahead of the rush of sales coming as part of Black Friday.
Some of the discounted Xbox One games include the World War 1 shooter Verdun $10/£8/$13.50 AU), the superhero action game Deadpool ($12.50/£11.25/$15 AU), and one-month subscriptions to DC Universe Online ($11/£9/$15 AU). Additionally, Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter is discounted to $18.50/£15/$33 AU).
Go to to Major Nelson's blog to see a full rundown of this week's Xbox One and Xbox 360 deals, some of which require an Xbox Live Gold membership. The deals are good through November 20. Xbox Live Gold members can also pick up free games as part of the Games With Gold program, so be sure to do that before they return to their normal price points.
Have an Xbox Live Gold membership? More free games are now waiting for you to claim, but only for a limited time. The second wave of November's Games With Gold titles are out now, presenting you with two new titles (for a total of three) to grab.
You can use the links below to queue up your download of November's remaining free Games With Gold games. They are free through the end of the month, with the exception of Tales From the Borderlands, which will stick around until December 15. December 2017's free Games With Gold titles have not been announced yet, but we'll report back with all the details once Microsoft shares them.
In other news, Microsoft has launched the latest set of regular weekly deals, with titles like Deadpool and Verdun marked down this week. You can see a roundup of all of this week's deals here on Major Nelson's blog. Looking ahead, you can expect plenty of Black Friday deals, including some Xbox sales. You'll also be able to pick up an Xbox One (and games) for cheap at places like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.
Having trouble finding a SNES Classic? Retailer Walmart has announced that the mini console will be in stock this week, November 15-17. Units will be available starting at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET each day, which means you have a total of three chances to purchase one. [Update: It's now Thursday, and you'll have another opportunity to grab a SNES Classic at the aforementioned today today. Yesterday's allotment went extremely quickly, so you'll need to act fast if you're interested.]
There is a limit of one per customer, and Walmart says supply is going to be "limited." It appears the units will be available on Walmart's website, though it remains to be seen if there will be units available in-store as well.
While the big news out of today's Destiny 2 stream concerns the Raid Lairs feature Curse of Osiris introduces, Bungie did share some other details. Namely, we learned more about the new planet of Mercury, got a look at the revamped Lighthouse (seen above), and saw some of the new gear that players can obtain.
In the images below, you can see an armor set that Warlocks, Hunters, and Titans will each be able to get their hands on, along with some other screenshots of Mercury, the Director, and concept art. There's also a look at a hand cannon players can obtain through a post-Curse of Osiris campaign quest. Once you're done with the main story, you'll be able to view your progress on these weapon-specific quests through a tracker on a wall in the Lighthouse. Through these missions, you'll acquire the components necessary to forge the new weapons.
Bungie also revealed that the Heroic Strikes playlist will make a return. Exactly how these will work remains to be seen, but this may give players a new reason to return to Strikes beyond unlocking access to the Nightfall. Additionally, while it wasn't mentioned, we noticed that the Eververse logo was listed as an icon alongside other Milestones in the Director. We don't yet know what kind of task this will be tied to.
In terms of the core story, we got a look at a new cinematic from Curse of Osiris (above). It shows the titular Osiris and his ghost navigating the Infinite Forest, a construct of the Vex that allows them to simulate realities. He's there seeking the same mysterious thing as the Vex, but they are eventually attacked and he sends his Ghost out while staying behind. His Ghost, however, is damaged, and the story will presumably involve discovering it and assisting Osiris. The story is set several months after the end of Destiny 2's campaign, following the end of the Red War.
As noted above, players will be able to return to a revamped version of the Lighthouse. Brother Vance can be found here as a vendor along the lines of Devrim Kay in the EDZ and Failsafe on Nessus. He'll offer a new type of area-specific reward called Lighthouse Engrams.
We'll learn much more about Curse of Osiris over the next few weeks leading to its release. Bungie has additional streams scheduled for November 21 and 29. We'll report back as we learn more.
Recent estimates from some players have suggested it could take upwards of 40 hours to unlock high-end Hero characters, such as Darth Vader. EA and DICE subsequently decreased the cost of unlocking those characters by 75%, though it seems that the math done by the community doesn't necessarily add up, according to the devs.
