The release date for Red Dead Redemption 2 is fast approaching--it's due out for PS4 and Xbox One on October 26 (with a rumored PC version to perhaps come some time after that). With launch about a month out, it was surprising that we still knew very little about the game beyond what we could glean from a few previous trailers and screenshot dumps. That all changed this week, as the embargo was lifted on a huge amount of information concerning the open-world western game.
We actually got to go hands-on with Rockstar's new game for ourselves, and we learned a much amount about what to expect. Rockstar also shared the first real tidbits about Red Dead Online, the game's multiplayer mode that won't debut until November. One thing we're still completely in the dark about are what the PS4 exclusives are. Sony confirmed something is coming, but we don't know what it is.
Regardless, as you'd expect from a new Rockstar game that has been in development for years, this is a deep, detailed game. And as a result, there's a lot to dig into. More information is sure to come between now and launch, but below we've rounded up everything new that we've just learned about the game. For more on how to buy it, check out our Red Dead Redemption 2 pre-order guide.
We Played Red Dead Redemption 2
A number of us at GameSpot recently got to go hands-on with the game. The demo lasted 90 minutes and included two story missions, but we were also able to check out the open world itself. In addition to writing up everything we saw, we've rounded up all of the new features, as well as the details that surprised us.
Red Dead Redemption Can Be First-Person, Lets You Turn Off The Hud
One of the many ways Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the path that Grand Theft Auto V established is in adding a new perspective. While third-person remains the default, Rockstar has introduced the option to navigate the world with a first-person camera. Additionally, those looking for a less game-like experience can opt to disable the hud.
Like the GTA games of old, Red Dead Redemption did not allow you to swim. But like more recent entires in the series, Red Dead Redemption 2 protagonist Arthur Morgan is capable of jumping into the water--he just doesn't much care for it. Additionally, Arthur gets his hands on a camera, which he can use to take pictures of the world or even himself for some old-school selfies. And when you're on horseback, you'll be able to pull off some neat tricks, like essentially drifting to change directions.
If you were a fan of the music from the original Red Dead Redemption, you're in luck. RDR2 features the return of composer Woody Jackson, and the game's original soundtrack remains quite good.
In what's obviously the most significant bit of news to come out as part of this embargo is word that you can lose your hat. If you want your hat back, you'll have to guide Arthur to where it was lost. Alternatively, you can pick up someone else's hat. This has been your Hat Update.
Red Dead Redemption had a distinct cutscene of sorts that would play out whenever you skinned an animal, but it didn't involve watching the animal be cut up. RDR2 goes a different and much more intense route.
Alongside all of this information, Rockstar shared some new screenshots from the game. In addition to the videos and screens we got recently, these provide yet another look at what to expect from the game's world.
Just prior to all of this information hit, Rockstar actually shared the first details about the game's online component, which is known as Red Dead Online. As with GTA V and GTA Online, Red Dead Online won't launch at the same time as the game. Instead, it'll hit in November--and even then, only in the form of a beta. Rockstar has warned players in advance that they may encounter some difficulties, as it's learned from GTA Online that launching a mode of this magnitude is never going to be problem-free.
If you're a GTA Online fan, you needn't worry. Rockstar reaffirmed it will continue to support that game. In fact, it even plans to stagger the release of updates for it and Red Dead Online to avoid overlapping too heavily.
While both Star Wars and Pixar have had their share of recent behind-the-scenes problems, until recently it seemed that Disney's other big money-maker--Marvel Studios--had avoided similar controversies. This changed in July, when Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn was fired from the third movie in the series over offensive tweets he wrote more than a decade ago. Now Disney boss Bob Iger has commented on the controversy.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Iger was asked at what stage he became involved with the decision to fire Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. "The James Gunn decision was brought to me as a unanimous decision of a variety of executives at the studio and I supported it," he said. When asked about whether he regretted the decision, given the amount of backlash it has produced, he stated: "I haven't second-guessed their decision."
It is currently unclear what the future of Vol.3 is. Although the movie was never given an official release date, it was expected to start production early next year ahead of a 2020 release. However, in a recent interview, Dave Bautista, who plays Drax and has been very outspoken about Gunn's dismissal, stated that the movie was now "on hold indefinitely."
Iger also addressed the wider issues of the Me Too movement and how he was ensuring Disney was a safe place to work following the departure of Pixar's John Lasseter for sexual harassment last year. "It's critical for us as leaders in this industry to create safe environments for people who have been victims of abuse to speak up and feel safe about speaking up and for others who have witnessed abuse to do the same," he said. "It's critical. As difficult as this time may seem, it's high time that we all woke up to the need to protect the people that work for us and work with us."
Elsewhere in the THR interview, Iger addressed the studio's Star Wars movies, and stated that it would be slowing down its output following the commercial disappointment of this year's Solo: A Star Wars Story. "I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made--I take the blame--was a little too much, too fast," he said. "You can expect some slowdown, but that doesn't mean we're not going to make films. But I think we're going to be a little bit more careful about volume and timing. And the buck stops here on that."
It's been a couple weeks since Sony's last Flash Sale, so it's not a huge surprise to find another one waiting for us. But just because it's not surprising doesn't mean it's not appreciated. Anyone with a PS4 who wants to find a good deal on a digital game would be well served to take a look at this weekend's discounts. Just make sure you finalize your purchase before the sale ends on September 24.
This week's PS4 offerings aren't as extensive as some other recent Flash Sales, but it still has plenty of excellent games. You can pick up Far Cry 3 Remastered for $18; it established the format all subsequent games in the series have closely followed. Far Cry Primal, the entry that feels a bit different thanks to its pre-historic setting, is also on sale for $15.
With the World Series kicking off next month, you might want to buy MLB The Show 18 on sale for $20 to see you through the offseason. Speaking of things coming to an end, the cartoon Adventure Time recently aired its series finale, but you can buy Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion for $30 to ease the pain of no new episodes. If anime is more your thing, you can get New Gundam Breaker for $45.
You'll find more of the Flash Sale's PS4 highlights below, and you can check out the full list of PS4, PS3, and PS Vita games on sale here. And if you want even more discounted PS4 games, check out the regular weekly sale that ends Tuesday, September 25.
Season 6 of Fortnite is almost upon us. After much speculation--and a rather bizarre turn of events related to the mysterious purple cube that has been rolling around the island--Epic has finally confirmed when the new season of its massively popular battle royale game will begin, and it's very soon.
