Telltale Games' anticipated follow-up to The Wolf Among Us has been delayed. Season 2 of the series was originally scheduled to launch for "all major gaming consoles and mobile gaming devices" in the second half of this year, but it will now be arriving sometime in 2019.
On its official website, Telltale says the delay "comes as the result of a few fundamental changes here at Telltale since we first announced the game last summer." This is presumably in reference to the major layoffs that hit the studio late last year, which saw 25% of Telltale's employees laid off part of a "comprehensive company restructuring."
Telltale also says it will use the extra development time to further improve the game. "Taking this extra time will allow us not only to focus on quality but also to experiment and iterate in order to craft something truly special," the developer said.
"Ultimately our goal is to deliver an experience deserving of the passion you've consistently shown for The Wolf Among Us, and these extra months will give us the time we need to do our best work. We're extremely enthusiastic about how the game is progressing so far, and we can't wait to dig even deeper."
The Wolf Among Us Season 2 was first announced in July 2017, just prior to that year's San Diego Comic-Con. Like the first season, it is based upon the Fables comic book series by Bill Willingham. Telltale revealed very few details about the upcoming season, only that it features "a fresh story arc for its returning cast of characters."
Now that Marvel's Black Panther has been in theaters for several months, director Ryan Coogler is clearing the air on one piece of the movie that was particularly difficult for him. While there's a lot to love about the MCU film, there's a character death that upset him during production.
Speaking to the Toronto Sun, Coogler admits the decision to kill Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) was not something he was a fan of. "I like [Klaue]," he tells the newspaper. "I was bugged by having to do that. It's tough when you have to kill characters off and I really did love that character."
Still, the director understands that it's a decision made for the movie's benefit. "I love Andy, he's a lovely person," Coogler says. "But again, it's one of those things where when you've got so many people in a movie, some of them have to go."
While Klaue may not have ended up being the last man standing in the MCU, Coogler believes the character--and Serkis--did get the chance to shine in Black Panther. "[Klaue] in this movie, he's just having a good time," he says. "Every scene he's in, he's walking in like it's the best day of his life. He's got a swagger to him that's interesting and for me it was cool to see Andy act like that. It was a real pleasure."
The character first appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron and made the franchise's first mention of Wakanda. In the comics, he's known as Klaw. Given how playful he was in Black Panther, it's hard to imagine the movies making better use of him in the future. While seeing him go was unfortunate, at least he went out at his peak.
E3 promises to bring news on lots of big games, and CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 is definitely one we're excited to learn more about. While it is not confirmed to be at the event, signs are pointing to some kind of reveal in June. In this feature we're rounding up important details about the game like what we know about it so far, what's confirmed for E3, and what we hope to see from the game at the show. Here we go!
What We Know So Far
Cyberpunk 2077 is the next game from CD Projekt Red, the creators of the Witcher franchise. Announced six years ago this month, Cyberpunk 2077 is an RPG that is at least loosely based on Mike Pondsmith's tabletop game Cyberpunk 2020. The game is set in a "dark future" of 2077 where advanced technologies have become both "the salvation and the curse of humanity." The game promises a nonlinear story designed for "mature" players and is set in the metropolis of Night City. According to CD Projekt Red, it will have some sandbox elements and a form of multiplayer. At the same time, CD Projekt Red has taken steps to stress that Cyberpunk 2077 is a "true RPG" and definitely not a multiplayer shooter. Platforms for the ambitious-sounding RPG have not been announced, but the game is expected to launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
What's Confirmed For E3
We know that CD Projekt Red is attending E3 2018, but we don't know yet in what capacity. A listing on the official E3 website suggests that CD Projekt Red is bringing a PS4, Xbox One, and PC RPG to the show, but this doesn't confirm anything specifically about Cyberpunk 2077. Oftentimes developers will attend E3 for business meetings or to show their games behind closed doors. We're surely hoping to see and learn more about Cyberpunk 2077 at E3, but unfortunately nothing is locked down at this point.
What We Hope To See At E3
The signs are pointing to some kind of Cyberpunk 2077 reveal at E3, so we hope to at the very least see a proper trailer for the RPG. The only video released so far was more of a mood piece that raised more questions than it answered. So it would be great to see a more in-depth trailer, while a gameplay reveal would surely go far to drive up hype even more around the game. As of yet, we don't even know what kind of world and experience Cyberpunk 2077 will offer, and a new trailer could go a long way towards helping players understand what to expect and get excited about.
It would also be good for CD Projekt Red to clarify the game's online mode during E3. Studio management has said the game's online elements will help ensure the game's "long-term success," which some took as a signal that there might be microtransactions. Whatever the case, CD Projekt Red could quell these concerns--and further excite fans--by revealing details on how they plan to approach multiplayer for Cyberpunk 2077. CD Projekt Red spent more than a decade working on games with swords and magic, so it is refreshing and exciting to see the studio enter the sci-fi space with Cyberpunk 2077; we're excited to see and learn more at E3.
Regardless of how you feel about the ubiquity of the battle royale genre, Fortnite seems to be the battle royale shooter, as it pulled in $296 million digitally worldwide in the month of April, according to SuperData, a research firm that tracks the digital sales of games across console, mobile, and PC. That's a 33 percent increase from the $223 million Epic's shooter reportedly made in March.
This makes Fortnite the first and fifth highest grossing digital game on console and PC worldwide, respectively. The other big battle royale shooter, PUBG Corporation's PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, claimed the ninth spot on PC but didn't rank anywhere in the top 10 on console. Though both games have mobile ports, neither placed in the top 10 in that market either.
Fortnite even managed to eclipse the digital performance of Sony Santa Monica's God of War, which we awarded a 9/10 in our review, calling it, "A spectacular action game with epic set pieces, big-budget production values, and hard-hitting combat that grows more feverish and impressive as you progress." As reported by SuperData, God of War became the fastest selling PS4 console-exclusive to date, moving a total of 2.1 million digital units worldwide.
In our Fortnite review, which we awarded the game an 8/10, we said, "It seamlessly merges a number of simple mechanics to create a distinguishable battle royale game."
Fortnite: Battle Royale is available for Android, iOS, macOS, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, and it's completely free.
The popular first-person shooter Overwatch turns two years old this week. To celebrate the occasion, not only is Blizzard running a big anniversary event, but it's also doing a free play weekend on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. If you haven't played this strategic, colorful shooter, you can download the free version to see what you've been missing these past two years. Just make sure you get in some play time between now and May 28.
This isn't one of those severely limited free trials, either. All 27 heroes and 18 maps are available to play, as are most of the modes. You can level up, collect Loot Boxes, and unlock things like outfits, emotes, and sprays for the characters. And if you decide to buy the game, you'll get to keep anything you earned during the free weekend--just make sure you're using the same Blizzard, Sony, or Xbox Live account.
While Xbox One owners need an Xbox Live Gold subscription to take part in the free weekend, PS4 owners don't need a PS Plus account to participate. Windows PC owners will need a Battle.net account to download and play the free trial.
The free-play window runs between May 25 at 11 AM PT / 2 PM ET and May 28 at 11:59 PM PT / May 29 at 2:59 PM ET. For the start time in other regions around the world, check out Blizzard's post to find a useful chart. Read on for instructions on how to access Overwatch for free on the various platforms.
For Windows PC:
Step 1: Download and install the Blizzard Battle.net desktop app, if you haven't already, and launch it.
Step 2: Create a FREE Blizzard account, or log in with an existing account.
Step 3: Click the "Overwatch" icon, located on the left-hand side of the Blizzard desktop app.
Step 4: Select your region from the drop-down menu, then click "Install" to begin the installation process.
Step 5: Once installed, click "Play" to begin!
For PlayStation 4:
Step 1: Turn on your PlayStation 4 and log in to your preferred local user.
Step 2: Go to PlayStation Store and select "Search" from the top menu.