"We've seen the speculation about how long it takes players to earn things--but our averages based on the Play First trial are much faster than what's out there," said executive producer John Wasilczyk. "But as more players come in, that could change. We're committed to making progression a fun experience for all of our players. Nothing should feel unattainable and if it does, we'll do what it takes to make sure it's both fun and achievable. As we update and expand Arcade mode, we'll be working towards making sure that players can continue to progress without daily limits."
A frequent point made by Wasilczyk and other DICE employees participating in the AMA was that everything in the game is subject to change. Regarding concerns about the progression system, Wasilczyk said, "I think this concern has come through loud and clear. We're going to continue adjusting the crate systems, content, and progression mechanics to hit a point that gives players a great, balanced experience at all skill levels. We're working on expanding the number of ways that players can progress, putting more control in their hands and providing more options and choice in the way people play. There's not much in the game that we wouldn't revisit to improve the game for as many players as possible."
On a similar subject, DICE was asked about the Credit cap implemented for Arcade and offline play. Given that the items you can obtain through loot crates provide players with advantages--and those loot crates can be purchased with real money--players are frustrated that DICE has placed restrictions on how Credits can be obtained.
"As we want to let players earn Credits offline via a more relaxed game mode, we needed to also find a way to make sure it wouldn't be exploited in a way that would impact Multiplayer," producer Paul Keslin said. "Because of that we made the decision to limit the number of Credits earned to stop potential abuse. We will be looking at data continually and make adjustments to make things as balanced as possible."
These statements follow a discussion about Battlefront II microtransactions involving EA's CFO. The particulars of how Battlefront II's progression works continues to evolve--for instance, while Hero prices were cut, the reward for completing the campaign was reduced from 20,000 Credits to 5,000, according to Game Informer. We'll report back as things change further. In the meantime, check out our Battlefront II review-in-progress.
The Sims 4 launches for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on November 17, joined by a new pets expansion for the PC version. Ahead of its launch, we thought it would be a good chance to take a trip down memory lane and explore the origins of Will Wright's popular life simulation series.
Very few games can say they presented something truly original to medium like The Sims did, and even fewer can boast the kind of cultural significance it has. Released in 2000, The Sims allowed players to puppeteer the lives of virtual people, micromanaging every aspect of their existence with no real goal other than whatever they set for themselves.
For some, The Sims provided unparalleled escapism, letting them live out a fantasy life through in-game characters. For others it was an invitation to indulge their creative whims by crafting ideal homes and, of course, there's also those that indulged their sadistic side by toying with the lives of Sims in cruel but often amusing ways.
The sheer amount of gameplay opportunities The Sims provided--and continues to provide--makes it a series with broad appeal. But the game it is now was formed of numerous building blocks creator Will Wright experimented with in other titles. Wright, one of gaming's most celebrated luminaries, looked to the works of an MIT scientist, used 3D home design software as a jumping-off point, and even used his daughter for inspiration on the series that would define his career.
The story of The Sims is one of ingenuity, real outside-the-box thinking, and a fair bit of risk-taking. It's a story that we explore in-depth in the video above. As a self-confessed super fan, Lucy digs deep into the origins of the The Sims, going as far back as Wright's first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, and then charts the evolution of his thinking and the resulting game design ideas that came along the way. Alongside this, she also discusses the cultural impact of The Sims as well as some of the stumbling blocks the series, its developer Maxis, and publisher EA faced. Check it out and give us your favourite Sims memories in the comments below.
Update: The official Twitter account for Marvel Heroes has shared a message from the development team announcing the shutdown. It states that servers will remain online through the end of the year, shutting down after December 31, 2017. Additionally, the ability to spend real-world money in-game will be removed "as soon as possible." It states, "Players will be able to play the game entirely for free once this sunset period commences. We will share the exact date things go completely free as soon as we can." The tweet also goes on to thank the community and employees for their support over the years. The original story follows.
Marvel Heroes, the free-to-play, Diablo-esque action game, is shutting down. Marvel announced the news today, revealing it has ended its business arrangement with developer Gazillion Entertainment.
