With end of the month in sight, Sony has announced the next batch of free games coming for PlayStation Plus members. May will offer up the usual total of six games spread across PS4, PS3, and Vita. Thanks to Cross-Buy, you'll get up to three games on each platform.
As always, the most notably of the bunch come on PS4. With Detroit: Become Human's release approaching, developer Quantic Dream's previous game, Beyond: Two Souls, will be available for free. This was originally developed for PS3 before later being ported to PS4. Alongside it, Ubisoft's gorgeous platformer Rayman Legends will be playable for free.
PS3 owners will also have two games to claim: co-op action arcade game Eat Them and action RPG Risen 3: Titan Lords. Vita rounds out the list with two puzzle games: Furmins and King Oddball. The latter supports Cross Buy on both PS3 and PS4, so both of those consoles will have three games in all to grab.
If you haven't already done so, it's not too late to still claim April's free PS Plus games. Those include Mad Max and Trackmania Turbo on PS4. Adding them to your library will allow you to continue playing for as long as you're a Plus member. They'll be available to grab until Tuesday, May 1, when this new slate of games will replace it.
Here's some good news for anyone who hasn't played PUBG yet. You can buy PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds for Xbox One on Newegg right now for $20, using promo code EMCPTRV56 at checkout. That's $10 (or 33%) off the suggested retail price.
PUBG is a battle royale game that has 100 players parachute onto a sprawling map, to scavenge for loot and fight until only one player or team is left alive. The winner's reward is one of the sweetest victories possible in the current gaming landscape: a screen that says, "Winner winner chicken dinner!" That's the only trophy you need.
In GameSpot's PUBG review, Michael Higham wrote, "Each phase of a match presents a different type of tension that is equal parts thrilling and terrifying, driven by the insatiable desire to be the last person (or squad) standing. Whether you play solo or in a group, successfully executing adaptive tactics to win intense, high-stakes firefights makes for an incredibly rewarding experience. Every player has unique stories of their most memorable matches, and even after hundreds of hours, PUBG continues to inspire rousing tales of victory and defeat."
PUBG on Xbox One is in the early access game preview program. As such, it's a constantly-evolving game, with frequent updates and plans to add significant expansions in the future. Its development cycle runs behind the PC version, so it doesn't have all the same content yet.
In any case, whether you've been enjoying Fortnite and want to try the other battle royale game in town, or you're simply curious to see what all the fuss is about, this is the best deal on PUBG you're likely to find anytime soon.
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For some time now, Fortnite players have speculated that some big event is coming to Battle Royale. The theories have ranged from a meteor--seen in the sky above the game world--crashing into Tilted Towers to some kind of alien invasion. Something is definitely afoot, as evidenced by a new emergency broadcast that's now entered the game. [Update: Fortnite's meteors are now crashing down into the island.]
Official Twitter and Facebook accounts for Fortnite sent out the image below, which features the standard SMPTE color bars or bars and tone you've likely seen at some point, but with the outline of a dead llama laid over the top. There's no accompanying message with it, leaving fans to wonder what's going on.
This isn't just limited to social media. The same image has popped up in-game; as shared on Reddit, TV screens on the island are showing this with some accompanying static. Does this signal a coming alien invasion? Are players being warned about the meteor's imminent impact?
Nothing else has changed in-game since the release of the new 3.6 update. However, with Season 3 winding to a close next week, it seems all but assured that something is going to happen. Epic acknowledged fans' speculation by adding some small details to Tilted Towers in the new patch, and there's reason to think something space-centric is coming. Aside from the meteor that's been visible in the sky, many of the Season 3 Battle Pass items are space-themed.
Fans have generated theories about when the next stage of the meteor event will happen, only to be let down time and again. With Epic offering up something much more direct like this, though, it seems like it's just a matter of time until we find out what's next for Battle Royale and perhaps Season 4.
Epic Games is in the process of rolling out a new Fortnite hotfix update that's intended to resolve two new problems that have emerged since the launch of the recent 3.6 patch. One of these addresses an accuracy issue that emerged from one of the patch's changes, while the other seeks to improve the new floating rings that were added with the final set of Season 3 challenges.
On the challenge side, players are sometimes not receiving credit for skydiving through the floating rings that now hover over the island. The hotfix is meant to improve the situation--the blur rings should be fixed, but things still may not be perfect with the purple ones that are higher up in the air. In a post on Reddit, Epic recommends that players try to go through the very center of the ring to increase the likelihood of it being registered correctly.
It's an unfortunate bug, given that Season 4 is right around the corner, meaning there's only a limited time to get this done. Luckily, you only need 10 rings total, and it's not terribly difficult to get two per game. Despite being told to "skydive" through them, you can actually equip your glider and ease your way through them. You can find out more in our week 10 challenges guide.
The other bug being addressed in this hotfix is more serious. Update 3.6 made it so that first-shot accuracy would be reset when you crouch or uncrouch, a change meant to avoid letting players "quickly uncrouch, fire a perfectly accurate shot, then crouch again for cover." However, the tweak accidentally resulted in a delay when transitioning from hip-firing to aiming down sights. As a result, the hotfix will remove the accuracy change, and the crouch/uncrouch issue will be dealt with "in a future update."
The next season of Fortnite: Battle Royale is right around the corner. With the last set of Season 3 challenges now live and the next component of the meteor mystery seemingly live, Epic Games has released a new teaser image for what Season 4 will have in store--and it might be superhero-themed.
Epic shared the image below on Twitter, accompanied by the text, "Battle. Adapt. Win. Season 4 coming soon." The same image on Fortnite's website is accompanied by the words, "Brace for impact!" The image itself shows what looks like a superhero, which may provide some hint at what kind of new skins and cosmetics to expect from the Season 4 Battle Pass. Season 3's skins are largely space-themed, which ties in with the ongoing meteor and alien speculation. With Avengers: Infinity War just hitting theaters, Epic might be looking to capitalize on the superhero buzz in-game.