Step 3: In the search field, type in "Overwatch."
Step 4: Select "Overwatch Free Weekend" from the search results and then click "Download."
Step 5: Once the download and installation process is complete, click "Start" to begin!
For Xbox One:
Step 1: Turn on your Xbox One and log in to your Xbox Live account.
Step 2: Go to the Xbox One Store, then select "Search."
Step 3: In the search field, type in "Overwatch."
Step 4: Select "Overwatch: Origins Edition" from the search results and then click "Free Trial."
Step 5: Once the download and installation process is complete, click "Launch" to begin!
Nintendo Switch owners looking for something to play on the hybrid console have a few new options to choose from. On top of this week's new releases, Nintendo has added a couple of free first-party demos to the Eshop, giving you a chance to try out two of its upcoming Switch titles ahead of their launch.
First, Switch owners can download a demo of the upcoming action-puzzle game Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido, which launches for both Switch and 3DS on June 8. Sushi Striker is developed by indieszero, the studio behind Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and was one of our favorite games from PAX East 2018. The free demo allows you to play through the first four stages of the single-player campaign.
In addition to that, Switch owners can now download the beta client for the upcoming Mario sports game, Mario Tennis Aces. However, like the Global Testpunch and Testfire betas that Nintendo hosted for Arms and Splatoon 2, respectively, the Mario Tennis Aces beta will only be playable during a specific window of time. This means you won't actually be able to try it just yet, but it is good to prepare for it ahead of time.
The Mario Tennis Aces "Pre-Launch Online Tournament" takes place next week, from June 1-3. At the beginning, it will feature four playable characters--Mario, Peach, Yoshi, and Bowser--but you'll be able to unlock five additional ones if you play well enough. You'll also be able to unlock a free bonus costume in the full game by participating in the beta.
Here's good news for anyone looking to save money: two PC games have gone free this weekend on Steam. This isn't one of those "free play weekend" deals where you lose access after the weekend is over, either. If you download Guns of Icarus Alliance and Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition while they're free, you can keep and play them forever without spending any money at all.
Developer Muse Games says it's doing the Guns of Icarus Alliance giveaway over Memorial Day weekend "in honor of those who served." The game will be free between now and Tuesday, May 29, after which it will go back up to its regular price of $15.
Guns of Icarus Alliance is a game of team-based airship battles set in a steampunk world. Somewhat like Sea of Thieves, it has you and your teammates work together, taking on roles of pilot, gunner, and engineer to control the ship and defeat your enemies. Alliance is an expanded version of 2012's Guns of Icarus Online that adds a number of PvE experiences to a previously PvP-only game. So now players can team up to fight other real-life opponents or run base assaults, convoy raids, and escort missions against AI-controlled enemies.
The other weekend freebie is Galactic Civilizations II: Ultimate Edition, a PC strategy game from 2006 that's set in a future when humans have ventured out and colonized other planets. Unfortunately, several races of aliens were already out there, sparking an intergalactic war of civilizations. Your job is to lead humanity on its quest to conquer the stars. To that effect, you must manage resources and deploy forces in order to defeat (or befriend) the enemies through military conquest, cultural domination, alliance, or technological supremacy.
Galactic Civilizations II was well-received when it launched, earning an 86/100 on our sister site Metacritic and getting praise in particular for its crafty enemy AI.
Both games are free for a limited time, so add them to your Steam library before they go back up to full price.
The cool new Steam Link app Valve announced recently, which allows you to stream Steam games to your mobile device, will apparently be an Android exclusive, at least for the time being. Following its recent announcement and subsequent beta release on Android, Valve has revealed that Apple has reversed its decision and will not allow the app to be released on the iOS App Store.
Valve announced the Steam Link app earlier this month, with plans to release on Android and iOS shortly after that. According to a statement from Valve, Apple approved the app's release just prior to the May 9 announcement. However, a day after news of it was made public, "Apple revoked its approval citing business conflicts with app guidelines that had allegedly not been realized by the original review team."
This prompted Valve to appeal the decision, according to the company, arguing the app "simply functions as a LAN-based remote desktop similar to numerous remote desktop applications already available on the App Store." Despite this, Valve says Apple denied the appeal, effectively blocking its release.
Valve doesn't provide any sense of whether it has a path for retooling the app to satisfy Apple; instead, it makes it sounds as if it's entirely up to Apple to change its mind. "The team here spent many hours on this project and the approval process, so we're clearly disappointed," Valve said. "But we hope Apple will reconsider in the future."
We've reached out to Apple for comment and will report back with anything it has to share. It seems possible its decision is related to concerns that the app circumvents the App Store, letting Valve sell games to iOS users without allowing Apple to get a cut, but that's purely speculation at this point.
It's unclear if this decision also means the other app Valve announced--one that would let mobile users stream the movies and videos they own through Steam--will also be blocked. For the time being, Android users can pick up the Steam Link beta on the Google Play Store.
Fortnite's latest limited-time mode has been temporarily postponed. Shortly after the Close Encounters event began, Epic Games announced on Twitter that an issue had been discovered and the mode was being disabled across all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, and iOS--while the developer investigated it.
Close Encounters was slated to be the second new limited-time mode in Fortnite: Battle Royale this week, following on the heels of Solid Gold v2, which began with the release of the 4.2 content update. In contrast to Solid Gold, Close Encounters mode focuses on "close quarters combat" and only features shotguns and the newly added jetpacks.
Epic hasn't provided any further details on the unspecified issue it discovered in Close Encounters, only noting that the mode has been taken out of the rotation while it works to address the problem. Likewise, the developer didn't announce a time frame for when Close Encounters will return in the game.
In the meantime, players can still take part in the aforementioned Solid Gold v2, which will still be available in the rotation for a limited time. Like the previous iteration of the mode, every weapon that drops in Solid Gold is of the Legendary variety, and certain items like the Chug Jug, Launchpad, and Special Grenades spawn more frequently.
On top of jetpacks, Epic recently added a new set of weekly challenges for Battle Pass owners; you can check out our guide on how to complete the Week 4 challenges. Additionally, the developer recently outlined some of the new features and content on the way to Fortnite, including a Playground mode that has respawns and friendly fire. Fortnite will also have a presence at E3 2018.
E3 2018 is approaching, and expectations for the big event are growing higher by the day. While it's looking like Microsoft, Nintendo, and several other publishers will have some compelling content for E3, a lot of eyes are on Sony. Recently, the company revealed that it'll have four major games to show at E3: Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us: Part II. In addition to these titles, it'll also highlight several third-party games coming to the platform, but no new hardware will be shown.
Sony in particular has had a stellar showing at E3 in the last few years, revealing games like the Final Fantasy VII: Remake, God of War, Resident Evil 7, and Days Gone--some of which are still awaiting their release. On top of this, the publisher has also managed to secure impressive third-party exclusives, which includes content for Destiny 2 and Call of Duty. Because of this, there's been a lot of anticipation and speculation regarding what Sony could have in store for its press conference this year.
Here are our big predictions for what could be coming to the PS4, and what types of games have a chance of making a showing.
Kojima Will Debut Death Stranding's Gameplay, Confusing Everyone Even Further
Three trailers in and we're pretty desperate to hear more about what Death Stranding is actually about. So far we've only gotten vague details about the story and how it'll play. While the surreal imagery of previous trailers have piqued people's' curiosity, we can't imagine that another teaser will do Death Stranding any favors. Intrigue can only take a game so far; we need something more substantial.
We're thinking Kojima will take the stage once again at this year's Sony press conference to go into explicit detail about Death Stranding, as well as show off actual gameplay footage. We'd love to see an in-depth demonstration of the life/death and timefall mechanics that Kojima discussed late last year. At the very least, we're can see Kojima will giving the audience more of a sense of how it'll feel to actually play the game, as well as what its combat and UI looks like.