The developer announced on Twitter that Season 6 will begin next Thursday, September 27. It was presumed that the season would begin sometime next week, as the official Fortnite website stated that Season 5 officially wraps up on September 25, and Epic typically kicks off a new season shortly after the previous one ends. This, however, is the first time the developer has confirmed when Season 6 will start, although it hasn't shared any additional details beyond that. Just what Season 6's theme will be, or what kind of comet/rift-style event will kick it off, is still anyone's guess.
That also makes this your last opportunity to complete any remaining challenges and unlock the rest of Season 5's Battle Pass rewards. To help you accomplish that, Epic is offering an additional 400% Match XP in Fortnite this weekend, from now until 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET / 1 PM BST on September 24. If you need help finishing up any challenges, you can find tips for each weekly set of missions in our complete Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup. We've also put together a gallery of all the Season 5 rewards gallery so you can see what you can unlock.
We don't yet know what to expect from Season 6, but some strange events have been unfolding in the game ahead of it. Back in August, a lightning bolts struck the desert and left a mysterious purple cube in its wake, which fans had begun affectionately referring to as "Kevin." The cube would react differently depending on how players interacted with it; standing close to it would rejuvenate players' shields, but striking it would cause them to launch backward and take damage.
Soon after it materialized, the cube began slowly rolling around Fortnite's map. It was unclear what its destination was, but earlier this week, the cube plunged into Loot Lake and melted, much to the surprise of fans. Not only did it turn the water purple, but now the entire lake has effectively become a giant trampoline, boasting the same bouncy property the cube had. It's unclear how this all relates to Season 6, but we won't have to wait much longer to find out.
Venom is the first of several movies that Sony has in the pipeline based on characters from Marvel's Spider-Man comic books, and it hits theatres in a few weeks. The first clip has now been released.
The clip shows reporter Eddie Brock interviewing the villainous Dr. Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed), and accusing him of some dubious practices. This is presumably before Brock becomes infected with the alien symbiote Venom, but it does set up the conflict between Brock and Drake. Watch the clip above.
If you want to see Venom himself in action, check out the most recent trailer. Venom hits theaters on October 5. It's directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer and also stars Michelle Williams, Jenny Slate, and Woody Harrelson. For more Venom coverage on GameSpot, check out this ranking of every Venom appearance in movies and TV, and find out Who The Hell is Venom?
Venom is the first of several movies based on characters from Marvel's Spider-Man comics that Sony has in in development. Others include movies based on Morbius the Living Vampire, Silver Sable, Black Cat, and Silk. In June it was reported that Jared Leto has signed on to play Morbius. Silver Sable and Black Cat were originally going to appear alongside each other in a single movie titled Silver & Black, but in August it was reported that this project had been shelved and they would now each get their own film. Silk, meanwhile, is a Korean-American superhero, and that movie is in "early development."
We're less than a week away from the start of Fortnite's next season. Developer Epic has now confirmed Season 6 of its popular battle royale game begins next Thursday, September 27, giving you only a few more days to unlock any remaining rewards from Season 5. To help you accomplish that, the studio is offering a special bonus all players can take advantage of for a limited time.
All this weekend, Epic is rewarding players with considerably more XP than usual in Fortnite. From now until September 24, players will receive an additional 400% Match XP when playing Battle Royale mode. The bonus XP event will only run until 5 AM PT / 8 AM ET / 1 PM BST on Monday, so you don't have much time to take advantage of it, but it's the perfect opportunity to level up your Season 5 Battle Pass and unlock a few more rewards before Season 6 arrives.
Season 5 is scheduled to wrap up the following day, September 25, making this the last chance you have to complete any remaining challenges. Epic rolled out 10 weekly batches of missions throughout Season 5, plus 10 Road Trip challenges--Season 5's equivalent of Blockbuster challenges--that could only be completed by finishing all of the tasks within a given week. If you still need help completing any of the challenges, you can find tips for each in our Fortnite Season 5 challenge roundup.
We still don't quite know what to expect from Season 6, but some strange events have been happening in Fortnite in the lead up to the new season. Back in August, a mysterious purple cube appeared on the map after a lightning bolt emerged from the giant rift in the sky and struck the desert. Epic hasn't officially acknowledged the cube, but players quickly discovered it would react differently depending on how they interacted with it.
More recently, the cube began slowly rolling around the island. Fans had many theories as to where the cube was heading, but earlier this week, it sank into Loot Lake, turning the entire lake purple and bouncy. It's still unclear how this will relate to Season 6, but with the new season just around the corner, everything should be revealed in only a few days.
Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan, who played the villain Killmonger in Marvel's hit, has signed on to play a role in the upcoming Rainbow Six movie and another Tom Clancy film.
According to Variety, Jordan will play John Clark in the movies based on Clancy's books Rainbow Six and Without Remorse. The Without Remorse movie is coming first, as it is an origin story for the character, with the Rainbow Six film landing later.
Studio Paramount is now reportedly taking meetings with potential directors and writers for the Without Remorse film, so it sounds like it's still very early days. There is no word on other cast members or a release date.
The character John Clark has appeared in Tom Clancy movies before. He was played by Willem Dafoe in Clear and Present Danger, while Liev Schreiber played him in The Sum of All Fears.
Other Clancy books that have been turned into films include The Hunt For Red October, Patriot Games, and NetForce. More recently, John Krasinski played the famous Clancy character Jack Ryan in a new Amazon TV series.
Red Dead Redemption 2's multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, is beginning to come into focus. It appears to be borrowing from the highly successful model that Rockstar employed with Grand Theft Auto V's online mode, GTA, in that fans can expect an expansive, open-ended playground filled with activities. Red Dead Online will also get regular updates to help players coming back--and presumably spending money. GTA Online has been a revenue juggernaut for parent publisher Take-Two, and while there are no solid details yet on how Red Dead Online will monetize players, you can absolutely expect microtransactions to factor in.
We spoke with Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter about Red Dead Online and its revenue potential. He said he expects the game to be successful from a money perspective, though he doubts it will match GTA Online. That's no surprise. With 95 million copies solid, GTA V is one of the most successful games in history, and that kind of success is unlikely to be repeated, especially for a relatively smaller brand like Red Dead. Even Take-Two itself does not believe Red Dead Redemption 2 will sell as well as GTA V.