A start date for Season 4 has not yet been announced, but Season 3 is set to wrap up on May 3. It's unclear if Season 4 will start right away, but you can expect there to be another Battle Pass for sale. Epic had planned to sell Season 3's for real-world money but ultimately decided to offer it only for V-Bucks, an in-game currency.
We still don't know what to make of Battle Royale's meteor. Players have repeatedly expected it to crash into Tilted Towers, only for nothing to happen--something that Epic even acknowledged with a recent Tilted Towers update.
Shooting stars now populate the sky, and the game has seen the addition of a bars and tones image that can be seen on TVs in-game, further signaling that something is about to happen. Players think they've found what resemble UFOs in the sky alongside the meteor, and the game's files apparently include sound effects for the meteor finally crashing.
Maybe aliens are coming and superheroes will have to face off against them. Maybe the meteor is somehow the superhero pictured above. Earlier speculation suggested this could all be tied to Fortnite's original PvE component, Save the World, finally exiting Early Access. Whatever the case, Season 4 will be underway soon--and in the meantime, meteors are starting to hit.
Fortnite's meteor saga appears to be nearing its climax. After harmlessly adorning the sky in Battle Royale in recent weeks, meteors are actually crashing into the island, according to reports by several players.
Videos such as the one below have been making their way onto social media and Reddit. Small meteors streak down out of the sky and collide with the ground, destroying anything in their path--whether it's part of the island or a player-made structure. It's unclear at this point if the meteors would actually damage a player if someone is unfortunate enough to be hit by one, but it's likely only a matter of time before we find out.
Beyond them hitting the ground, there's been no further developments--they aren't leaving behind any aliens or having any other effect. Meteors eventually crashing seemed inevitable when it was discovered that sound effects related to just that were included in a recent update's game files.
There doesn't appear to be any rhyme or reason to where the meteors are landing. While the video above shows one hitting Tilted Towers, they've also struck down elsewhere, too. Fans have speculated that Tilted Towers would be demolished by a large meteor, something that Epic acknowledged in the 3.6 update. But so far, the map hasn't been changed in any way by meteors finally starting to touch down.
This week saw an emergency broadcast show up on TVs in-game, and Epic has teased that something is about to unfold. Meanwhile, it's also offered up the first image related to Season 4, and it suggests that it could be superhero-themed. How that connects to the meteors or speculation about aliens--if it does at all--remains to be seen, but Fortnite players certainly have a lot to keep them busy between all of this and the new Week 10 challenges.
The first clip of Luke Cage Season 2 has arrived and it's probably not what you were expecting from Netflix's strongman superhero. Instead of fighting evil, saving New York City, or teaming up with his fellow Defenders, he's playing sports. Well, technically, he's cheating at sports.
Timed to release with the NFL draft, the clip finds Luke (Mike Colter) taking on his own version of the NFL combine exercise. Of course, given his abilities, he blows every record out of the water. While this technically should be against the rules--he's a literal superhero--it's hard not to cheer Luke on. After all, maybe the New York Jets could use a bulletproof man to help them run the ball when football season kicks off.
Don't expect him to make the team, though. After all, it would be pretty bizarre if Season 2 simply followed Luke as he began a career in the NFL--especially when there's still so much evil out there to defeat. That said, the appearances in the clip by New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles, as well as ESPN reporters Jemelle Hill and Michael Smith, are a nice touch.
You won't have to wait too long to see how Luke's NFL dreams shake out--as well as what kind of chaos the previously revealed villains Bushmaster and Nightshade plan on unleashing. Luke Cage's second season premieres on Netflix on June 22.
Bandai Namco revealed its upcoming Dragon Ball FighterZ DLC character Fused Zamasu earlier this week, and now we're getting a look at some of his fierce moves in a new gameplay trailer. Check out Fused Zamasu in action in the video above. There's still no official release date on when Zamasu will hit the game, just that he will be available soon on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Fused Zamasu is the result of the fusion of Zamasu and his counterpart Goku Black, and he's one of the major antagonists in the Dragon Ball Super series. He was first announced in a recent issue of V-Jump magazine (via Gematsu), which also revealed that some his special attacks give him the ability to fly freely through the air. You can see some of his aerial moves in the new gameplay trailer.
Fused Zamasu is the third DLC character to be come to the Dragon Ball FighterZ, following the release of Broly and Bardock in March. Broly is slow but overwhelmingly powerful, while Bardock favors rush attacks and close-range fighting. All of the characters (and future ones) are included in the game's $35 US / £22 / $40.95 AU season pass. We don't know how much Fused Zamasu will cost on his own, but the other DLC characters could be purchased for $5 US / £4 / $7.55 AU each. For more on Broly and Bardock, check out each character's epic Dramatic Finishes, as well as their Supers and victory quotes.
There are at least five more DLC characters planned for Dragon Ball FighterZ. Bandai Namco has yet to officially announce who they'll be, but we've put together a list of 15 DLC characters we'd love to see in the game. If you'd like to get a look at all the characters in the game so far, including the new additions, check out our full character roster.
With Star Wars Rebels having recently completed its four-season run, the Disney Channel has announced a new animated show, titled Star Wars: Resistance. The show has been created by Dave Filoni, who oversaw both Rebels and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and it's set to premiere in the fall.
Star Wars: Resistance will be set before the events of the 2015 movie The Force Awakens and according to Disney will focus on a young pilot named Kazuda Xiono, who is "recruited by the Resistance and tasked with a top-secret mission to spy on the growing threat of the First Order."
The voice cast for the new show includes Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live), Christopher Sean (Hawaii Five-0), Scott Lawrence (Avatar), Myrna Velasco (Elena of Avalor), Josh Brener (Silicon Valley), and Donald Faison (Scrubs). In addition, fans can expect appearances from some of the recent Star Wars movie cast members, such as Oscar Isaac (as Poe Dameron) and Gwendoline Christie (as Captain Phasma). Droid fan favorite BB-8 will be in there too.