Death Stranding has garnered massive interest due to the sense of mystery that veils its story and gameplay. We're hoping that Kojima and Sony will provide some answers to the questions that its initial trailers gave us. | Matt Espineli
A New Remaster Of A Classic Playstation Game Will Be Announced
We know that Sony is going to put a big focus on four games at its E3 2018 press conference, but if the last few years are anything to go by, remakes and remastered versions of classic PlayStation games are almost a sure bet as well. Like, a sure, sure bet. At E3 2014, we got The Last of Us Remastered. The next year at E3 2015, the Final Fantasy VII Remake was finally announced, and at PSX we got Rez: Infinite. E3 2016: Crash Bandicoot remaster. PSX 2016: Parappa the Rapper, Loco Roco, Patapon, and Wipeout all had remasters announced. At PSX 2017, we also saw the reveal of MediEvil Remastered, another revival of a classic PS1 series.
Finally, the recent remake for Shadow of the Colossus, announced at E3 2017 was released this year and earned critical acclaim. The studio behind the title, Bluepoint Games, is already at work on another remake. So chances are very good that we'll hear about that project, or at least another remastered re-release. Is it going to be Ico? Ape Escape? Syphon Filter? The Getaway? The Bouncer? TOKYO JUNGLE? Ah look, they'll probably get to them all eventually anyway. | Edmond Tran
The Last Of Us: Part II Will Get A Release Date
The Last of Us was one of Sony's most critically acclaimed titles from the previous generation, and many fans have been anxiously awaiting more info about the sequel. Though we've seen two trailers showcasing The Last of Us: Part II's new visuals and darker tone, Naughty Dog has avoided sharing too much about the continuation of Ellie and Joel's story. However, Sony has confirmed that Part II will be one of the four major titles that the publisher will focus on during this year's E3.
Sony has been on a roll as of late with their slate of exclusives like God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn, both selling beyond expectations and earning wide praise. And while The Last of Us: Part II is expected to attract that same attention, Sony would do well to go beyond just presenting the gameplay demo and leaving fans hanging. To make Naughty Dog's return to its bleak and emotionally draining world all the more exciting, we predict that Sony will also reveal the game's release date. The timing seems just right for Naughty Dog's next game to show the beginning signs of its release, and E3 2018 would be the perfect place to do it. | Alessandro Fillari
From Software Will Debut A New IP
At The Game Awards in 2017, From Software debuted a 30-second teaser trailer, giving us an incredibly brief hint at its next project. While a lot of people were naturally excited to assume it's new Dark Souls or Bloodborne game, a closer look suggests something completely different, at least thematically. The visuals we got showed a bony-looking contraption in front of a scroll of Japanese calligraphy. The device is cast in iron and wrapped in bloody string that's slowly pulled taut. This is accompanied by audio of rain, the sound of a shakuhachi (Japanese flute), and a taiko drum.
From Software has a few feudal Japan-themed franchises in its roster--most prominently, the stealth-action series Tenchu, hack-and-slash game Otogi, and the survival horror game Kuon--but it's also entirely possible that it'll launch a new title altogether. After all, Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne were all new properties spawned in the last decade which caused huge waves, and we wouldn't put it past From Software to do it all again. | Edmond Tran
Sony Will Reveal Red Dead Redemption 2 Exclusive Content For PS4
All the way back in 2016, PlayStation and Rockstar Games announced that some Red Dead Redemption 2 online content would be made available first on PS4. In the almost two years since then, we have not heard a peep about what form this content may take or how long it'll be exclusive to PS4 players. We think that we'll finally learn more about this during Sony's E3 2018 briefing. Rockstar does not usually do much of anything at E3 on its own. However, the company announced GTA V's PS4 edition on Sony's stage back in 2014, so there is precedent of Rockstar making announcements through Sony at E3.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is going to be one of the biggest games of 2018, and an announcement about exclusive content would be a big win for Sony to potentially help drive people to pick up the PS4 edition. This content will be for Red Dead Redemption 2's online mode (which we also don't know anything about), so it would be exciting to see a new trailer for the game at E3 that shows off how Rockstar is building upon the gargantuan success of GTA Online for the new Western. | Eddie Makuch
Another Surprise Exclusive For PS4 Will Be Announced
Sony's PlayStation press conferences have been really fun to watch in the past few years, and part of the reason is because it always throws curveballs at us. Announcements and surprises of brand-new things it managed to keep secret--things we had no idea were coming and no idea we wanted. The announcement of Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima, Insomniac's Spider-Man, Bend Studio's Days Gone, Kojima Productions' Death Stranding, Resident Evil 7, and Shenmue 3 were all things that caught us unaware. We know that Sony's E3 2018 press conference is going to put a big focus on four games, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have something else up its sleeve too. | Edmond Tran
EA's inevitable annual follow-up to its football series, Madden NFL 19, has been officially announced. EA announced the game and shared the first details on what to expect from it and when it's set to release on PS4 and Xbox One.
One of the key features of this year's game is something called Real Player Motion Technology. EA says with this "new animation system that unlocks next level responsiveness and player personality, players will experience more precision as they run, cut, catch and celebrate on the gridiron this season." The company also touts that Madden 19 offers "more authentic ways to build an NFL roster [and] the ability to train and develop players."
Franchise mode, which was largely unchanged in last year's game, will see some new additions. With both single-player and multiplayer support, you can select from offensive and defensive schemes based on the way you want to play, though the company didn't detail exactly what that entails. This will somehow tie into an "intuitive progression system" that's "based on authentic positional archetypes" and allows you to choose between building a winner now or focusing on the future. Franchise mode also gets a Custom Draft Class Creator so that you can create draft classes manually.
Ultimate Team is another area seeing improvements. New training tools will allow you to develop players, while solo challenges will get a more competitive twist with MUT Solo Battles. These feature a leaderboard (with accompanying rewards) that let you compete with other players by taking part in single-player games.
Madden 19's release date is set for August 10 on both PS4 and Xbox One; pre-ordering the standard edition gets you five Gold Team Fantasy packs and an Elite player from the team of your choice. There will also be a Hall of Fame edition with Terrell Owens on the cover, which also nets you some additional bonuses for Ultimate Team. Additionally, pre-ordering the HOF edition allows you begin playing on August 7. EA Access members on Xbox One, meanwhile, will get access to the game for a limited number of hours beginning on August 2.
Solo: A Star Wars Story has more Star Wars in-jokes, references, and Easter eggs than any one fan could spot in a single viewing. But there's one mega cameo that's impossible to miss. We chatted with Solo's writers, father and son team Lawrence and Jonathan Kasdan, about how a Star Wars character nobody saw coming made it into Solo.
If you haven't seen Solo: A Star Wars Story yet, stop reading now, because there are major spoilers ahead.
Ready?
Yup, that was Darth Maul who Qi'ra rang up right at the end of Solo, as she betrayed poor, naive Han one final time and took Dryden Vos's place in the criminal organization. It turns out the fearsome leader of the massive crime syndicate Crimson Dawn was Darth Maul all along. Who would have guessed? We're guessing no one, which made this a phenomenally shocking moment.
So how exactly did Darth Maul, who hasn't appeared in a Star Wars movie since 1999's Episode I: The Phantom Menace, make it into Solo? And didn't Maul get cut in half the last time we saw him? Shouldn't Darth Maul be way too dead to be making cameos?
The latter point is easy to address. Remember that Solo takes place ten years before the events of Episode IV: A New Hope. That puts it firmly after the prequel trilogy. But if you've watched either of the recent Star Wars animated series, you're already aware that Darth Maul actually survived the fight with Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace and got his newly liberated upper body surgically situated onto a set of robotic legs. (Initially, Maul traipsed around with mechanical spider legs. They were later replaced by a less audacious, but still robotic and cool, bipedal bottom half.)
So yes, Darth Maul is still alive. But the other big questions his appearance here raises are less easy to answer: How did Darth Maul wind up in Solo? And why?