Still, Red Dead Online is expected to be a big-time money-maker. Pachter said said he believes the game can bring in around $10 per user each year. If the game sells 25 million copies, it could have 10-15 million monthly active users for Red Dead Online, which, assuming $10 per user, would come out to as much as $150 million per year in recurring revenue.
That is short of GTA Online's revenue, but it's still a massive figure. Not only that, but the margins on microtransactions are excellent, and all of this is on top of the $60 or more people will pay for the game itself.
"I think RDR Online will certainly be successful," Pachter said. "Revenues from GTA Online peaked at around $125 million in the December quarter, and are still around $100 million per quarter through three quarters this year, so GTA Online is annualizing around $400 – 500 million per year five years after it initially launched."
"I doubt that RDR Online will generate [as much revenue per user as GTA Online], but think that $10 per user per year is likely (similar to what we see from Hearthstone, Overwatch, League of Legends and Fortnite)," Pachter added. "My skepticism is clearly uninformed, as they may make this the best online experience of all, but I think that the setting makes success at that level less likely. Nothing wrong with the old West, but it isn't as compelling as riding your helicopter to your nuclear bomb facility that was funded from your meth lab."
As Pachter notes, one of the big questions for Red Dead Online is how many users it has. That is tricky to predict, but it's a safe assumption that many will try the mode, with a smaller--but still significant--subset spending money on extra content.
In GTA Online, players can spend money on GTA$, which they can then spend on in-game extras. It remains to be seen how microtransactions work in Red Dead Online, but given how wildly successful GTA Online has been and continues to be, you can bet that Rockstar will further emphasise and encourage extra spending with the western.
Red Dead Online launches in the form of a public beta November, following Red Dead Redemption 2's release on October 26 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
"Using the gameplay of the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2 as a foundation, Red Dead Online will be ready to be explored alone or with friends, and will also feature constant updates and adjustments to grow and evolve this experience for all players," Rockstar says about Red Dead Online.
The untitled 25th James Bond movie has been delayed. Previously scheduled to arrive in theatres in late 2019, the movie is now pegged to arrive on February 14, 2020. That's Valentine's Day.
The movie is being directed by True Detective and Beasts of No Nation director Cary Fukunaga, who is the first American and second non-white person to direct a Bond film. No reason was provided for the delay, but it likely has to do with director Danny Boyle dropping out. Presumably extra time was needed for Fukunaga to get up to speed and for a new script to be assembled and approved.
The 25th Bond movie starts filming at Pinewood Studios on March 4, 2019.
Daniel Craig returns to play Bond for a fifth (and perhaps final) time for the new movie. Other casting and plot details have not been announced, but keep checking back with GameSpot for more.
Are you looking forward to the next James Bond movie? Let us know in the comments below!
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is quickly approaching, and as Activision previously revealed, it'll feature an extensive amount of content right from the outset, including the new battle royale-style Blackout mode and three Zombies episodes. That certainly isn't all; Activision says developer Treyarch will continue to support the game with a regular stream of free post-release content, a taste of which the publisher has now revealed.
In a post on PlayStation Blog, Activision gave fans their first look at some of the new content coming to the game shortly after it launches. As with previous Call of Duty titles, all of this will arrive first on PS4 as part of Activision's ongoing exclusivity agreement with Sony. According to a new blog post by the publisher, PS4's exclusivity period will be much shorter than before; whereas content for previous Call of Duty games would arrive on Xbox One and PC about a month after it debuted on Sony's console, the Black Ops 4 DLC will roll out to those platforms seven days after it launches on PS4.
Treyarch has a new piece of content or in-game event lined up for Black Ops 4 every month after its release. In November, the developer will add a new iteration of the classic Nuketown map to the game, while December will see the arrival of the first of several new Specialist characters. Activision says there will be seasonal, weekly, and other limited-time events in the game, and Blackout will also receive its own set of regular map updates, expansions, and new modes following launch.
Fans recently had their first chance to go hands-on with Call of Duty's new battle royale mode thanks to the private Blackout beta Activision hosted earlier this month. The publisher hasn't confirmed how many players the mode will support in the final game, but the beta offered several different player caps; when it first kicked off, it supported up to 80 players, but that limit was subsequently increased to 88 and, finally, 100 on the last day of the beta. You can watch a replay of a 100-player Blackout match above.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12. This installment won't have a traditional single-player campaign, but rather a series of missions for each Specialist character. Treyarch recently elaborated on the decision to forgo a traditional campaign. You can learn more about the various editions that will be available at launch in our Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 pre-order guide.
Bungie has rolled out another patch for Destiny 2 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. This one, hotfix 2.0.3.1, fixes a handful of issues still lingering in the game following the release of the Forsaken expansion, but the most notable change it makes has to do with how to get your hands on Cayde-6's Exotic hand cannon, the Ace of Spades.
The aforementioned gun is the reward you earn for completing the Cayde's Will quest. You first receive it after clearing the Forsaken campaign, but in order to restore the gun to working condition, you'll need to complete a few more tasks before you're actually able to wield it. One of these involves using a hand cannon in Gambit to kill five invaders--other players who infiltrate your side during the mode.
What makes this step particularly difficult is that invaders take more damage to bring down, and any kills you score if you're the invading player aren't counted toward your total. Fortunately, with this latest hotfix, Bungie has simplified the requirements; now, you can complete the step by killing either invaders or general enemies, making it much easier to progress through the quest.
The Ace of Spades is a powerful gun capable of dishing out a ton of damage in Crucible, making it worth your while to complete Cayde's Will and obtain it. If you need help finishing the quest, we've outlined all the steps you need to complete in our guide on how to get the Ace of Spades. If you're looking for another Exotic hand cannon, Xur has you covered right now.
In addition to that, hotfix 2.0.3.1 makes some changes to Heroic adventures and the Dreaming City; now, you only need two weekly bounty completions for the latter's weekly challenge. The patch also resolves a couple of weapon issues pertaining to the BrayTech Legendary Scout Rifle and Origin Story. You can find the full patch notes, courtesy of Bungie's website, below.