In a statement, Filoni revealed the inspirations behind Star Wars: Resistance. "The idea for [the show] came out of my interest in World War II aircraft and fighter pilots" he said. "My grandfather was a pilot and my uncle flew and restored planes, so that's been a big influence on me. There's a long history of high-speed racing in Star Wars, and I think we've captured that sense of excitement in an anime-inspired style, which is something the entire team has been wanting to do for a long time."
The announcement of Star Wars: Resistance follows February's news that Iron Man director Jon Favreau is developing a live-action Star Wars show. The series is set to premiere on Disney's streaming platform, which launches next year.
Sony has kicked off the Golden Week Sale, a two-week-long promotion on PS4 games on the PlayStation Store. It has loads of great titles on sale for low prices. And if you're a PlayStation Plus member, you get even deeper discounts on the games. The sale ends on May 8, so read on for our picks for the best deals in the Golden Week Sale. [Update: In addition to this, there's also a new Totally Digital sale that's now underway on PSN.]
As far as big games go, you can get Monster Hunter World for $48 ($45 for PS Plus members). It offers hundreds of hours of monster hunts, loot drops, and character upgrades. The stylish 100-hour RPG Persona 5 is on sale for $33 ($27). Nier: Automata will bend your mind to the point of breaking for $36 ($30), as you find all 26 endings. Meanwhile, the remake Yakuza Kiwami is the perfect entry point in this long-running series about Japanese gangsters. It's on sale for $21 ($18).
Many smaller or more niche games are also on currently on sale. The Metroid-style pixel art game Axiom Verge is on sale for $12 ($10). All installments of the totally bonkers visual novel series Danganronpa are on sale. These games are about a murderous teddy bear who enjoys trapping high schoolers in buildings and making them kill each other to escape. And if you need to lighten up after that, try Dragon Quest Builders, a colorful game that's like a more structured, mission-driven version of Minecraft. It's on sale for $28 ($36).
You'll find our picks for the best PS4 deals below, but you can see the full list here.
Capcom and Sega have teamed up to offer a surprisingly great Humble Bundle that should appeal to just about any PS4 owner. And if you have a PS3 and a PS Vita, so much the better. As always with Humble Bundles, you can spend any amount you choose, starting with $1 to get the initial tier of games. Nabbing games in the higher tiers costs more money, but it's always significantly less than you'd have to spend to buy the games on their own. This Humble Bundle deal ends May 8.
By paying $1 or more, you get Dead Rising on PS4, Crazy Taxi on PS3, and Dustforce and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Splitz on PS Vita. Capcom's Dead Rising, which originally came out in 2006, is this tier's highlight, if only because it's made for the only console that you probably still play. It puts you in a mall and has you try to survive the zombie apocalypse.
Moving on up, if you spend more than the average amount Humble Bundle buyers have spent, you get access to six additional games, four of which are for PS4. They include Resident Evil, Mega Man Legacy Collection, Resident Evil Code: Veronica X, and Alien: Isolation. Now we're cooking with fire. The first three are classics, while Alien: Isolation is an often-overlooked survival horror gem. You also get the PS3 games Binary Domain and Sonic Generations, as well as sizable discounts on newer PS4 games (detailed below).
If you drop $15 on the bundle, you'll also get Dead Rising 2 and Valkyria Chronicles Remastered, both for PS4. The former is another fine zombie-killing affair, while the latter is a refreshingly unique strategy game that mixes turn-based combat with third-person shooting.
All told, this is a killer deal, regardless of what tier you choose to come in on. Click here to visit the Humble Bundle page.
Whenever a new remastered edition is announced, some people cheer while others groan. The less-than-amused folks are often the ones who bought the game in its original form and aren't happy about the prospect of paying full price for the upgrade. But when it comes to Dark Souls Remastered for PC, the groans shouldn't be too loud.
That's because From Software has officially announced owners of the PC game Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition will get a 50% discount when upgrading to Dark Souls Remastered when it launches in May. Owners of other versions of the original Dark Souls, however, are out of luck.
On PC, the transition between the current version and the Remastered version will take a couple of weeks. On May 8, Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition will be removed from Steam. If you've already purchased it, you'll still be able to plan and re-download it, but no one will be able to buy it after that date. Then, on May 25, Dark Souls Remastered will launch on Steam, as well as on PS4 and Xbox One.
The remastered version features the same characters, environments, and challenging gameplay, but it includes a number of upgrades, including improved graphics and quality-of-life tweaks. You'll also be able to play online with six people, rather than the previous limit of four.
Dark Souls Remastered is also heading to Nintendo Switch but not in May. While the Switch port was originally meant to launch the same day as the other versions, From Software delayed it to this summer. Nintendo has also pushed back the release date of the Solaire of Astora Amiibo.
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April showers bring lots of new programming on Netflix. From classic--and not so classic--movies to new original TV shows and films, the streamer is making sure you have more than enough to binge for the beginning of spring. And if this isn't enough, we now know what's coming in May--and leaving, too.
Among the films being added to the service are the so-bad-it's-good video game adaptation Mortal Kombat, Looney Tunes: Back in Action, The Iron Giant, The Lost Boys, and the first two Cabin Fever movies. You'll also be able to stream Scarface, Sin City, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
On the originals front, April 13 saw the premiere of Netflix's Lost in Space reboot, as well as new seasons of The Magic School Bus Rides Again, Money Heist, and Wakfu. Each Sunday will also bring new episodes of The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale. If documentaries are more your speed, Bill Nye: Science Guy will debut on April 25.
It's not all good news, though. There are a number of films leaving Netflix in April. Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, and Batman & Robin all disappeared on April 1. Additionally, both Ace Ventura movies, the first two American Pies, 30 Days of Night, and Small Soldiers were also pulled at the beginning of the month.