"Jon was a particular champion of Darth Maul," said Lawrence Kasdan--who, in addition to writing Solo with his son Jonathan, served as co-writer on a prestigious list of movies that includes The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, and The Force Awakens.
"We knew that Dryden was not the top of this ladder at all, and we wanted it to be someone really powerful," he continued. "But Jon was the one who said, 'It's got to be Darth Maul.'"
"And [Solo director Ron Howard] was right there with me," Jonathan Kasdan, Lawrence's son and co-writer, said, picking up his father's thread.
"I did my homework to know that, because of Rebels, because of Clone Wars, we were in a position where this part of [Darth Maul's] life was grey enough that we could fill it in with this thing," Jon Kasdan explained. "And it worked nicely with Rebels and Clone Wars in that he did survive that incident with Qui-Gon, and he did go into the world of crime and self interest and was separated from the Empire and the Sith and that whole thing, to go pursue his own life. So I thought this worked nicely, and it certainly left the door open to use great stuff from the Maul legacy in the future."
Jonathan went into detail describing the lengths to which they went in order to ensure Darth Maul's Solo cameo didn't leak out before the movie's release. He cited an incident involving the original opening scene that was planned for The Force Awakens, which was allegedly changed because it leaked.
"There was a great idea in Force Awakens...that leaked, and was cut because it leaked. And it drove me crazy, because I thought it was a great opening to the movie," he said. "So with this thing we were very careful to never say it in the script. It was written into the script as 'a character so shocking to see appear, we'd have to kill you if we told you who it was.'"
The Kasdans knew there needed to be a bigger boss in Crimson Dawn than Dryden Vos. "It was tied to this idea of the line that Qi'ra says very early on in the movie, which is, 'What if we get snatched by traffickers, Crimson Dawn or the Hutt Cartel?'" Jonathan Kasdan said. "We loved the idea that there were criminal organizations of the size and scale of Colombian drug cartels out there with armies of people, and that if we got to see them, we'd only see one tiny branch of them. And if Qi'ra moved up a step in the ladder, who was she looking to that's at the top of the food chain?"
For his part, Bettany told GameSpot that he's "not sure" whether Vos was fully aware of who he was actually working for. Now that he's dead, we'll probably never find out. But Bettany said the Darth Maul reveal itself had a tangible effect on those who saw Solo at its premiere. "You could really feel it in the room," he said.
That's not surprising, considering Darth Maul's shocking appearance is arguably the high point of the whole movie. What were your favorite Easter eggs or reference in Solo? Let us know in the comments below.
Revealed at Paris Games Week 2017, Ghost of Tsushima is one of Sony's newest exclusives. There's much excitement around the upcoming open world game, as its premise as a historically authentic samurai action game is one its most unique aspects. To prepare you for what's ahead, here's what we know about Ghost of Tsushima, as well as what we're hoping to see from it at this year's E3.
What We Know So Far
Since Infamous: First Light released in 2014, the general public has been kept in the dark on what developer Sucker Punch Productions has been working on. Sony had confirmed in 2015 that the studio was working on a new game and that it was playable. While details were scarce, this all changed at Paris Games Week 2017 when Sucker Punch Productions finally unveiled Ghost of Tsushima, an open-world samurai-themed action game.
Ghost of Tsushima is set on the island of Tsushima during the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1294. You play as a lone samurai turned vengeful assassin--likely fighting to drive out the Mongol army from Japan. The game appears to take you to numerous locales across Tsushima, which includes rural villages, bamboo forests, and wide-open fields. A brief instance at the end of the teaser showcased the ability to throw bombs and surprise enemies with a jumping attack from above.
Sony has said little about Ghost of Tsushima since its initial reveal trailer half a year ago. Similar to its approach to God of War, it seems the company is keeping the reveal of new details to a minimum.
What's Confirmed For E3?
Sony has confirmed that it'll talk more about Ghost of Tsushima at its E3 2018 press conference. It's one of the four games that the company will be showcasing in-depth at this year's show, alongside Death Stranding, Spider-Man, and The Last of Us Part II.
What We Hope To See At E3
The initial teaser only offered a brief glimpse of the areas you'll be exploring, as well as a couple of examples of the combat maneuvers you can execute. We're hoping Sony plans to debut gameplay at its upcoming press conference. An example of how a mission plays out would be preferable, as it could offer a showcase of both navigation and combat.
Speaking of combat, as a samurai action game, it's safe to assume that Ghost of Tsushima will have an in-depth melee combat system. After all, samurai are known for their skill and mastery as swordsman. However, it appears the main protagonist isn't simply a lone swordsman, but a ninja-like assassin as well. Based on his appearance and his use of explosives, the game will likely also feature elements of stealth. If this is true, we'd love to see how these two styles intermingle in gameplay and how freely you're able to switch between them during a given situation.
Aside from Ghost of Tsushima's general premise, explicit details of its narrative have been left ambiguous. It would be great to hear more background about the game's protagonist and supporting cast. In addition, we'd love to know more about the antagonist, who you can hear giving the monologue during the reveal trailer.
Lastly, we're hoping Sony is able to provide a potential release date window for Ghost of Tsushima. With big-name first party exclusives like God of War and Detroit: Become Human already out, it would be in Sony's best interest to start giving rough launch estimates for its next wave of exclusives.
A new Borderlands game has been expected for some time now. The series is among 2K's most successful franchises, and Borderlands 3 has been teased time and again. We know 2K has a new (but as-of-yet unannounced) game for one of its big franchises in the works, although it was recently delayed--rather than releasing by the end of March 2018, it's not due until sometime between April 2018 and March 2019. That suddenly makes it less likely that E3 2018 is where we get a look at Borderlands 3--or whatever the game ends up being called. Nevertheless, here's what we know about the potential project, as well as what we'd hope to see from an E3 reveal.
What We Know So Far
Borderlands 3 has not yet been announced, but series creator Gearbox has not been shy about suggesting it's in the works. Gearbox's last entry was 2012's Borderlands 2; that was followed by 2K Australia's Pre-Sequel and Telltale's Tales From Borderlands. Back in 2015, Gearbox began openly recruiting for a new Borderlands, with studio head Randy Pitchford calling it "the big one." Publisher 2K soon after clarified that this was being designed "specifically for next-gen consoles," which is what PS4 and Xbox One were still referred to as at the time.
There was little word for the next year, but in 2016, Pitchford reaffirmed, "Obviously, there is going to be another Borderlands." He also added that it wouldn't necessarily be called Borderlands 3. Subsequently, he said whatever it's called, it's unlikely to be released on Nintendo Switch--although it's not impossible the platform sees some kind of Borderlands title one day.
In 2017, the studio showed off some new technology it was working on to demonstrate "what a future game from Gearbox might look like." The tech demo strongly resembled the art style of Borderlands, and a character's face was deliberately obscured, presumably to avoid spoiling something. Pitchford again said, "If you're a customer that's looking forward to a future Borderlands game, we're working on it. We'll get you soon."
2K itself has been generally tight-lipped about the new game, although it has repeatedly said "a highly anticipated new title from one of 2K's biggest franchises" is due out during the current financial year, meaning by the end of March 2019. Pitchford later said something even more on the nose, stating that 90% of Gearbox is "working on the thing I think most of you guys want us to be working on."
What's Confirmed For E3?
At this point, there's no word that the new Borderlands will be unveiled at E3. 2K doesn't traditionally have its own press conference to announce such a project, but it could easily show up during Microsoft or Sony's respective showcases. An E3 reveal for 2K's "highly anticipated new title" made E3 seem like a decent bet for a reveal until it was delayed. Recently, Pitchford and Gearbox have tried to deny the game will be at E3, but that could all be in an attempt to set us up for some surprise--the specific use of the name Borderlands 3 may have been meant to throw us off.