Destiny 2 Hotfix 2.0.3.1 Patch Notes
Heroic Adventures
Fixed an issue where Barons were providing Legendary rewards outside of Heroic adventures
Barons in Heroic adventures now reward one guaranteed Legendary per day
Subsequent kills grant Legendary rewards at a reduced rate
Dreaming City
The Offering to the Oracle now sorts to the Pursuits bucket, rather than Consumables
Removed the weekly bounty that required players to redeem an Offering for the Oracle
The Dreaming City weekly challenge now requires only two weekly bounty completions
Fixed an issue where some enemies would improperly spawn chests after being killed
Players can no longer obtain Dreaming City rewards when repeating the Awakening mission
Fixed an issue where Telesto could be used to accelerate progression of objectives in the Blind Well
Weapons/Items
Fixed an issue where players can get stuck with the Origin Story or the Last Dance weapons if they use the character level boost after obtaining them in Homecoming
Fixed an issue where BrayTech Legendary Scout Rifle dismantled into Mod Components
Nintendo is rolling out its paid online service for Switch very soon, and once it's live, you'll need to have a subscription in order to continue playing most Switch games, such as Splatoon 2 and the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, online with others. However, a handful of games will be exempt from this requirement, including Epic's massively popular battle royale game, Fortnite.
Just as on PS4 and Xbox One, you won't be required to have an online membership to play Fortnite online on Switch, even after the system's paid service launches. As Nintendo clarified in an FAQ on its support website, Fortnite is one of the few online multiplayer titles that can be played without a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.
Nintendo didn't specify what other games will be playable without a Nintendo Switch Online membership, although this will presumably extend to other free-to-play titles as well, such as Paladins and the upcoming Warframe. On its website, the company has been adding disclaimers at the bottom of pages for games that require a subscription to help you see if you'll need to pay to continue playing that title online.
If you've yet to pick up a Switch, Nintendo recently announced a new Fortnite: Double Helix Switch bundle. It retails for the same price as standard Switch--$300--and comes with the console, a game download of Fortnite, and a Double Helix Set, which includes a unique outfit, back bling, glider, pickaxe, and 1,000 V-bucks. The bundle goes on sale beginning October 5.
The Nintendo Switch Online service, meanwhile, launches on September 18, following the release of Switch's 6.0 update. On top of the ability to play online, subscribers will get access to a library of NES games and other perks, such as cloud saves and special offers. You can find more information about the service in our roundup of everything we know about Nintendo Switch Online.
We've reached the weekend, which for Destiny 2 players means another appearance by Xur. Coinciding with Iron Banner and a Crucible event that rewards bonus Valor, the mysterious merchant has popped up again with a slate of Exotic items for sale--although, once again, none of it comes from the new Forsaken DLC. Here's where to find Xur and what Exotic weapon and armor he's selling.
For this latest appearance, Xur has returned to Nessus. If you've visited him there before, you'll know where to go--he's located in Watcher's Grave. Spawn in at the local landing zone and simply make your way straight toward a giant tree. Walk near the base of it and you'll find a branch you can jump up, and you can make your way to Xur.
In typical fashion, he has a single Exotic weapon and one piece of armor for each class. The weapon is the hand cannon Crimson, which features the Banned Weapon perk, causing it to fire a three-round burst. It also has Cruel Remedy, which heals you when you get a kill with it and refills the magazine if you pull off a precision kill. It's stored in the primary weapon slot and is a nice addition to your arsenal.
On the armor side, Hunters get the annoyingly named St0mp-EE5 leg armor (buffing sprints, slides, and jumps). Titans get Khepri's Horn helmet (kills with solar damage recharge your barricade class ability, which when first deployed causes a blast of solar damage). And Warlocks get the Verity's Brow helmet (speeds up the recharge on grenades when killing enemies with an energy weapon). The full lineup of gear and prices follows below.
Crimson (Exotic Hand Cannon) -- 29 Legendary Shards
St0mp-EE5 (Exotic Hunter Leg Armor) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Also back after disappearing briefly is the Fated Engram. While expensive, this guarantees you a Year 1 Exotic that you don't already own.
There's a lot happening in Destiny 2 right now. The Raid went live last week, and the first completion of it unlocked new content, including a Gambit map and a Strike. There still seems to be more change to come, but we do know a new Crucible mode called Breakthrough is coming next week. And, as noted above, the first post-Forsaken Iron Banner is ongoing, offering players a competitive PvP playlist where your Power level matters.
Nintendo's online subscription service for Switch has launched, and one of the benefits you get for subscribing is access to a library of NES games. Each of these classic titles supports some form of online play, whether that be competing directly against another player in Balloon Fight or taking turns controlling the action in a traditionally single-player title, but until recently, it had been unclear whether or not the NES games could be played offline. It turns out they can, but there's a slight caveat.
According to the FAQ page on Nintendo's website, the NES games included in the Nintendo Switch Online service can be played offline for up to seven days. That means you'll periodically need to "check in" online every week in order to verify that you still have an active subscription and maintain your access to the games.
20 NES titles are available now that the Nintendo Switch Online service has launched, including some of the console's most iconic games, with additional titles coming each month. As previously mentioned, each NES game supports online multiplayer; in single-player titles, you'll be able to switch between who's controlling the game, or the second player can use a hand-shaped cursor to point out hints and applaud certain actions. You can take a look at the complete launch lineup below:
Balloon Fight
Baseball
Donkey Kong
Double Dragon
Dr. Mario
Excitebike
Ghosts'n Goblins
Gradius
Ice Climber
Ice Hockey
The Legend of Zelda
Mario Bros.
Pro Wrestling
River City Ransom
Soccer
Super Mario. Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 3
Tecmo Bowl
Tennis
Yoshi
In addition to the NES library, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers will be able to back up their Switch data via cloud saves; however, not all Switch games will support the feature, and you'll need to have an active membership in order to keep your cloud saves. There will also be "special offers" exclusive to Switch Online subscribers, such as a pair of NES-shaped Joy-Cons for use with the aforementioned NES titles.
Nintendo offers Switch Online subscriptions in three increments; you'll also have the option to purchase an annual family plan, which will extend the service's benefits to up to eight Nintendo Accounts across multiple consoles. If you're unsure about subscribing, you can sign up for a seven-day free trial, but if you don't cancel before the trial period ends, it will automatically turn into a one-month subscription. You can read more about the service in our roundup of everything we know about Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo's online subscription service for Switch launches on September 18, meaning you'll need to pay to play Switch games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe online after that date. Naturally, you'll be able to purchase a subscription either through the Eshop or at retailers, but you also have another option for paying for the membership: My Nintendo points.