You can take a look at everything coming and going on Netflix in April below. You can also check out what the service's new offerings for May. After that, take a look at Amazon Prime Video's offerings for April.
Arriving on Netflix in April
April 1
A Sort of Family
Along Came Polly
Bad Boys
Battlefield Earth
Beethoven's Christmas Adventure
Big Time
Body of Lies
Cabin Fever
Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever
Cats & Dogs
Cold Mountain
Dare to Be Wild
Deep Blue Sea
Fish People
Friday Night Lights
Jackass 2.5
Life Is Beautiful
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
Mortal Kombat
Nancy Drew
Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
Scarface
Seven
Sin City
Speed Racer
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
The Duchess
The Family Man
The Flintstones
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
The Iron Giant
The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale (Netflix Original)
The Lost Boys
The Queen of the Damned
The Spy Next Door
Wakfu: Season 3 (Netflix Original)
April 2
La Piloto: Season 1
April 3
Fary Is the New Black (Netflix Original)
April 5
Behind The Curtain: Todrick Hal
Despicable Me 3
April 6
Sun Dogs (Netflix Original)
6 Balloons (Netflix Original)
Amateur (Netflix Original)
The Boss Baby: Back In Business (Netflix Original)
Fastest Car: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Troy: Fall of a City, Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Ram Dass: Going Home (Netflix Original)
Money Heist: Part 2 (Netflix Original)
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman: JAY-Z (Netflix Original)
Orbiter 9 (Netflix Original)
The 4th Company (Netflix Original)
Todo lo que serÃa de Lucas Lauriente (Netflix Original)
April 7
24 Hours to Live
April 9
AMO: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
April 10
Greg Davies: You Magnificent Beast (Netflix Original)
April 12
Pickpockets (Netflix Original)
April 13
Lost in Space, Season 1 (Netflix Original)
Chef's Table: Pastry (Netflix Original)
Come Sunday (Netflix Original)
I Am Not An Easy Man (Netflix Original)
The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
April 15
Lakeview Terrace
Seven Pounds
April 17
The Chalet: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
The Honeymoon Stand Up Special: Collection (Netflix Original)
It seems like every retailer is offering up a Spring Sale these days. Green Man Gaming is hopping aboard the Spring Sale train and offering discounts on lots of excellent PC games. These temporary price cuts take up to 75% off titles like Dead Rising 4 and Warhammer: Vermintide 2. As a bonus, you can get an extra 22% off by entering promo code GMG22 at checkout. The sale ends April 30.
Anyone with a GMG account can also check out the VIP area, where you can get an extra 25% off select games. These offer change regularly, so check out the VIP area to see which games are currently offered at additional discounts.
Here are our picks in Green Man Gaming's Spring Sale. Check out the sale page to see every game on sale, including temporary flash sales. And remember, the sale end April 30.
Netflix is closing out the month of April strong. The streaming service is adding a number of new original TV shows and movies this week, adding to an already massive streaming library.
Among the new arrivals is the second season of 3%, the dystopian series set in a future that sees the majority of the world's population living in devastation and poverty--with 3% of those eligible given a chance at a better life. The show, which is filmed entirely in Portuguese, returns on April 27.
Other additions include Bill Nye: Science Guy, a documentary about TV host and science enthusiast Bill Nye, as well as the first season of The New Legends of Monkey. The latter is inspired by the 1970s Japanese TV show Monkey. In this new series, a young monk travels through a land controlled by demons, with a group of gods at his side.
You can take a look at everything Netflix is adding below. Additionally, take a look at everything coming and going from the service in the month of April, along with the titles Amazon Prime Video and Hulu are offering up.
April 24
Call The Midwife: Series 6: Christmas Special 2017
Kevin James: Never Don't Give Up
April 25
Bill Nye: Science Guy
Psychokinesis (Netflix Film)
April 27
The Week Of (Netflix Original)
3%: Season 2 (Netflix Original)
Bobby Kennedy for President (Netflix Original)
Candy Jar (Netflix Original)
Holy Goalie
The Man Who Knew Infinity
The New Legends of Monkey: Season 1 (Netflix Original)
The Southern San Andreas Super Sports Series rolls on in Grand Theft Auto V. This week's update doesn't introduce any new modes or vehicles, but it does feature an assortment of bonuses and discounts, which are available now in GTA Online on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Players have a variety of options for racking up GTA$ and XP this week. First, Smuggler's Run Sell Missions are offering double the normal amount of each through April 30. Additionally, Stockpile and the two newest modes in GTA Online--The Vespucci Job and Hotring Circuit--are likewise offering double payouts for a limited time.
While there may not be a new vehicle to purchase this week, all GTA Online players can earn a free gift. Log in to the game before April 30 and you'll receive a Skulls Livery at no charge. You can also find a ton of discounts on aircrafts, vehicle upgrades, and more. Check out the full list of this week's GTA Online deals below.
The Premium Race in GTA Online this week is Surf and Turf, which is locked to the Blazer Aqua. Everyone who participates will earn triple RP, regardless of where they place in the race, while those who finish in the top three will take home a GTA$ prize. This week's Time Trial is End to End. As usual, players who manage to beat the target time will be rewarded with GTA$ and RP.
You can read more about this week's GTA V update on Rockstar's official website. The developer also teased what's in store for GTA Online next week. Along with a new assortment of discounts, Rockstar will introduce new Special Vehicle Races on May 1, which will feature vehicles from the Doomsday Heist. New Transform Races, Creator updates, and more are also in the pipeline for GTA Online as part of the ongoing Southern San Andreas Super Sports Series.