What We Hope To See At E3
It's been a long wait since Borderlands 2 and The Pre-Sequel, so any reveal would hopefully show what's taken Gearbox this many years to come up with. Assuming that classes are still in place, we'd like to see some new ones along with returning favorites, like the Gunzerker and Siren. But most importantly, we're hoping for a large number and wide variety--four just doesn't seem like enough. For a series that offers up so many weapon choices, expanded character customization options would also be welcome.
That's not to say the weapons themselves should stay as-is. Borderlands is known for offering a huge arsenal of weapons, but a more diverse array of weapon types, including the melee weapons Gearbox dabbled with in Battleborn, would be great.
That diversity could also extend to the locations you visit. As noted above, Pitchford talked about technology that "allows the scene to simulate in real time as time of day changes or conceivably we have different physics, if we, for example, were to explore different planets. There might be different physics, and the sun and the moons might be in different positions than we're used to on Pandora." That wasn't a promise of what Borderlands 3 will offer, but that's precisely what we'd hope to see. Don't just settle for different-looking areas of the same planet.
Whatever planet we're on, vehicles could be of much greater use. Those allowing your entire party (not just two people) to ride inside would be a start, but we'd also like for vehicles to serve a real role in combat, rather than just a means of transportation.
And while an E3 reveal might not show us everything, there's one thing we don't want to see: a heavy reliance on meme-centric humor. You can be funny without leaning on that quite so much.
Halloween is still five months away, but there's plenty to be scared of in May thanks to Hulu. The streaming service is adding dozens of new movies and TV shows this month, giving you plenty to watch--including one of the most beloved franchises in horror.
May sees the arrival of five A Nightmare on Elm Street movies, from the 1984 original through Wes Craven's New Nightmare--save for Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare. Never fear, though, as that particular title is already available from the streamer. Unfortunately, 2003's Freddy vs. Jason is nowhere to be found, which leaves fans without star Robert Englund's final time donning that horrifying glove.
Other new movie arrivals include the Sylvester Stallone classic Demolition Man, She's All That, and five Rocky installments. On the TV side, new seasons of Drunk History, Mobile Suit Gundam, 12 Monkeys, and The Strain all begin streaming in May.
Eventually, streaming services are going to run out of new titles to add. Until that happens, though, Amazon Prime Video has plenty to keep you occupied in May. The streaming service may not have the robust collection of originals Netflix continues to build, but it's library of beloved movies and TV shows is only getting bigger.
Among the titles arriving in May are five Rocky movies and a slew of James Bond films. Other films being added this month include A.I. Artificial Intelligence, The Brady Bunch Movie, Bad News Bears, Cool World, and Beast of Burden--just to name a few of so many.
Likewise, a bunch of new TV seasons will also be available to stream. Among the shows arriving are the original UK version of The Office, Orphan Black, Howard's End, and Rocky and Bullwinkle. And while Amazon may not have as much original output as Netflix or Hulu, the streamer's Picnic at Hanging Rock series premieres on May 25.
For a full list of everything being added to Amazon Prime Video in May, take a look below. Then make sure to look at everything coming and going on Netflix this month.
If you play games on PC, you may be aware of the Humble Monthly gaming subscription. For $12 per month, it grants you a monthly bundle of games worth over $100. The only catch is that most of the games in the bundle are a mystery until after you've paid. Humble does announce at least one game each month as an "early unlock" to entice new subscribers. The early unlock game for June 2018 is one of the biggest games ever featured in the subscription: Destiny 2.
If you subscribe for June's offerings--whatever they end up being--you'll get Destiny 2 immediately, just in time for the Warmind expansion, coming May 8. After that, you'll have to wait for the end of the month to find out what the rest of the games are, (though occasionally a game or two will be announced in the middle of the month).
As a point of comparison, April's Humble Bundle games included Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Mafia III, God Eater 2, Outlast 2, and more. The games usually come in the form of Steam codes that are saved in your Humble account. Unlike PlayStation Plus, you get to keep and play your Humble Monthly games forever, whether you have an active subscription or not.
Humble throws in extra bonuses for Humble Monthly subscribers as well. All active subscribers get 10% off every game in the Humble Store. They also get access to the Humble Trove, a collection of mostly well-received indie games. And if you subscribe for a full year, you save $12 off the monthly rate and (for a limited time) you get $25 added to your Humble Store account. Plus, 5% of Humble's proceeds go to charity.
All in all, Humble Monthly is one of the best deals in PC gaming. And with Destiny 2 being the early unlock for June, now is a fine time to get started.
Some links to supporting retailers are automatically made into affiliate links, and GameSpot may receive a small share of those sales.
Avengers: Infinity Waris finally here. The arrival of "destiny" as promised by Thanos, after ten long years of waiting and 18 movies, the moment we've been waiting for has come. It brought with it a whole bunch of questions, most importantly: what do we do now? With the movie's post-credits scene, that becomes just a tiny bit more clear.
The end of Infinity War is very literally an end--the actual, genuine annihilation of half the universe at the hands of Thanos, armed with a fully powered Infinity Gauntlet. Not exactly the feel good, heroic, triumphant superhero vibe of Avengers past. Thanos has won, and from where we're sitting, it looks like his victory is absolute.
But all hope isn't lost. Though Infinity War deviates from Marvel's post-credits formula slightly by including only one stinger, rather than what's become the customary two, the movie's final moments give us the briefest glimpse of what's on the horizon.
Here's the scene: Nick Fury and Maria Hill speed through a New York City that is slowly descending into chaos. As Fury notes that something big is happening in Wakanda, he tells Hill to get in touch with someone named Klein, likely this guy from Winter Soldier and Age of Ultron--which may point to more progress in Fury's somewhat forgotten efforts to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D in the wake of its official Hydra-fueled destruction.
But the effects of Thanos's finger-snap are reverberating across the galaxy and, one by one, people are disappearing at random. This means literally anyone--pilots, drivers, pedestrians--vanishing into thin air, no matter what they may have been in the middle of. So naturally, as more and more people crumble, helicopters are crashing, cars are veering off the road--you get the idea. The world is not in a great place, and Fury and Hill are left trying to puzzle through what's happening.
Unfortunately, even their time is limited. As they scramble out of their car, Hill begins to crumble and abruptly vanishes, leaving Fury on his own. He pulls out a device--something that looks almost like a beeper--and dials out just as he himself begins to disintegrate.
This guy might turn out important?
As Fury blows away in the wind, the device he was holding clatters to the ground and we're left staring at what we can only assume is the transmission of a distress signal. Though there is no text on the screen to give an official destination, a symbol or logo soon appears--the blue, red and gold emblem associated with none other than Captain Marvel.
We've known for some time that a Captain Marvel movie is coming--set photos of Brie Larson in costume have been filtering in since filming kicked off--but her role in the still unnamed Avengers 4 remains shrouded in mystery, just like the rest of the film. We do know, however, that her solo movie will be released in March of next year (two months prior to the next Avengers, due in May) and be set in the '90s, which leaves her in an interesting position considering Infinity War's very present day ending.
Just how long has Fury known about Captain Marvel? Where has she been all this time? Is the distress signal actually going to Carol Danvers or is it going to someone like, say, her mentor Captain Mar-Vell instead?
Perhaps more importantly: what exactly can Captain Marvel do in the face of a fully powered Infinity Gauntlet?
Carol Danvers traditionally gets her powers from her Kree heritage, making her similar to what we might expect from an Asgardian in the MCU, with a few twists. In the books she has enhanced durability, strength and speed, as well as the ability to fly and shoot energy projectiles from her hands. She also has an abundance of military and tactical training both on Earth and with the Kree army, making her a formidable force both in the heat of battle and in any war room--so it's not that she's incapable, by any means.