In a statement shared with GameSpot, Marvel Entertainment stated, "We regret to inform our Marvel Heroes fans that we have ended our relationship with Gazillion Entertainment, and that the Marvel Heroes games will be shut down. We would like to sincerely thank the players who joined the Marvel Heroes community, and will provide any further updates as they become available." This presumably applies to the PC version of the game (first released in 2013) and the Omega versions fully released on PS4 and Xbox One earlier this year. We've followed up with the company to find out more about the timeline for the game's shutdown.
No further explanation was shared for the decision. Kotaku, which first reported the news, notes that updates and communications from Gazillion have been absent recently. A current and former employee told the site that some people were told to not come into work this week, so it appears this move has been brewing for some time.
As noted above, Marvel Heroes is an action-RPG in the mold of Diablo, but with a free-to-play business model. It features a wide variety of Marvel characters, with players able to obtain everyone from the Avengers to the Guardians of the Galaxy to Inhumans. We'll report back as we learn more about how Marvel is handling the shutdown.
The title of the sequel to the last year's hit Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them has been confirmed. The next Harry Potter spin-off will be titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and is set to hit theaters in November 2018.
The cast of the movie have also been revealed in a short teaser, which you can view above. As well returning stars Eddie Redmayne (as Newt Scamander), Katherine Waterston (Tina), Alison Sudol (Queenie), Dan Fogler (Jacob), and Ezra Miller (Credence), we have a first look at Jude Law will play the young Dumbledore.
Johnny Depp is pictured as the villainous Gellert Grindelwald, following his brief appearance at the end of the first movie. Other new characters who appear in the teaser include Newt's brother, Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner), his fiance Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), and a currently unnamed character played by Claudia Kim. All we know is that she a "Maledictus," and she can transform into a wild beast.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is directed by David Yates, who helmed the last movie, as well as the final four Harry Potter movies. It's set for a November 16, 2018 release, and according to Potter creator JK Rowling, will be the second of five movies. Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them made more than $814 million at the worldwide box office.
At the E3 PC Gaming Show this year, developer Harebrained Schemes revealed that upcoming strategy game BattleTech will feature an open-ended mercenary campaign mode in addition to single-player and multiplayer skirmishes. The team recently visited the GameSpot office to show off the campaign mode, which you can check out in the video above.
Like previous games in the series, you play as a mercenary in the year 3025. You command a crew and a group of MechWarriors, and you take on contracts for money and fight alongside them. The above video shows just the battle portion, but a large part of your job in BattleTech is to manage and upgrade your mechs--all while staying profitable. See more of the sim mode in the images below.
The game may look overwhelming, but learning how to fight is actually pretty intuitive. This mission is centered around two objectives, one of which has a turret generator that needs to be destroyed as soon as possible. Mech positioning is a critical part of success, since where you're facing and standing affects buffs and other combat benefits in addition to who can fire at you.
BattleTech is a strategy game set in the existing universe of the same name. You can learn more about the story, mechs, and everything else on the game's Kickstarter page.
We'reabout a week out from Black Friday 2017, and numerous stores have revealed the deals they'll have on offer this year. That includes Best Buy, which actually had a pre-Black Friday sale where it offered BF prices in advance of the proper day. But it's Thanksgiving evening and the day after where the full selection of deals will be available, and we've rounded up everything you can expect to see discounted across PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, and 3DS--and even a single, solitary deal for those looking for something new to play on Wii U and Wii.
In a trend we're seeing at a number of retailers, there isn't a wide array of hardware deals. Switch will be in stock but at its regular price of $300. Neither the PS4 Pro nor Xbox One X will be on sale, with the sale prices instead coming on the older hardware. A 1 TB PS4 can be had for $200, but that doesn't include any free games. On the Microsoft side, you can get the Madden 18 Xbox One S 500 GB bundle for $230, and as a bonus, you'll receive a free Xbox One controller. A free controller is also available with another bundle, which swaps in Forza Horizon 3 in place of Madden.
Controllers and accessories will also be discounted. The PlayStation VR Gran Turismo Sport bundle drops to $300. All PS4 DualShock 4 controllers will be $40, including the Red Crystal color version that is only available at Best Buy. Xbox One controllers will also be available for $40, although some will cost more--presumably the special edition colors and designs. Those looking for a headset will have several options, including the Turtle Beach XO Three wired headset (which works with Xbox One, PS4, and PC) and Turtle Beach Recon 150 (which also works with those devices) for $40 each. Astro headsets will be up to 25% off, while a handful of Switch accessories (including a Joy-Con charging station) will be $20 each.