GTA Online Discounts Through April 30
Aircraft (Buy It Now & Trade Prices)
Nagasaki Ultralight -- 40% off
Nagasaki Havok -- 40% off
LF-22 Starling -- 40% off
Mammoth Mogul -- 40% off
Mammoth Tula -- 40% off
RM-10 Bombushka -- 40% off
P-45 Nokota -- 40% off
Buckingham Pyro -- 40% off
Buckingham Howard NX-25 -- 40% off
Super & Sports Classic Cars
Grotti Visione -- 30% off
Coil Cyclone -- 30% off
Vapid Retinue -- 30% off
Vehicle Upgrades & Customization
Countermeasures -- 25% off
Aircraft Weapons -- 25% off
Aircraft Handling -- 25% off
Vehicle Brakes -- 25% off
Vehicle Engine -- 25% off Aircraft, Bikes & Cars)
Vehicle Armor -- 25% off (Aircraft, Bikes & Cars)
Liveries -- 40% off (Aircraft, Bikes & Cars)
Clothing & Accessories
All Smuggler's Run Clothing -- 25% off
Flight and Air Racing Suits -- 25% off
Parachutes - Bags, Canopies and Smoke Trails -- 25% off
May is coming, and Microsoft has let slip the Games with Gold offerings for the month a bit early this time. As always, next month will bring four new games free for Xbox Live Gold members--two on Xbox One and two on Xbox 360. The first will be coming on Tuesday, May 1.
First on Xbox One, you can ring in America's past-time with Super Mega Baseball 2. That will be free throughout the entire month. Then, starting on May 16, Xbox One will also receive Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, the last game in the series helmed by creator Hideo Kojima.
The first half of May will also deliver Streets of Rage as part of the Sega Vintage collection. In the second half, it will be swapped out for Vanquish, the fast-action sliding cover shooter. Both of these can be claimed on Xbox One, where they're playable through backwards compatibility.
Make sure you pick up April's offerings before they get rotated out as well. Those include The Witness, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and Dead Space 2. Check out the schedule of May's releases below.
May 2018 Games With Gold
Xbox One
Super Mega Baseball 2 (May 1-31)
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain (May 16-June 15)
Coming to the WWE Network on Friday, April 27, is Greatest Royal Rumble, a special WWE event coming to the streaming service live from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The main event for this show is something the sports entertainment company has never done before, a 50-man Royal Rumble match. Usually, WWE events and PPVs like Greatest Royal Rumble take place on Sunday evenings; however, because of the time zone difference, this will be an early morning show for fans in North America.
Greatest Royal Rumble begins at 5 PM BST / 7 PM AST in Saudi Arabia on Friday, April 27. Because of the time difference, WWE fans in North America will be able to live stream the show at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET, with the Kickoff Show beginning on hour earlier. That means, if you live in California and want to watch the event, including the Kickoff, you need to be in front of your televisions at 8 AM PT.
The only way to watch Greatest Royal Rumble is through the WWE Network, the company's paid streaming service. However, WWE offers one month for free if you are a new sign-up for the service, and you could simply cancel right after watching the show. Aside from viewing the show on a computer or your mobile device, the WWE Network is available on select Smart TVs, like Samsung and LG. In addition, the service is available through Xbox One, PS4, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. The WWE Network also works with Chromecast.
If you're the type of person that likes to take risks on predetermined events, the betting odds are out for Greatest Royal Rumble (via SkyBet). For the main event, Braun Strowman is favored 5/4, with Daniel Bryan right behind him with 2/1. The oddball bet for the match is the former Raw Tag Team Champion Nicholas whose odds are 150/1. If WWE plans on letting a 10-year-old win the event, someone will make a pretty penny.
Additional betting odds:
Brock Lesnar (5/4) over Roman Reigns (4/7)
AJ Styles (1/2) over Shinsuke Nakamura (6/4)
Jeff Hardy (1/2) over Jinder Mahal (6/4)
Seth Rollins (1/2) over The Miz (9/2), Finn Balor (7/1), and Samoa Joe (7/1)
The Bar (9/2) over Bray Wyatt & Matt Hardy (1/8)
The Bludgeon Brothers (4/11) over The Usos (2/1)
John Cena (1/2) over Triple H (6/4)
Undertaker (1/8) over Rusev (9/2)
If you're looking for more on Greatest Royal Rumble, make sure to check out our predictions, the match card for the event, and all the rumors. Additionally, come back to GameSpot on Friday for live coverage.
Rainbow Six Siege is rolling out a whole bunch of additions and changes to the version of the game on its test server. Ubisoft announced it would be testing a new Pick and Ban system, along with implementing a series of tweaks, including ongoing changes to weapon recoil feedback and the addition of a bulletproof camera for some Operators. You can get a look at more details in Ubisoft's blog post. [Update: The test server update is now live and will run until Monday, April 30, at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET / 3 PM BST.]
The developer is bringing in a new Pick and Ban system in this test update, which allows players to add Pick and Ban settings to custom games (meaning you can select certain operators to allow or remove from play). Ubisoft is looking to test the UI and player experience of the Pick and Ban system in the game, to get a sense of how it fits into Siege. The developer is also continuing to work on the weapon recoil system and continues to tweak it in this phase.
One change in testing that's sure to get players talking is the addition of a deployable bulletproof camera. Some Operators will receive one as a secondary gadget. Certain Operators will also receive changes to the their movement speed. Ubisoft says the trade-off between armor and speed is too skewed at higher speed, so they've made the following changes:
3 Speed Operators slightly slower
1 Speed Operators slightly faster
Small increase to movement speed with handguns out (automatic sidearms excluded)
No movement speed penalty for shield Operators when the shield is on their back
You can get a look at the full list of changes live in the test server below, as written by Ubisoft. Meanwhile, Siege's developers discussed even more changes that will be coming, including a major nerf to Lion, one of the game's most popular and (overly) powerful Operators.
Rainbow Six Siege Test Server Update Patch Notes
New Pick and Ban System
To play with the new Pick and Ban system, you will first need to create a custom game. Then navigate to the match settings section of the custom game options. From here, you can activate/deactivate the ban feature. You will also need to select the time per ban phase. To mirror the Pro League settings, you will also want to activate 6th pick, and select the time for this pick phase. Finally, set the round rotation to Win/Play.