But all the training and superpowers in the universe seem dwarfed by the force of the Infinity Stones, even with the Infinity Gauntlet in the damaged state that the movie leaves it in, so it's unlikely that she'll be able to show up on Earth without some sort of back up and expect to make a difference. Luckily, there are a few other cosmic Marvel heroes who have been alluded to in the past who just might be able to lend a hand. We saw the Nova Corps in Guardians of the Galaxy, which paves the way for Nova to get involved, especially if Thanos destroyed the entire Corps when he nabbed the Power Stone from them, which would fit with Nova's origin in the comics. And don't forget Adam Warlock, who was referenced in the Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 post-credits scene.
Season 4 of Fortnite: Battle Royale is underway. In addition to taking part in matches like normal, that also means there are special challenges to complete. Beyond the regular Starter and weekly challenges, Season 4 also presents some additional ones: Blockbuster and Carbide. Here's everything you need to know and details on all of the challenges revealed so far.
All Fortnite players on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and mobile are eligible to complete the Starter challenges. These are relatively run-of-the-mill and offer different rewards, including Battle Stars and various minor cosmetics. The Battle Stars allow you to rank up the Battle Pass, which is where the vast majority of Season 4 skins and rewards are located, such as the coveted Omega skin pictured below. However, the free tier has a very limited number of goodies on offer. You'll need to purchase the full Season 4 Battle Pass for 950 V-Bucks to be able to obtain all of the rewards as you level up.
Purchasing the Battle Pass also entitles you to all of the weekly challenges. Another set of these opens up each week during the season and can be completed anytime between now and when Season 4 ends on July 9.
Some of the rewards available in Season 4
That's how things have worked in past seasons, but Season 4 also has new types of challenges. Blockbusters involve completing all of the challenges from a given week. Doing so earns you an additional reward on top of what you'd get from finishing those challenges anyway. The first Blockbuster challenge you finish pays out a loading screen, which serves as a clue that directs you to an in-game location where you can get a free Battle Pass tier. To find that, though, you'll have to actually complete all of the challenges from a week.
Also new in Season 4 are Carbide challenges. One of the rewards you immediately get for buying the Battle Pass is the Carbide skin. As you reach certain level milestones during Season 4, you'll complete Carbide challenges, which unlock different "styles" that let you customize the look of the Carbide skin. Completing three Carbide challenges also nets you a matching pickaxe.
Below, you'll find a complete list of all Season 4 challenges to be revealed so far, along with links to our maps and guides that will help you complete them all.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 4 Challenges
Starter
Outlive opponents (1,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Play matches with friends (10) -- 5 Battle Stars
Deal damage to opponents (5,000) -- 5 Battle Stars
Land at different Named Locations (10) -- 5 Battle Stars
Play matches (50) -- Ace of spades cosmetic item
Play matches with at least one elimination (10) -- concept art
Hard: Win a match -- #1 cosmetic item
Reward: 5k XP (after completing four challenges)
Blockbuster
Complete all challenges in a week -- #1 loading screen
Complete all challenges in 2 different weeks -- #2 loading screen
Complete all challenges in 3 different weeks -- #3 loading screen
Complete all challenges in 4 different weeks -- #4 loading screen
Complete all challenges in 5 different weeks -- #5 reward
Complete all challenges in 6 different weeks -- #6 reward
Complete all challenges in 7 different weeks -- #7 reward
When GLOW returns to Netflix for Season 2, it will bring with it many surprises as the ragtag group of female wrestlers works to make their TV dreams a reality. Along the way, they'll run into some interesting faces--including one that should be very familiar to longtime WWE fans.
Chavo Guerrero Jr., a former WWE Tag Team, WWE Cruiserweight, and ECW Champion, will appear in the second season, though it's far from his first exposure to the series. After serving as a fight coordinator and wrestling trainer to the cast in Season 1--a role he reprises this year--Guerrero is also getting the chance to mix it up in the ring with some of GLOW's cast on-camera in Season 2.
"Chavo is on the show this year, and he wrestles with some of the women," star Alison Brie says in a group interview. "So that was very exciting to witness." She continues, "He stayed in character the whole time, super weird. We were like, 'Chavo, are we going to stretch before the match?' And he was like, 'F**k you, I'll see you in the ring.'"
If he's getting in the ring to wrestle women, it sounds like Guerrero will be modeled after Andy Kaufman's intergender wrestling gimmick from the 1970s. It's an act similar to what independent wrestler Joey Ryan does today.
For the cast, it was a special moment. After being shown the literal ropes by Guerrero, he was stepping into their domain--acting. "It's so exciting to watch someone we love shine," Jackie Tohn, who plays Melrose, explains. "In the same way, I love watching these girls. It's like, wait a sec, we can now get to watch Chavo, who by the way has basically raised us. Now he gets his moment to not be behind the scenes, it's really nice."
With Guerrero stepping into the show as a male wrestler that fights women, Brittany Young (Carmen "Machu Picchu" Wade) relished the opportunity to tangle with her trainer. "Well I know in my scene with him, without giving too much away, I literally was talking trash to him as Carmen, but deep down inside I was like, 'This is Britney vs. Chavo,' and after every take, he'd be like, 'Yes, do that one more time, because I've got a great comeback now,'" she remembers. "So, just like throwing things at him and seeing him react, for us it's a family, and to see uncle Chavo get into the show, we were all ecstatic."
Of course, with Guerrero going full-'80s wrestler, he had to have the ring attire to match, and GLOW made sure he left an impression with his wrestling trunks. "They're like little speedos-shaped [shorts] and there's this embroidered monkey right on the ass cheek. What a delight," Tohn jokes.
You'll be able to get a full look at Chavo when Season 2 of GLOW premieres Friday, June 29, on Netflix.
A new distribution is now underway for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. From May 4-27, players will be able to add one of the Legendary Pokemon from the Kalos region, Xerneas and Yveltal, to their teams via a free download code. [Update: The Xerneas/Yveltal distribution ends on Sunday, May 27, making this your last chance to pick up a free download code for the Legendaries.]
To claim the download code, players will need to head to a participating retailer and pick one up near the register. In the US, the code will be available from GameStop; UK and Ireland residents can get one from Game stores; and players in Canada and Australia will find the code at EB Games.
The download code can be used in any seventh generation Pokemon title. To redeem it, select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input the code and the game will begin downloading your Legendary. You can then pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
The Legendary you receive depends on which version you're playing. Those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get the Dark/Flying-type Yveltal, while players with Moon or Ultra Moon will get the Fairy-type Xerneas. If you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games, the Legendary will also come equipped with a Gold Bottle Cap, which can be exchanged to Hyper Train a Pokemon.
Additionally, the Legendaries will come at a higher level if you redeem the code in either of the Ultra games. They'll also know a different moveset depending on the version you're playing. You can take a look at the attacks they'll come with in each game below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Yveltal -- Level 100
Oblivion Wing
Dark Pulse
Heat Wave
Tailwind
Pokemon Sun
Yveltal -- Level 60
Oblivion Wing
Dark Pulse
Phantom Force
Psychic
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Xerneas -- Level 100
Geomancy
Focus Blast
Grass Knot
Moonblast
Pokemon Moon
Xerneas -- Level 60
Geomancy
Horn Leech
Night Slash
Moonblast
The Pokemon Company is giving away different Legendaries every month in 2018 as part of its Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion. In June, players will be able to get another Legendary from Pokemon X and Y: Zygarde. What makes this Pokemon special is that it will be its shiny variant. Until then, you can see all of the free Pokemon up for grabs right now.
Season 4 of Fortnite is officially underway, and with it, we've gotten a new Battle Pass. This works largely like those in the past, offering weekly challenges for players to complete in order to unlock new skins and rewards. Week 1 challenges are the usual mixture of easy and tricky objectives; here are the key locations and how to complete them all.
Two specific challenges stand out as ones with which you might need a guide. The first asks you to follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town. You can head there and pick up the map to get started or, as with previous instances of this objective type, go right to the treasure if you know where it is. This one is fairly easy--it's in Loot Lake. Head to where the 'E' in Lake is shown on the map, as seen in the image below, and you'll find the wrecked remains of a small boat just to the south of a small slab of land. Jump on the part sticking out of the water and you'll see the Battle Pass icon to collect, which is done by holding the same key or button you use to open chests.