As is the case with many digital Switch games and DLC, you'll be able to use your My Nintendo Gold points toward the purchase of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. However, as detailed on Nintendo's support website, the points cannot be used for automatic renewals. You also have the option to pay for a subscription using a PayPal account.
Gold points are one of two point tiers you can earn using the My Nintendo rewards program. These are accumulated as you purchase Switch games, but the amount you'll receive varies depending on if you buy the titles at retail or digitally through the Eshop. You can read the precise breakdown on My Nintendo.
Nintendo is offering Switch Online subscriptions in three increments: one month (US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6), three months (US $8 / £7 / AU $12), and 12 months (US $20 / £18 / AU $30). You'll also have the option to sign up for a 12-month Family Plan, which costs US $35 / £31.49 / AU $55 a year and covers up to eight Nintendo Account holders, even on different consoles. When the service launches, you'll be able to sign up for a free seven-day trial, but that will turn into a one-month subscription if you don't cancel before the free period ends.
In addition to online play, signing up for the Nintendo Switch Online service grants you access to a library of NES games, special member-exclusive offers, and the ability to back up most Switch game save data via the cloud--although there are some restrictions. You can read more about the service in our roundup of everything we know about Nintendo Switch Online.
Nintendo's online subscription service for Switch is finally. The service rolled out earlier this week, and you'll now need to have an active subscription in order to play most Switch games online going forward. If you're still undecided about signing up, Nintendo offers a free trial--but like most trial periods, you'll be charged if you forget to cancel.
Switch owners can now sign up for one seven-day free trial of the Switch Online service from the console's Eshop. However, as detailed on Nintendo's website, if you don't disable automatic renewal before the trial period ends, your trial will automatically convert into a one-month subscription, which runs for US $4 / £3.49 / AU $6.
In addition to online play, the Nintendo Switch Online service provides subscribers with access to a library of classic NES games. 20 titles are available at launch, with more to be added to the service on a regular basis. These classic games also boast online play and other modern amenities, such as HD resolution, voice chat through the Nintendo Switch Online phone app, and save states.
Nintendo Switch's first Pokemon RPGs, Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee, arrive this November, and while they retain many of the core elements found in every mainline Pokemon game, they also mark a more simplified take on the series. We already know the games eschew wild Pokemon battles for a catching system inspired by Pokemon Go, but it appears that isn't the only feature they're missing.
Pokemon fansite Serebii recently shared hands-on impressions of the upcoming titles. Among other tidbits the outlet gleaned from the demo, it appears held items and Pokemon abilities--two staple elements of mainline Pokemon games--are nowhere to be found in the Let's Go, Pikachu or Eevee.
Held items have been a fixture of the series since they were introduced in Pokemon Gold and Silver. They are equippable items that a Pokemon can carry into battle; one popular held item, the Life Orb, boosts a Pokemon's power at the expense of a little health after every attack. Abilities, meanwhile, are passive Pokemon powers first introduced in Ruby and Sapphire; for instance, when a Pokemon with the Intimidate ability enters a battle, it will automatically lower its opponent's Attack stat.
This revelation only reinforces that the Let's Go games are meant to be more accessible to younger and newer players. It also raises some questions, particularly pertaining to Mega Evolutions, which The Pokemon Company confirmed are returning in Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee. In previous games, a Pokemon had to hold a corresponding Mega Stone in order to Mega Evolve, and it would often gain a different ability after transforming. It's unclear how Mega Evolutions will be triggered in the new games and whether the Pokemon will gain any other powers besides a stat boost.
While not all of the series' core features will appear in Let's Go, Pikachu and Eevee, the games do introduce some new elements. In particular, the games feature a handful of new attacks that your partner Pikachu and Eevee can learn. They also replace HM moves with new Secret Techniques, which serve a similar role and can be used to explore previously inaccessible areas of the Kanto region.
Pokemon: Let's Go, Pikachu and Let's Go, Eevee launch for Nintendo Switch on November 16. Alongside it, Nintendo is releasing adorable Pikachu and Eevee-themed Switch console bundles. Each retails for $400 and includes a digital copy of either title, the aforementioned Poke Ball Plus, Pikachu and Eevee-themed Joy-Cons, and a Switch dock adorned with Pikachu and Eevee designs.
NBA 2K Playgrounds 2 was supposed to arrive on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC this May, but it's now officially launching on October 16. You can see the arcade sports game in action in the trailer above.
As it turns out, that delay was due to developer Saber Interactive finalizing a publishing deal with 2K--hence the "2K" now in the game's name. It's a deal which Saber CEO Matthew Karch says has been very positive for the game. "The most fundamental change is that it's just been improved in every aspect and every facet," he told GameSpot. "Overall, thanks to our collaboration with 2K, this is the game we would have wanted to make had we been able to pull this off in round one. This would have been an ideal way to launch the franchise."
The partnership has allowed Saber Interactive to make use of 2K's licenses, including music tracks and former NBA player likenesses that otherwise wouldn't appear in the game. It's also put the team in close contact with Visual Concepts, the 2K studio currently developing NBA 2K19. This has given Saber the opportunity to receive critical feedback while developing Playgrounds 2.
As for what's new in the sequel, Playgrounds 2 features improved dribbling and rebounding, new courts and players, and signature moves that make big-name NBA players feel unique. Perhaps most importantly, it also includes four-player online multiplayer with dedicated servers.
"One of the major issues we had with the [first] game was [that] the online play suffered from considerable lag," Karch added. "We implemented a dedicated server solution to eliminate that." You can read more about the first game in GameSpot's NBA Playgrounds review.
Monster Hunter World's third seasonal event has arrived. The Autumn Harvest Fest is now underway on both PS4 and Xbox One, bringing with it new Halloween-themed items and gear to get your hands on, as well as a handful of new and returning Event Quests to take on.
From now until October 4, the Gathering Hub will be decked out with jack-o-lanterns, colorful leaves, and other autumn decorations. Throughout the event, you'll receive two Lucky Vouchers as part of your daily login bonus, rather than the usual one. You'll also receive an Autumn Harvest Ticket; collect enough and you can craft the new Autumn Harvest Fest gear seen below.