Weapon Sight Misalignment
Interation to the weapon sight misalignment fix that was tested in the previous Test Server. We have made some minor tweaks and will be testing it again.
Counter Defuser
Improvement to the visual and audio feedback when disabling the Defuser. This is an animation change, so the interaction distance and conditions will be the same.
Dropshotting
Changes to how a character behaves when going from standing or crouch to prone. If you are aiming down sights while doing this action, you will shift to a hip fire shooting stance. We felt this action is too strong and frustrating to play against.
Observation Tool Management
With additional Observation tools coming to the game, we needed to rework how players interact with them. This new system will come with a cleaner UI, and a better player experience overall.
Bulletproof Camera
Some Operators will receive a deployable bulletproof camera to as a secondary gadget.
Operator Speed Changes
Over the last two years, we have noticed the trade-off between armor and speed is too skewed to higher speed. Changes (noted above) have been made.
Echo Buff
We are looking at giving Echo a second Yokai drone, and adjusting the recharge rate of his gadget. The goal is to encourage him to take more risks throughout the round.
Known Issues
Clubhouse appears in the custom game list but is not playable.
If a player leaves the game while their Yokai drones are deployed, they will disappear.
Lone Wolf Terrorist Hunt does not launch on first try.
Occasionally, players can be stuck in their spawn.
If you're thinking about buying a new console, today might be the day to take the plunge. That's because Ebay currently has a promo code that gets you 15% off a purchase of $50 or more. The catch is that it's only good until 1 PM PT/4 PM ET today. But since a number of Ebay sellers are already offering discounts on consoles, and the 15% offer stacks with those sales, there's no time to waste. Here are the best deals we've found on Nintendo Switch hardware.
Maybe Nintendo Labo got you interested in a Switch. In that case, you can get a killer deal on a bundle that includes a Nintendo Switch and the Labo Variety Kit. The total price after using the promo code is $285, which is phenomenal, considering those two items normally cost $370 combined. An equally good deal has a Nintendo Switch with the Labo Robot Kit for $295. Those items purchased separately at standard retail price would cost $380 combined.
To get the additional savings on any of these Switch configurations, you'll need the Ebay app on your phone, and you'll have to enter promo code PLAN2SAVE at checkout.
Sony Santa Monica has continued a busy God of War launch week of updates with yet another patch, bringing it up to version 1.15. The patch notes promise only "various bug fixes and improvements," though that's also been the claim for each of the other four post-launch patches.
Previously, one of these updates added a text size slider in the accessibility menu, which went unmentioned in the patch notes. Fans will likely have to do some sleuthing to figure out if version 1.15 does anything more significant than the odd bug squashing. The frequency of updates is showing a commitment to quality from Sony, though, as this is the fourth patch issued in less than week since launch.
That same commitment led to rave reviews, including from our own God of War review. Peter Brown praised its surprising storytelling prowess combined with hard-hitting, satisfying combat. It also enjoys a spot as the current highest-rated PS4 exclusive on our sister site Metacritic.
The single-player component of the latest Hearthstone expansion is now available. The Witchwood cards released two weeks ago, but Blizzard staggered the release this time to offer the single-player Monster Hunt mode a little later. It's open now, so you can go hunt some monsters and earn yourself some card packs and an exclusive card back.
Unlike the Dungeon Run mode from Kobolds & Catacombs, Monster Hunt doesn't have you trekking through the series of boss fights as one of the nine main Hearthstone classes. Instead, it introduces four new monster hunters, each with their own special abilities that are custom-crafted for the mode.
The unique classes are Tess Greymane, the Tracker, who can use a Discover ability on any spell cast during the game; Darius Crowley the Cannoneer who can fire a series of cannons in succession; Houndmaster Shaw who summons an endless army of bloodhounds with the new Rush ability; and Toki the Time-Tinker who can start a turn over if things go awry.
Each monster hunter has their own Nemesis boss, special characters who also have their own special abilities. Tess faces off against Captain Shivers, who can can always draw a weapon from his deck. Darius goes up against Lord Godfrey, whose pistols hit two damage to a minion and those next to it. Houndmaster's nemesis is Glinda Crowskin, who is always Immune as long as she has a minion on the board. Finally, Toki's nemesis is Infinite Toki, another version of herself, who can give a single minion Mega-Windfury for a turn before it dies of exhaustion.
If you can defeat all four nemeses, you'll open up the battle against Hagatha the Witch herself. She starts with 100 Health, has her own exclusive cards, and a passive power that refreshes her with Shaman spells for each minion played. You'll start that battle as Houndmaster Shaw with your choice of a separate passive power, and the other three heroes will be available to play as Hero cards. Each of them enter the battlefield with their own bonuses and powers to take down Hagatha.
This being Hearthstone, the task comes with some rewards. Each of the monster hunters will come with a quest to defeat ten monsters and receive a Witchwood card pack. Completing all four and then defeating Hagatha will get you the Monster Hunt card back.
With one day to go until the release of Avengers: Infinity War, the reviews are in. The movie is the culmination of 10 years of storytelling, with 22 movies released since the Marvel Cinematic Universe launched with Iron Man in 2008. So what do the critics think of this truly epic superhero team-up?
The reviews are extremely positive, if not quite as unanimous in their praise as the recent Black Panther. Infinity War currently has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 86%, compared to Black Panther's hugely impressive 96%. It also currently sits behind the like of Thor: Ragnarok (92%) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (92%).
Nevertheless, many critics loved the movie. The Avengers: Infinity War review from GameSpot's own Mike Rougeau says the film "does justice both to the promise Marvel has been riding on for the last decade, and the source material that inspired it. Somehow, for all its fire and fury--the raw spectacle of it all--Infinity War is a surprisingly human story. Marvel has accomplished something truly incredible here, although at this point it's no more than the absurdly high quality bar Marvel fans have come to expect."