Below, you'll find a comprehensive list of everything we could find on sale at Best Buy. Some specific pricing was not shared and the exact time your local store opens will vary. You can check out the full details on Best Buy's website. For more, check out our roundup of the details at other retailers:
With Black Friday 2017 right around the corner, we've gotten a look at the deals many retailers will offer this year. That includes a wide variety for Sony's PlayStation 4--and virtually none for its older platforms, PS3 and Vita. We've rounded up all of the deals for those with a PS4 (or those looking to purchase one) below, and we'll continue to update this as Black Friday draws nearer and we learn about more.
On the console side, things are very simple (at least at this point). Rather than bundling the system with a variety of games, you'll be able to pick up the standard, 1 TB PS4 Slim for about $200 at a number of retailers. (Walmart will offer it for $199, just because it can.) The best option might be at Kohl's, which is giving away $15 Kohl's Cash with every $50 you spend. It will also be selling the PS4 for $200, letting you earn $60 in what are effectively limited-time gift cards; this Kohl's Cash has to be used between November 26 and December 6.
Unfortunately, those looking to pick up Sony's 4K-capable console, the PS4 Pro, may be out of luck; there's been no advertised deals for the system as of yet. Barring any as-of-yet unrevealed offers, that would leave it at its current $400 price (or $450 for the special-edition Destiny 2 and Star Wars Battlefront II models).
DualShock 4 controllers will see a pretty standard $20 price cut, dropping them down to $40 at many stores; that includes special colors which can only be had at Best Buy (Red Crystal) and Walmart (Blue Crystal).PlayStation VR will also be on sale--it will go as low as $200 at Target, but that only gets you the headset itself, and not the required camera (which you might already own). Elsewhere, you'll find the GT Sport PSVR bundle for $300 and the Skyrim PSVR bundle for $350. Various headsets will be discounted, and Target will take $10 off a PlayStation Plus membership--but possibly only for the $60, 12-month subscription.
In terms of games, there are a ton on sale, with specific pricing varying by retailer. Walmart frequently has the best prices, but that's not true in all cases, so you'll want to plan ahead if you're hoping to maximize your savings. These discounts include many recent releases: at their cheapest, you'll be able to get Call of Duty: WWII for $40 (Best Buy), Assassin's Creed Origins for $35 (Best Buy/Target), Destiny 2 for $30 (Best Buy/Target), NBA 2K18 for $29 (Walmart), Need for Speed Payback for $35 (Best Buy/Target), and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus for $25 (Best Buy). Some of the year's biggest PS4 exclusives also see discounts, such as Persona 5 for $29 (Walmart), Horizon: Zero Dawn for $19 (Walmart), and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy for $29 (Walmart).
Below, you'll find our comprehensive list of PS4 deals. As noted above, we'll update this as we get the word on more deals from retailers. We don't yet know what to expect from Amazon, for instance, or the PlayStation Store Black Friday sale that begins on November 17 for PS Plus members (and November 21 for everyone else). Those are sure to bring even more deals, while others may be unlisted for the time being, so check back with us in the lead up to Black Friday. For more, check out retailer-specific deals breakdowns through the links below.
The Dragon Ball FighterZ roster continues to grow. Three more characters were confirmed for the highly anticipated Dragon Ball fighting game in the latest issue of Japanese magazine V-Jump: adult Gohan, Gotenks, and Kid Buu.
The magazine includes a few screenshots of each character, as well as details about the attacks they use (via Gematsu). Adult Gohan's special is the Ultimate Kamehameha, and he can unlock his potential depending on the amount of ki in his gauge. Trunks and Goten's fused form, Gotenks, is shown in his Super Saiyan 3 form and can use his "Charging Ultra Buu Buu Volleyball" and Super Ghost Kamikaze attacks. Majin Buu's final form, Kid Buu, has "tricky attacks" thanks to his elastic body, and he can unleash his devastating "Planet Burst."