You'll be able to earn Autumn Harvest Tickets--as well as Harvest Fireworks--by completing daily Limited Bounties as well. In addition to that, all facilities will hold sales on in-game items during the event, and a new seasonal platter is available in the Gathering Hub. All players will also receive the adorable Pumpkin's Revenge costume for their Poogie, while the Handler gets the new Mischievous Dress outfit.
Finally, players will be able to take on a handful of new Event Quests; completing these will unlock new gear and weapons, including creepy-looking Felyne and Mosswine masks. "Nearly all" previously available Event Quests have also returned, including Wiggle Me This (which rewards you with materials to create the weird Wiggler helm) and the PS4-exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn crossover quest. You can find the full Event Quest schedule on Monster Hunter World's website.
PC players will have to wait a little longer to participate in the Autumn Harvest Fest; as Capcom previously said, the Steam version of Monster Hunter World will follow its own Event Quest separate from PS4 and Xbox One's calendar. You can find the Event Quest schedule for the PC version here. Among other missions available now, Monster Hunter World players can take on the fearsome Deviljho.
Joaquin Phoenix's debut image for the the standalone Joker movie from Warner Bros. wasn't quite what fans expect, instead showing a somewhat goofy, greasy-haired and haggard middle-aged man. A new screen test from Warner Bros. delivers a little closer to the classic clown prince of crime, though it's more "clown" than "criminal."
The brief screen test shows Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck standing casually as his stoic expression turns to a grin. At the very end, we see him in full clown makeup, though it's more of a classical circus clown style than a recognizable version of the iconic character.
This take on the Joker appears to delve deep into his origin story, though the official canon hasn't settled on a single interpretation. In some iterations he's been a failed stand-up comic or a similar sad sack, which appears to be the direction for Arthur Fleck. Still, Phoenix looks perfectly menacing when he starts to grin, thanks in no small part to some creepy mood lighting.
The Joker film will also star Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Frances Conroy. A separate Joker movie is in the works starring Jared Leto, who played the character in Suicide Squad. Joker is due out October 4, 2019.
There's never been a better time to be a Nintendo Switch owner, because not only is the console a gateway to a library of excellent first-party titles, but the list of killer indies on the Eshop grows by the week. Better yet, those games tend to go on sale often. This week's Nintendo Switch Eshop sale features a fantastic selection of mostly indie games for cheap. Let's take a look.
At $20, the beloved--and exceedingly dark--roguelike game The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ is half off this week. In it, you play as a boy whose mom goes nuts, so he retreats to the cellar, which is filled with monsters he has to fight using his tears. Yeah, it's grim.
The Metroid-style game Cave Story+ is on sale for $15. If you think you have the reflexes to handle a bullet-hell shooter, Ikaruga is always a good choice, especially on sale for $10. For a game in the vein of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, you can pick up Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, also $10.
Velocity 2X is an excellent sci-fi game that's all about speed and collectibles; it's on sale for $16. And the gravity-manipulating game VVVVVV might not look like much thanks to its Atari-era graphics, but it's a lot of fun to play if you're into tricky precision platforming.
A number of other Switch, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U games are on sale on the Eshop this week as well. You can find the full list here.
One of the best additions in Destiny 2's Forsaken DLC is Gambit, a new mode that blends PvP and PvE. Two teams of four are separated into their own arenas to fight AI-controlled enemies, but periodically one person can invade the other side, killing enemy players. If you've played Gambit for any length of time, you've undoubtedly seen the weapon of choice for a huge portion of invaders: Sleeper Simulant. It's used so often not just because it's fun to use, but because it's incredibly effective--and Bungie is finally ready to do something about its popularity.
The Exotic linear fusion rifle, which was introduced in the Curse of Osiris DLC, has long been an excellent weapon. It's effective in both PvE and PvP, but whereas a few deaths to it can be brushed off in Crucible, its use in Gambit can be devastating. It features a perk that allows it to overpenetrate enemies and refract off hard surfaces, but a single hit with it, even at long ranges, is enough to wipe out a target. Carrying a few rounds of ammo and timing your invasion well can mean wiping out an entire enemy team, causing them to lose a great deal of progress.
Your feelings about Sleeper Simulant may depend on whether or not you have access to one. Whatever the case, there has been no shortage of complaints about the weapon dating back to the Gambit trial that took place just before Forsaken's release. Bungie has now finally spoken up about it, indicating some kind of change or nerf is on the way.
"We're aware of reports that Sleeper Simulant feels too strong in Gambit," Bungie said on Twitter. "The Sandbox team is looking at potential changes to address this. Our goal is to retain the strength of the weapon, but tune it so it doesn't feel to be the only viable power weapon in Gambit. Stay tuned."
This was followed up by another tweet from design lead Josh Hamrick: "Sandbox has been operating with the goal of not employing nerfs when there are other methods of tweaking the game so that there isn't just 1 correct choice. That said, nerfs will still be needed from time to time. We promise to be judicious when & where we choose to employ them."
At this point, we have no idea how the gun will be changed or how other linear fusion rifles won't step right up in its place if it's nerfed. In the meantime, a new Destiny 2 update is out now that addresses some other bugs and complaints, including the relocation of Petra to a much more convenient location in the Dreaming City. Iron Banner is also now live--don't be surprised to see Sleeper Simulant show up prominently there, too.
I lay restlessly in bed a few nights ago thinking about something I presume many people who have just turned 30 think about: Pokemon cards. I wasn't counting Mareep to lull myself into a slumber, nor was I dreaming of sliding down the freakishly long neck of an Alolan Exeggutor (not tonight, at least). No, I was thinking about how bloody expensive the Pokemon Trading Card Game is, and this made me unreasonably upset at roughly 1 in the morning.
For a lot of people, the Pokemon Trading Card Game is something they remember fondly from school. Opening booster packs of 10 randomised cards, comparing shinies with mates, and making ill-advised trading decisions based on the playground economics of each card's perceived worth. But for many, including myself, it's so much more than that. It's one of the best online and offline card games on the market, with the added bonus of fuzzy nostalgia in pocket-sized monster form.
A few years ago I got back into Pokemon cards. It was oddly fulfilling about being able to spend adult money on something I could rarely afford as a scruffy 11-year-old in secondary school. I quickly started playing and competing, thanks to the support of my local Pokemon League and the friendly bunch of players who turned up each Saturday morning. Building decks and taking my best Pokemon cards into an intense one-on-one battle was far more exciting than anything I had experienced in the video games. I was hooked.