Most critics were unified on the impressive scale and spectacle of the movie. "The scale and grandeur of Infinity War surpasses anything else to date in the genre," said Mark Hughes of Forbes. "It makes a loud, bold declaration of what is truly possible in superhero cinema, challenging filmmakers to reach higher and challenging audiences to keep demanding more."
Den of Geek's James Hunt agrees, writing, "Avengers: Infinity War is epic and operatic, with scope and ambition. It'll leave you simultaneously breathless and emotionally devastated--and when you've pulled yourself together, you'll want to do it all over again."
The challenge that directors Joe and Anthony Russo faced by juggling so many characters was something that a number of writers focused on . Sara Stewart of the New York Post stated that prior knowledge of the MCU is essential. "You'll need some context to properly appreciate the reunions, the awkward first-time meetings, the snark and the sheer incongruity of seeing wildly different characters interact," she wrote. "[But] with a cast as talented and genial as this one, nearly every matchup is a winner."
The Seattle Times' Moira MacDonald also thought that it was sometimes hard to keep track of every character. "Watching the enjoyable but overstuffed superhero epic Avengers: Infinity War is kind of like attending a crowded cocktail party where you more-or-less know everyone, but sometime struggle to put names and backstories to the faces," she said.
However, not everyone loved Infinity War. Matt Zoller Seitz of RobertEbert.com liked the movie, but thought something was missing. "This movie shouldn't just engage and amuse and occasionally move us; it should shock and scar us," he said. "Deep down, we all know that modern superhero movies are operating with even lower dramatic stakes than Star Wars or James Bond movies. This is, as many have pointed out, one half of a story broken in two, but it feels like less than half somehow."
Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters on April 26.
Nothing shakes Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), not even the threat of wiping out the entire universe. At least, that's the picture being painted in the latest clip from Avengers: Infinity War, which debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
In it, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) tells Tony everything he needs to know about Thanos (Josh Brolin), and none of it is good news. "He's a plague, Tony. He invades planets, takes what he wants, and wipes out half of the population," Banner tells his fellow Avenger. "He sent Loki. The attack on New York, that's him." In true Stark fashion, his only response is to mock the way Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) talks and wonder they can't just stick the Infinity Stones he's after "down the garbage disposal."
The scene also includes an Easter egg that some fans might miss on their first viewing. Strange chastises Tony for leaning on the Cauldron of the Cosmos. While that already sounds like something he'd have in his Sanctum Sanctorum, it also has a history in Marvel Comics. The item appeared in issues of Man-Thing and Marvel Two-In-One, after first popping up in a 1981 installment of Marvel Team-up. It's played for laughs in the trailer but is still exciting to see.
This situation is no laughing matter, though, and that's something even Tony Stark understands. The threat Thanos poses is enough to draw together the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe of superheroes--which may or may not include Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)--as they fight to keep those stones away from the Mad Titan.
Whether the heroes are going to walk away victorious remains to be seen, but based on GameSpot's Avengers: Infinity War review, this is certainly a movie that meets the hype. Luckily, you won't have to wait long to find out yourself, as this next massive chapter in the MCU arrives in theaters on April 27.
With Avengers: Infinity War ready to stampede into theaters with the biggest collection of Marvel Cinematic Universe superheroes yet, it's hard to believe that it was only six years ago that Marvel's The Avengers brought Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, and the rest of the gang together for the first time. Interestingly, though, fans almost saw a very different version of the 2012 film.
Given how early in the MCU Marvel's Avengers came--writer-director Joss Whedon started on his script before Thor or Captain America: The First Avenger hit theaters--the plan for the superhero team-up changed quite a bit. "We went through a lot of insane iterations of what might be," Whedon tells Thrillist in a wide-ranging oral history of the film. "At the very beginning, I wrote entire drafts that had no bearing on what I would eventually film."
Should any of those drafts become the one that was used for filming, Avengers would have been a very different movie. For instance, what if it hadn't featured Black Widow? "There was a moment where we thought we weren't gonna have Scarlett [Johansson], and so I wrote a huge bunch of pages starring The Wasp," he reveals.
As it stands, it wasn't until Ant-Man in 2015 that the idea of The Wasp entered the MCU picture. With Ant-Man and The Wasp set for theaters in July, it'll be the first starring role for the character--who will be portrayed by Evangeline Lilly. Of note, Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier) teased the possibility of Michelle Pfeiffer appearing in Avengers: Infinity War as the original Wasp, so perhaps the superhero will get her due in an Avenger movie anyway.
Another unknown at the time was how audiences would respond to the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston). While he's clearly gone on to become one of the MCU's most beloved characters, this was before anyone had seen Thor. That left Avengers to pin its hopes on an unproven baddie. Whedon had a solution, though.
"I also worried that one British character actor was not enough to take on Earth's mightiest heroes and that we'd feel like we were rooting for the overdog," he says. "So I wrote a huge draft with Ezekiel Stane, Obadiah Stane's son, in it." Obidiah, played by Jeff Bridges, was the villain in the first Iron Man movie. His son would most certainly have an issue with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), but seemingly everyone involved knew that would not be the best fit for the movie.
"[Marvel Studios president] Kevin [Feige] looked at it and said, 'Yeah, no,'" Whedon remembers. "[Marvel Studios co-president] Louis D'Esposito actually at that point said, 'Yeah, Kevin, it's all wrong, but look how good it is. Like this is really good wrong.' That was a nice boost."
Of course, in the end, Loki became a fan-favorite character and a very worthy villain for the Avengers--one that's still chugging along. And it's hard to argue that the final script Whedon and Marvel settled on was anything less than great. The movie made over $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office, while the MCU keeps getting bigger and better. Avengers: Infinity War is in theaters on April 27.