The magazine also reveals some details about the in-game shop and Arcade mode in Dragon Ball FighterZ. Players can use the Zeni they accrue from battles to purchase titles and different character color variants from the shop. Arcade mode, meanwhile, pits you in a predetermined number of battles, with your route through the fights changing depending on whether you win or lose.
Bethesda's RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim launches this week on Nintendo Switch. One of its cool features is that classic Zelda items such as the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield, and Link's Champion's Tunic are all in the game, if you have the right Amiibo.
You can tap Zelda Amiibo figures once per day for a chance to get those items. We got our hands on all of them, and you can see them in action in the video above.
The list of compatible Zelda Amiibo figures covers all the major ones, including Smash Bros. series Link, Breath of the Wild Link, Ocarina of Time Link, and many more. Sheik, Revali, and Ganondorf are also among the compatible figures. You can see a full rundown of support Amiibo figures here on Nintendo's website.
Skyrim for Switch also supports non-Zelda Amiibo figures. You won't get the Zelda gear, but tapping them on your console gets you a loot chest, so that's something, and it's even better if you're an Amiibo collector. Skyrim for Switch comes with the base game and its three expansions: Dragonborn, Dawnguard, and Hearthfire. It can be played with motion controls, allowing you to swing weapons, pick locks, or aim your bow with the Joy-Cons.
Skyrim was first released in 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC, before coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in October 2016 through the Special Edition. A version of the game for the PS4's PlayStation VR also launches on November 17.
Since Assassin's Creed Origins launched in October, developer Ubisoft has continued to support it with updates, and now the company has released yet another patch to help improve the game. Version 1.05 is out now on PS4, and it will come to Xbox One on November 20. As for PC, Ubisoft says it "will be sharing more information on the PC update when available."
As for what's actually in the update, most of the changes are limited to bug fixes and difficulty tweaks. For example, enemies below your level are now even more challenging when playing in Hard Mode. One interesting new inclusion is the ability to toggle your character's beard and hair selection on and off. For more on the update--which weighs in at 1.3 GB--check out the full patch notes at the bottom of this article, via Ubisoft.
We awarded the game a 7/10. "While Assassin's Creed Origins reaches great heights in this new setting, it routinely runs into issues that bog down the overall experience," wrote critic Alessandro Fillari. "Technical issues make for an inconsistent experience and its new gameplay pillars wobble under the weight of its systems. But despite this, the world of Origins remains fresh and exciting to explore, which is a testament to the remarkable setting and compelling story. Assassin's Creed has undergone many changes in its long and storied history, and Origins feels like the first step in the start of a new journey. It has its fair share of problems, but the vision for its future is one worth pursuing." Read more in our full Assassin's Creed Origins review or take a look at all our Assassin's Creed guides, tips, and walkthroughs.
Assassin's Creed Origins Update 1.05 Patch Notes
System
Improved performance and stability
Fixed some infinite loading and black screen hang
[PC] Fixed hardware performance metrics for Radeon R9 2xx series
[PC] Fixed several Ultra HD monitor, multi-monitor mode, and multi GPU mode issues
[PC] Fixed infinite saving occurring in Photo Mode when anti-aliasing option is Off
Graphics & Audio
Improved Sandstorm ending visual
Fixed some level of detail issues in the world and for some NPCs
Fixed an issue that could prevent the call mount whistle from playing
Fixed an issue that could cause music tracks to overlap
[Xbox One X][PS4] Revised the default Luminance value in the HDR settings
[PC] Temporarily deactivated spatial sound support to resolve issues with some USB headsets
[PC] Fixed the functionality of the Field Of View option during the Benchmark session
World
Improved appearance of the water in caves
Removed some invisible collision in Siwa
Fixed various issues with the spawning of boats
Fixed a lighting issue in the Sunken Temple of Sarapeion
Fixed some floating NPCs, floating rocks, and other floating objects
Fixed various texturing issues
Gameplay
The selected cheat option for Bayek's hair and beard will now remain saved
Improved various animations on the playable character
Improved the navigation of the playable character
Improved shield stance behavior while on vehicles or mounts