Something you learn about very quickly in the world of Pokemon cards is the meta. Certain decks of 60 cards are just better than others, so if you want to be competitive you need to have one of those decks. It seems simple, but herein lies the inherent problem with The Pokemon Trading Card Game: the best decks have the best cards, and the best cards are often rare (or even ultra rare), which makes pulling them randomly from booster packs extremely unlikely and uneconomical. So unless you're funded by Team Rocket or you can convince someone to trade their very good cards for your not-so-good ones, the next logical step is to find someone selling the cards you need on eBay or through a collectible card seller online. But of course the rare, powerful cards are in high demand and have a premium price tag attached to them.
What I'm describing will of course sound familiar to anyone who has played any trading or collectible card game. To a certain extent it's just the nature of the beast, but other card games offer alternatives to you hemorrhaging cash just to keep up with the meta. Magic the Gathering, for example, widely supports multiple formats for veterans and newcomers on any budget, with limited formats like Draft and Sealed levelling the playing field, and a much larger player base to support this. Hearthstone, the popular online collectible card game from Blizzard, lets you break down unwanted cards so you can craft those you need. Pokemon, on the other hand, is effectively pay or lose.
In 2012 a card called Darkrai-EX came along, at the height of my love and obsession for Pokemon cards. The deck winning all the local tournaments had four of these cards, and it was available as part of the Dark Explorers expansion, so obviously I needed it. I decided to take the plunge and drop £80 on a box of 36 Dark Explorers booster packs. After feverishly unwrapping them in what was, to be fair, a pretty cathartic pack-cracking binge, I couldn't believe what had happened: after all that money spent, I hadn't pulled a single Darkrai-EX, and I needed four. The card was selling for £40 a pop on eBay, so that was it. I packed it all in and I headed for the greener pastures of the "Living Card Games" by Fantasy Flight Games, which did away with randomised boosters and offered a more constructed experience with games like Android: Netrunner and A Game of Thrones: The Card Game.
This brings us back to me, years later, an adult, laying in bed thinking about Pokemon cards. The 2018 Pokemon World Championships have just taken place in Nashville, Tennessee. There, the best TCG players in the world get together and put their decks to the ultimate test. First place takes home a massive $25,000, so the pressure is on to pick the right deck and pilot it to victory. Of course, I'm playing Pokemon cards again. Nothing has since matched the gameplay experience for me so I couldn't stay away for long, but this time I'm determined to do it on a budget. I jump out of bed, switch on my computer, and begin to pore over the winning deck lists fresh from Nashville to see if I could afford any of them.
In the Masters Division a Zoroark / Garbodor deck carved a path to a first place victory. I looked up how much it would cost to buy these cards online and, at the time of writing, this deck would cost a whopping £237.40 ($305) to build. Second place went to a Malamar deck, another staple in the format, which carries a price tag of £145.52 ($187). In at third was a Zygarde / Lycanroc deck to the tune of £168.70 ($217), and finishing in fourth we have a deck using the recently released Rayquaza-GX from the Celestial Storm expansion. This one would cost £213.40 ($274) to build with cards purchased from online sellers, and as it happens similar Rayquaza decks also filled in three more spots in the top 10 at 5th, 7th and 10th.
You can see the picture I'm painting here, but at this point I want to stress that merely owning an expensive meta deck doesn't guarantee victory. It takes a lot of skill, and hundreds if not thousands of hours of practice to play at the level seen at the Pokemon World Championships. To reduce the game simply to the cost of a deck would be a discredit to the incredibly talented, passionate, dedicated, kind, and friendly people who make up the TCG community.
The problem I'm facing, though, is that decks like Zoroark make up a huge percentage of what is currently played not just on the world stage but in local tournaments too. Zoroark decks alone made up nearly 30% of competitive play in the last season, so it's hard to ignore the fact that expensive decks do win games, whether that's at the highest level in tournaments, or friendly local games. Nearly every competitive deck includes multiple copies of the meta staple Tapu Lele-GX, which currently costs about £30 ($38) for one copy.
It's no surprise, then, that pack-opening videos are so popular on YouTube, with people (likely a lot of young children) living vicariously through those who can afford to buy endless booster packs and share the treasures within for the viewer at home. There's even an eight hour long video where an eye-watering $24,000 worth of Pokemon Sun & Moon boosters are opened up for over one million viewers.
At this point it seems to be widely accepted that this is just the cost of playing Pokemon cards. If you don't have the cash to front for the best cards, then you won't have the best chance when it comes to competing. Apply this to video games and the equivalent might be having to pay for better weapons in Call of Duty or Overwatch putting character abilities in loot boxes. There is already a lot of controversy surrounding loot boxes and "pay to win" content in video games as it is, but trading card game manufacturers aren't held to the same level of scrutiny.
So what's the solution? Am I doomed to weak budget decks or playing with printed proxies? Surely there is a way to lower the entry price for a competitive deck below £200, and below £100 or even £50 while we're at it. After all, one deck won't last you long, with new expansions releasing every few months and an ever-changing meta that sees new cards and strategies appearing like wild Zubat in a dark cave.
Booster packs will never go away, they have been a part of the Pokemon Trading Card Game since the beginning, and to be fair a lot of people do love them. But for the competitive scene, I want competitive cards to be more accessible with cheaper reprints for those not able to fork out hundreds. Granted there have been some already, and the must-have Tapu Lele-GX will be included in an upcoming boxset--but at $50 and well after the card initially hit the metagame in May 2017, it's too little too late. Theme Decks are often a starting point for new players, so it's good to see recent releases include a handful of staple uncommon cards to help kickstart a competitive collection, but there's room for improvement. I would like to see The Pokemon Company make these cards easier to get ahold of and make powerful GX cards more frequent in booster packs, rather than the measly four or five you might be lucky enough to get in a full box of 36 boosters at the moment.
This will surely lead to a healthier meta, happier players, and more of them at that. I love the Pokemon Trading Card Game, but the thought of not being able to play because of my budget is literally keeping me up at night. I have a full time job and I can't keep up with the cost of Pokemon cards.
In my mind Richard Garfield, creator of Magic: The Gathering has the best mentality when it comes to cards, their availability, and their pricing structure: "I wanted to see the cards collectible in the sense of stamps, where you go to the post office and buy some stamps you don't expect them to be immediately worth $10 when you spent $2, but over time, they can be special."