The other difficult challenge is to search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters; there's no real indication of what these are or where to start your hunt. Essentially, these work a lot like the aforementioned treasure map locations, only there are no in-game hints. You'll head to certain spots and find a hovering blue letter that must be "searched" like a chest to collect. No matter which order you go to the locations, you'll always find the letters in the order that spells out "Fortnite."
Some are in popular places to land--for instance, there's one at the top of the clocktower in Tilted Towers. Others aren't so easy, but luckily, there are more than eight locations total spread across the map. With the help of Reddit users Strantjanet and thesquatingdog, we've verified eight locations--the exact number you'll need to complete the challenge. Here's directions to find them along with a map showing additional letter locations.
F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E Letters Locations
Tilted Towers -- on top of the clocktower
Salty Springs -- just to the east, on top of the fire lookout tower
Flush Factory -- on top of the largest building in the unnamed area to the northeast; you'll have to destroy the glass ceiling to collect it
Snobby Shores -- in the northern most area, on top of a lightpole in front of a decrepit house
Anarchy Acres -- on top of the red barn
Pleasant Park -- on top of the roof in the middle, immediately north of the soccer field
Lonely Lodge -- in the unnamed area to the southeast, on top of the building
Risky Reels -- in the hole on the movie screen
Week 1's other challenges are much more straightforward and generally rely on a mixture of luck and being in the right location. You'll need to deal damage to opponents using sniper rifles, which is just a matter of finding such a gun and having good aim. You'll want to head to Haunted Hills and search for chests; hopefully, in the process, you'll also get your hands on a Port-a-Fort. If you do, be sure to use it before dying to complete another challenge.
The aforementioned Tomato Town map is one of three Hard-difficulty objectives. Another simply has you rack up eliminations at Flush Factory, so head there and take down some opponents. The third calls for you to get three pistol eliminations. Pistols aren't the greatest of weapons, so you may want to attempt both this and the Flush Factory challenge in the Solo playlist. That way, you don't have to worry about revives or competing with teammates for a kill.
Each of these challenges rewards you with Battle Stars to level up your Battle Pass and earn new skins and rewards. Additionally, once you've complete four of them, you'll receive a 5k XP bonus. Keep in mind, access to the weekly challenges requires the purchase of the Battle Pass for 950 V-Bucks. In addition to weekly challenge access and the ability to earn lots of skins and rewards, the Battle Pass also includes new Blockbuster and Carbide challenges, which involve reaching level milestones and completing all challenges in a given week.
Season 4, Week 1 Battle Pass Challenges
Deal damage with sniper rifles to opponents (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search chests in Haunted Hills (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Use a Port-a-Fort -- 5 Battle Stars
Search F-O-R-T-N-I-T-E letters -- 5 Battle Stars
Hard: Follow the treasure map found in Tomato Town -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Pistol eliminations (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Hard: Eliminate opponents in Flush Factory -- 10 Battle Stars
Being an Amazon Prime member gets you more than just streaming videos and free two-day shipping. For no additional charge, you can link up your Twitch account to become a Twitch Prime member, which grants you a bunch of free gaming goodies each month. These range from PC games to free in-game items for some of the most popular games on the planet--including Fortnite. Here's a guide to all the free gear Twitch Prime members can collect in May 2018.
For starters, you can get Fortnite Twitch Prime Pack #2. It includes an exclusive outfit, pickaxe, back bling, and emote, all available at the click of a button. Next up is a selection of six free PC games you can download in May to keep and play forever. These include games like Gone Home and Psychonauts.
Call of Duty: WWII players can grab an Ultimate Supply Drop Pack that comes with a new uniform, charm, and other items. If it's your first Twitch Prime loot redemption for the game, you'll also get a free weapon camo. And finally, you can grab a Heroes of the Storm loot pack that includes a Glitch Steed and a Rare Loot Chest.
To collect these items, head over to Twitch and click the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar. Some of the loot requires you to link your Twitch Prime account to your game account, but it's all pretty user friendly. If you have any difficulties, consult the FAQ at the bottom of this page. Now go off and enjoy your free stuff.
Twitch/Amazon Prime members have yet another reason to be happy this month, because they can grab a new bundle of in-game loot for Call of Duty: WWII. All you need is an Amazon Prime account, a Twitch account, and a copy of the game on PC, PS4, or Xbox One. Once you link your accounts together, you can grab an Ultimate Supply Drop Pack for free. This is the sixth monthly freebie for Twitch Prime members with Call of Duty: WWII, and it's available between now and June 7.
To get your goodies, visit Twitch.tv and click the crown-shaped Prime Loot icon next to the search bar. That will open a drop-down menu, where you'll find your Call of Duty: WWII loot, along with any other free games and items you have available (more on that below).
This month's loot is an Ultimate Supply Drop Pack of five bribes. According to the Twitch blog, you can "look out for guaranteed and duplicate-protected Heroic Uniform, Weapon Charm, Winter and Resistance items (unless you already have every item in these categories). You'll also get a guaranteed Epic item!"
If you're not a Twitch/Amazon Prime member, you can start a free one-month trial here. And if this is your first time receiving Call of Duty: WWII loot from Twitch Prime, you'll also get the "Bomb Voyage" Weapon Camo for free.
For more information, visit the Call of Duty: WWII/Twitch Prime rewards page. It offers information on how to link your Twitch Prime and Call of Duty accounts and answers just about any other question that might pop into your mind regarding the freebies.
Even if you don't own Call of Duty: WWII, you can still get plenty of free stuff from Twitch Prime. Other freebies available now include in-game loot for Fortnite and Heroes of the Storm, as well as a bundle of free PC games. That's a lot of stuff to get in one month just for being an Amazon Prime member with a Twitch account. More free stuff will unlock next month, so check back for details.
The Year of Legendary Pokemon rolls on. With June just around the corner, The Pokemon Company has shared some more details about the next free Pokemon it is giving away for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and it's another Legendary from the Kalos region: Zygarde.
In contrast to previous distributions, which offered a different Legendary depending on which seventh-gen game they're redeemed in, Zygarde is the only Pokemon that players will receive in June, regardless of which version they have. What makes this particular Legendary special, however, is that it's a Shiny variant, which is exceptionally hard to get through normal play.
As usual, players in the US will need to travel to a specific retailer to pick up a free download code for Zygarde. This time, the code will be available at GameStop from June 1-24. Those in Europe and Australia will have an easier time getting their hands on one; the Legendary will be offered as a free Mystery Gift over the Nintendo Network.
The download code you receive can be redeemed using the Mystery Gift feature from the games' main menu. Select the option to receive your gift via a code/password, input your code when prompted, and the Pokemon will be downloaded into your game. (In Europe and Australia, you'll simply choose the option to receive your gift via internet instead.)
Once you complete those steps, you'll then be able to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center. As always, you'll need to have a free slot in your party in order to claim the Legendary.
Before Zygarde arrives, players still have a little more time to claim May's free Pokemon: Xerneas and Yveltal. Players can pick up a download code for the Kalos Legendaries from participating retailers until May 27. You can see what other freebies are available right now in our roundup of all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
A new event is now underway in Pokemon Go. For a limited time, Niantic is hosting Adventure Week, an in-game event that features a variety of bonuses, including extra XP, Candy, and increased Pokemon spawns.
Adventure Week kicked off on May 24 at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET. Among other things, Niantic says the event will feature "unique" Field Research quests to take on, which will offer "exciting rewards." The developer didn't specify what these rewards will be, but it did mention a possible Raid Battle encounter with Aerodactyl.