George RR Martin has announced a new Game of Thrones book! Don't plan your next A Song of Ice and Fire reading party just yet, though. The new book isn't The Winds of Winter, the long-awaited next installment in his Game of Thrones series of novels. In fact, there's some bad news for fans waiting on that.
Martin has revealed that The Winds of Winter won't be coming in 2018, which is sure to be bad news for those that have been waiting for it since A Dance with Dragons was released in 2011. It's not the first time the book has been delayed though, as Martin has said multiple times that he has missed his own deadlines with the work.
However, he will still have some Game of Thrones content in bookstores this year in the form of Fire and Blood, an "imaginary history" of the Targaryens. The book was previously revealed by the author, who said it was possible both it and The Winds of Winter could arrive in 2018. Clearly, that is no longer the case. In a press release (via Entertainment Weekly), Martin writes, "Fire and Blood is not a novel. This is not a traditional narrative and was never intended to be... let's call this one 'imaginary history' instead. The essential point being the 'history' part. I love reading popular histories myself, and that's what I was aiming for here."
Still, he adds, "there are enough stories here for twenty novels." Hopefully, he isn't planning to write those before The Winds of Winter--which Martin claims he's now turning his attention to--finally arrives for fans.
Fire and Blood is set 300 years before the A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels and will illuminate the history of House Targaryen and its place in Westeros. Perhaps it will serve as one of those spin-offs of Game of Thrones that HBO says are in development. Whatever the case, the final season of Game of Thrones will premiere in 2019. At this rate, it could very well be before The Winds of Winter hits bookstores.
If you're in the market for a new console, today might be the day to take the plunge. That's because Ebay currently has a promo code that gets you 15% off a purchase of $50 or more. The catch is that it's only good until 1 PM PT/4 PM ET today. But since a number of Ebay sellers are already offering good deals on consoles, and the 15% offer stacks on top of them, there's no time to waste. Here are the best deals we've found for PS4 and PS4 Pro consoles.
For those in the market for a PS4 Pro, you can't beat this deal. It comes with a 1TB PS4 Pro, Far Cry 5, and God of War 3 Remastered, all for $350. Considering the PS4 Pro alone retails for $400, that's a great deal, especially with how good the pack-in games are.
If you'd rather go for the PS4 Slim, this deal should work well for you. It comes with a 1TB PS4 Slim, plus Star Wars Battlefront 2, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, and NBA 2K17, all for $255. Even if those games aren't necessarily ones you'd normally pick, the bundle is still $45 less than the standard price of a PS4 Slim with no games included.
To get the additional savings, you'll need the Ebay app on your phone, and you'll have to enter promo code PLAN2SAVE at checkout.
It's been a bumpy few weeks for The Simpsons. The long-running animated series has come under fire after its response to the controversy surrounding the character Apu. The Problem with Apu, a 2017 documentary, explored the idea that the character portrayed negative racial stereotypes. In response, The Simpsons had Lisa break the fourth wall in the April 8 episode, saying, "Something that started decades ago and was applauded and inoffensive is now politically incorrect. What can you do?"
That dismissal didn't sit well with many in the audience, who took to social media to talk about their disappointment in the show. Now the man behind the voice of Apu, Hank Azaria, says he's willing to retire from the character. Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Azaria says, "I think the most important thing is to listen to Indian people and their experience with it. I really want to see Indian, South Asian writers in the writers room... including how [Apu] is voiced or not voiced. I'm perfectly willing to step aside. It just feels like the right thing to do to me."
According to Azaria, the situation has been an eye-opener for him. "The idea that anyone young or old, past or present, being bullied based on Apu really makes me sad," he says. "It certainly was not my intention. I wanted to bring joy and laughter to people."
Whether this means the show will write out Apu or recast him with a different voice actor remains to be seen. For his part, executive producer Al Jean has been discussing the issue on Twitter, writing, "Will continue to try to find an answer that is popular & more [importantly] right." Meanwhile, Hari Kondabolu--director of The Problem with Apu--has thanked Azaria for his words about the controversy.
Yes, The Fast & The Furious is getting a cartoon spin-off, thanks to Netflix. While the streaming service is already bursting at the seams with original content, this is one project that everyone should be excited about. After all, who doesn't want more Fast & Furious to watch?
The animated series won't follow the further adventures of Dom (Vin Diesel) and his crew, though. Instead, the currently unnamed cartoon centers on Tony Toretto, Dom's teenage cousin, as he follows in the elder Toretto's footsteps--which seems like a terrible idea, given how close to death Dom and everyone he knows often it.
According to a series description from Netflix, Tony "and his friends are recruited by a government agency to infiltrate an elite racing league serving as a front for a nefarious crime organization bent on world domination." That's some pretty heavy material for a teenager.
The new animated series is part of an expanded agreement between Netflix and Dreamworks Animation, which has already seen shows like Trollhunters debut on the service. "We are thrilled to take our fantastic partnership with DreamWorks Animation to the next level with new opportunities from the vast library of Universal Pictures," Melissa Cobb, Vice President of Kids and Family at Netflix, says in a statement. "The Fast & Furious franchise is a global phenomenon beloved by audiences of all ages, and we can't wait to get started on the new animated series that will capture the action, heart, humor and global appeal of the feature films."
While a premiere date has not been announced for the new cartoon, the Netflix website lists it as coming in 2019--before Fast & Furious 9 arrives in 2020. Additionally, the first look at the series has been released, which shows that the street racing aspect of the film series will be well-represented in the animated series.
The second wave of this month's original Xbox games have arrived on Xbox One. Following last week's additions to the backwards compatible library, 10 more classic Xbox titles are now playable on Microsoft's current-gen console, plus an additional one if you live in Europe.
As usual, if you still own the disc for any of the aforementioned games, you can now pop it into your Xbox One and begin playing. The titles are also available to purchase digitally from the Xbox Store. You can see the full list of this month's original Xbox BC games below.
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