Improved NPCs and animals reactions and navigation
Improved Raging Axe's boss fight behavior in Arena
Improved spawning delay on loot bags when killing NPCs
Improved shield charge behavior
Improved Follow Road mode
Revised fire damage taken by the playable character
Revised poison propagation
Made enemies of lower level than the player more challenging in Hard Mode
Fixed some loading issues while using Senu
Fixed some issues preventing the playable character from interacting with loot bags
Fixed an issue that allowed thrown torches to inflict poison or bleed effect
Fixed spear fight animation against some enemies
Fixed an issue with loot bag spawning in shallow water
Fixed an issue preventing crocodiles from being damaged while in water
Fixed an issue with the activation of slow-motion
Fixed various issues causing the playable character to be stuck
Fixed some camera clipping issues
Fixed some issues preventing bows to automatically sheathe
Fixed an issue where counterweights could remain stuck on the ceiling in the Tomb of Sneferu
Fixed an issue that could prevent Overpower Chain Throw from being used
Fixed an issue that could prevent Chain Attack from dealing damage when a spear is equipped
Fixed an issue that could prevent the player from interacting with the entrance of Eesfet Oon-m'Aa Poo
Fixed issue preventing Senu's perception range from being taken into account when loading a save game
[PC] Fixed movement issues in Walk mode
Quests
Improved various cinematic transitions
Fixed an issue that could corrupt the playable character's inventory after completing Ambush at Sea quest
Fixed an issue that could prevent the player from completing quests after returning to the title screen
Fixed various issues causing Quest objectives to disappear after desynchronization
Fixed various issues with Flavius during The Final Weighing quest
Fixed an issue where the objective would not update during The Hungry River quest
Fixed an issue with Theodoros who could stay in midair during A Rebel Alliance quest
Fixed an issue where leader's health could be restored during Plight of the Rebels quest
Fixed various issues with Pothinus' elephant during Battle of the Nile quest
Fixed an issue with Hotephres' ship being sunk in gameplay and cinematic during The Crocodile's Scales quest
Fixed an issue where the Planetarium Tunnel could remain closed after performing a save/load action
Fixed an issue where the Wild Ride quest would fail when getting on a chariot or a cart
Fixed an issue where objectives in the The Flea of Cyrene quest would not properly update after performing a leap of faith from the Apollo Temple
Fixed various issues with the fight against the war elephant Herwennefer
Fixed issues preventing the ancient tablets to be interacted with
Fixed an issue which allowed the playable character to keep the The Battle of the Nile quest spear
Fixed issue where Apollodorus could remain stuck in a wall during Egypt's Medjay quest
Fixed dialogues that would sometime be missing from the cinematics of Playing with Fire quest
Fixed an issue that could prevent Hypatos from attacking the playable character in the quest Homecoming
Fixed an issue that could make Septimus invisible during The Final Weighing quest
Fixed various issues with Thutmose during Blood in the Water quest
Fixed an issue preventing the player from completing the quest Fall of an Empire, Rise of Another because he spawned as Bayek
Activities
Improved the spawning of enemies in the Cyrene Arena
Fixed an issue preventing the unlockables completed as Aya from carrying over to Bayek
Fixed various issues causing the playable character to be pushed out of the chariot while in Hippodrome races
Fixed an issue where the playable character could remain stuck in the Arena lobby
User Interface
The selected Map filter will now remain saved
Added sound feedback when switching the editing modes during Photo Mode
Added button mapping for petting Senu in the alternate control scheme
mapped to specific keys
Improved image resolution of crafting items
Improved fire visual effects on animals
Changed health gain visual feedback to display in green when hitting enemies
Fixed Senu's marked location for the Tomb of Khufu
Fixed various issues with icons in the Map
Fixed an issue where the Photo Mode HUD could not appear
Fixed HUD modules that stayed hidden changing HUD Preset to 'Show All'
Fixed the suggested level of some quests
for some their owners
Fixed multiple typos in the menus
[PS4] Fixed the Season Pass and Deluxe Pack showing up as 'Coming Soon' in the Store
[PC] Added mouse support for rotating the character in the Gear menu
[PC] Added mouse and keyboard support to toggle Bayek's hair and beard in Gear menu
Hide Arena HUD while in Photo Mode
[PC] Allowed triggering Call Mount and Animus Pulse on button Press when they are
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