Additionally, players will have a much easier time finding Rock-type Pokemon during Adventure Week. Monsters such as Geodude, Lileep, Nosepass, Omanyte, and Kabuto will appear more frequently for the duration of the event. Your Buddy Pokemon will also earn Candy four times faster, while spinning Photo Discs at Gyms and Pokestops during Adventure Week will net you extra XP.
Adventure Week runs until June 5, which is the same day the Legendary Eon Pokemon, Latios and Latias, are scheduled to leave Pokemon Go. The pair swapped regions earlier this month, with Latios now appearing across Europe and Asia, while Latias can be found in North America, South America, and Africa. The Legendary bird Ho-Oh also recently returned to Raid Battles and can be fought until June 7.
Shortly after Adventure Week ends, Niantic will host the next Pokemon Go Community Day event. That takes place on Saturday, June 16, and features the rare Rock-type Pokemon Larvitar. Players will also be able to earn triple the normal amount of XP for capturing Pokemon during Community Day. A series of other real-world events will also be held throughout the summer.
Beyond the upcoming events, Pokemon Go players have some new Pokemon to look forward to. Niantic recently announced that Alolan forms will be debuting in the game soon. The developer didn't specify when the Pokemon will begin appearing, but players will have a chance to capture tropical variants of Exeggutor, Raichu, Marowak, and other Gen 1 Pokemon.
With an assist from Walmart, the news is out: Rage 2 is official. We don't know a ton about the game yet, but we do know it's coming to PS4, PC, and Xbox One sometime in 2019. It's being co-developed by Id Software and Avalanche Studios, and published by Bethesda.
As for what kind of game it is, Rage 2 is an open-world shooter set in a Mad Max-like post-apocalypse. A comet has crashed into Earth, killing off 80% of the population. For the few who are left, anarchy reigns, bullets fly, and explosions are as common as a cold. The game also features a healthy dose of vehicular combat, which comes as no surprise, seeing as Avalanche Studios' last game was Mad Max. There's even a gyrocopter for anyone who wants to take to the air.
If you've already decided you're all-in on Rage 2, you're probably wondering what kind of extra freebies you can get for locking in your pre-order. We have all the info you need below, along with which retailers are currently offering Rage 2 for pre-order.
Rage 2 pre-order bonuses
You'll get a handful of freebies for pre-ordering Rage 2.
Exclusive mission "Cult of the Death God"
Settler's Pistol
Nicolas Raine Armor
Monster Truck
It sounds like you'll have to complete the pre-order exclusive mission to get the gear. According to GameStop's description, the Cult of the Death God mission is "a wild ride that sends [the protagonist] Walker after a cult of crazed mutants who have taken to worshipping the image of Nicholas Raine--the hero of the original RAGE. Survive the sewers and fight through hordes of mutants--including the massive and monstrous Abadon Warlock--to receive Raine's legendary armor along with the fan-favorite Settler Pistol and the new Mutant Monster Truck."
Where to pre-order
Ironically, you can't pre-order Rage 2 at Walmart (or most other retailers that sell games) yet. But here's where you can secure a pre-order:
May's Pokemon Go Community Day may be over, but Niantic has already announced details for next month's event. The sixth Community Day will take place on Saturday, June 16, and it'll feature the rare Rock-type Pokemon Larvitar.
During the event, Larvitar will appear in much greater numbers than usual. Judging by the past few Community Days, players will need to evolve it into a Tyranitar before the event ends in order to learn a rare attack, although what move that will be remains to be seen; Niantic doesn't typically announce a Community Day's exclusive attack until just prior to the event.
In addition to increased Larvitar spawns, players will be able to earn extra XP by participating in the Community Day. During the event hours, players will receive triple the normal amount of XP for capturing Pokemon. Additionally, any Lure Modules that are activated during the event will last for three hours, as opposed to their usual 30 minutes.
As before, the Community Day will only run during a specific three-hour window, which begins at different times depending on what part of the world you live in. You can find the scheduled hours for each region below:
North America
11 AM - 2 PM PT
2 PM - 5 PM ET
Europe and Africa
10 AM - 1 PM BST
Asia-Pacific
12 PM - 3 PM JST
The Community Day isn't the only real-world event taking place next month. Niantic is kicking off the Pokemon Go Summer Tour 2018 on June 30 with a Safari Zone event in Dortmund, Germany. That will be followed in July by the second Pokemon Go Fest event in Chicago, with a special Safari Zone event planned for Yokosuka later this summer.
In other news, Niantic recently announced that Alolan forms of Gen 1 Pokemon will soon begin appearing in Pokemon Go. The Legendary bird Ho-Oh is also available again in Raid Battles until June 7, giving players another opportunity to capture it. Meanwhile, the Eon Pokemon Latios and Latias are scheduled to leave the game on June 5.
A variety of new Pokemon will soon begin appearing in Pokemon Go. Developer Niantic announced that Alolan forms of classic Gen 1 monsters are on the way to the popular mobile game, and they'll begin popping up around the world just in time for summer.
"Whether your forecast calls for rain or shine, we're celebrating all around the world by introducing some special Pokemon from the tropical Alola region to Pokemon Go," Niantic said on the official Pokemon Go website. "Get ready for some of the Pokemon originally discovered in the Kanto region to appear in their Alolan forms!"
Niantic hasn't announced when players can expect the Alolan forms to debut in Pokemon Go, but the developer says they'll begin appearing in the game "in the coming weeks." Along with the announcement, the developer shared a new promotional image featuring silhouettes of the Alolan Pokemon, which you can take a look at below.
Alolan forms were first introduced in the series' seventh generation installments, Pokemon Sun and Moon. They are region-specific variants of certain Kanto Pokemon, which sport a much different appearance and elemental type when encountered in the tropical Alola region. 18 Gen 1 Pokemon have Alolan forms; you can see the full list of them, along with their new types, below.
Rattata (Dark/Normal)
Raticate (Dark/Normal)
Raichu (Electric/Psychic)
Sandshrew (Ice/Steel)
Sandslash (Ice/Steel)
Vulpix (Ice)
Ninetales (Ice/Fairy)
Diglett (Ground/Steel)
Dugtrio (Ground/Steel)
Meowth (Dark)
Persian (Dark)
Geodude (Rock/Electric)
Graveler (Rock/Electric)
Golem (Rock/Electric)
Grimer (Poison/Dark)
Muk (Poison/Dark)
Exeggutor (Grass/Dragon)
Marowak (Fire/Ghost)
Up until now, Pokemon Go has only featured monsters taken from the first three generations of the series, meaning that some Gen 7 Pokemon will be arriving before Gen 4 monsters have even been introduced in the game. Niantic hasn't said if any of the new Pokemon from Sun and Moon will likewise begin appearing in Go soon.
On top of the upcoming Alolan forms, Pokemon Go players around the world have a number of real-world events to look forward to this summer as part of Niantic's Summer Tour 2018. That begins next month with a Safari Zone event in Germany, with the second annual Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago following in July. Niantic will also host a special Safari Zone event in Yokosuka later this summer.
Here's some good news for anyone who likes having joy and excitement in their life: Peggle is free to download for PC on Origin. It normally sells for $5, but right now, for a limited time, you can get it to keep and play every day forever. So hurry to the Origin Store to download your copy now--it's been available for a few weeks, so it could be going away soon.
What's the big deal about Peggle? If you haven't played this marvelous and highly addictive game, it's like a psychedelically-enhanced version of pachinko. You aim and shoot a ball from the top of the screen. The ball bounces and ricochets between colorful pegs on its way to the bottom. Each peg it touches disappears. Clear out all the orange pegs, and you can proceed to the next level.
It's a wonderfully simple setup that combines skill and luck in equal measure. Each new world has its own "teacher" who grants you a limited power that can help you clear pegs in all sorts of creative new ways. Throw in a bunch of optional challenges, and you have a game you can spend many pleasant hours trying to complete.
Whether you've played it before or not, Peggle is always worth a download when it's free. Head over to the Origin Store to add it to your collection before the price goes back up.
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