Destiny 2's Forsaken expansion has brought with it a wide variety of new ways to spend your time. That's especially true following the weekly reset on Tuesdays, as you again find yourself with an array of refreshed activities. Among those are the weekly bounties offered by Spider, the vendor in the Tangled Shore. One of these poses a larger challenge than the rest, and for Week 3, that is the Wanted: Silent Fang bounty. Here's where to go and how to complete it.
Whereas many of Spider's Wanted bounties are not entirely clear about where to go and what to do, there's always one that presents itself in a different way. Rather than tracking down a Lost Sector, these present you with an Adventure on the designated planet. Silent Fang is found on the EDZ, in an Adventure appropriately titled Wanted: Silent Fang (recommended Power level: 540).
Start out by purchasing the bounty from Spider--as always, it costs five Ghost Fragments, which you can find inside Tangled Shore chests and by completing Public Events in the area. With the bounty in hand, head to the EDZ and start up the Adventure to begin. From there, this plays out like a typical Lost Sector, albeit one inside a Darkness Zone. That means dying will cause you to restart, so it's best to come with a well-equipped Fireteam. Silent Fang is a giant Fallen Captain; simply take him out to complete the bounty. You can watch all of this above--the one wrinkle is the need to occasionally throw explosives dropped by shanks at objects generating shields.
The unlocked chest's rewards likely won't be anything special, as the Adventure only promises Rare gear. But the corresponding bounty awards Powerful gear when completed, making this all well worth the trouble.
If you're looking for other sources of Powerful gear, you can also try out this week's Ascendant Challenge. Its specific location and objective have again changed, but you'll still need a Tincture of Queensfoil in order to get started. There's also a new Destiny 2 update out now that relocates Petra, and Iron Banner is officially underway with level advantages enabled--all the more reason to secure all the Powerful gear you can.
The follow-up to Rockstar Games' classic western game Red Dead Redemption is fast approaching. Set 12 years before the events of the original game, Red Dead Redemption 2 will explore an expansive region of the American wilderness, with Dutch Van der Linde's gang on the run from lawmen during the last years of the wild west. Experiencing Rockstar's take on the open-world western from a new perspective, you'll uncover the history of the Van Der Linde gang, which has a young John Marston in its thralls.
We got the opportunity to play Red Dead Redemption 2, and suffice to say, it's shaping up to be one of the most detailed open world games we've ever played. You can find out more in our preview below where you can read about our experiences completing story missions and exploring the game's world. There's also plenty of details below on the game's narrative and all of its trailers. With its release date of October 26 approaching, we're beginning to learn a lot more about the base game, as well as its Red Dead Online mode.
Set 12 years before the main events of the original game, the prequel focuses on the outlaw life of the Van der Linde gang, led by Red Dead Redemption's main antagonists. After a robbery in Blackwater (one of the original game's major towns) goes bad--the gang finds themselves on the run. Dutch, his right-hand man Arthur Morgan, and several members of the gang have to contend with a life on-the-run while confrontations with rival gangs and the law make their situation grow more desperate.
Rockstar also released a description of the plot:
America, 1899. The end of the wild west era has begun as lawmen hunt down the last remaining outlaw gangs. Those who will not surrender or succumb are killed. After a robbery goes badly wrong in the western town of Blackwater, Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang are forced to flee. With federal agents and the best bounty hunters in the nation massing on their heels, the gang must rob, steal and fight their way across the rugged heartland of America in order to survive. As deepening internal divisions threaten to tear the gang apart, Arthur must make a choice between his own ideals and loyalty to the gang who raised him.
The First Reveal
Debuting on October 20, 2016, the first trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 was a bit of a mood piece that showcased many locales in the game, while also portraying the somber tone of the main narrative. In this trailer, we saw several towns and locales, many of which are teeming with life and activity--such as ranchers rustling up some cattle, huntsmen bringing back their haul, and a group of citizens hanging out in the general store.
Who Are We Playing As?
Though the central character of Red Dead Redemption, John Marston, plays some role in the story--the main protagonist of the prequel is Arthur Morgan. As Dutch's right-hand man and enforcer for the gang, he'll handle much of the daily duties of keeping the gang in-check--which includes a young and less-experienced John Marston. When it comes to keeping the gang and its community afloat, Morgan is quite handy with picking up various jobs to ensure everyone is well fed and in good spirits. But as the story progresses, he'll begin to question his own resolve for Dutch's way of life, and whether he still has a place in the gang.
The Second Trailer
On September 28, 2017, the second trailer for Red Dead Redemption 2 debuted. In the new footage, we got to see more of Arthur Morgan and how ruthless he can be while on the job. During some of the story cutscenes, Morgan will use coercion and physical threats to collect money and information, all for the "benefit" of the community. For more info on this particular trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
Who's In Dutch's Gang?
In Red Dead Redemption 2, we'll see Dutch's gang and its key players in their prime. While the original game had John hunt down and kill the remaining members of the gang, we'll see many of the familiar faces in relatively happier times. From the most recent trailer, we see Dutch Van der Linde, Arthur Morgan, Bill Williamson, Javier Esquela, Sadie Adler, Charles Smith, Micah Bell, Hosea Matthews, and of course John Marston in the roster. We'll also interact with other characters who would have a key role in the gang and in the lives of both Arthur Morgan and John Marston.
The Third Trailer
In the new footage released on May 2, we saw a deeper look into the game's narrative and how the gang functions. Along with the familiar activities like hunting, heists, and side-quests with the region's citizens, rob trains and banks, and take in shows at theaters. For the most part, the trailer focuses on the many connections you'll have with the members of the gang, as well as how your choices will affect them. For more info on the third trailer, check out our detailed breakdown.
First Gameplay Trailer
On August 9, Rockstar unveiled Red Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer. The new footage revealed that the core mechanics from the original game were still intact, but almost everything had received a facelift. Wildlife is smarter and lives within its own ecosystem. Arthur Morgan can interact with the people around him in ways John Marston never could.
What's New In Red Dead Redemption 2?
While the sequel is largely in the same vein as its predecessor, focusing on exploration, hunting, shoot-outs, heists, and other side-activities where you'll interact with a number of unique characters--Red Dead Redemption 2 features a far more expansive world to dive into. We got our first good look at this world and how we'll be playing through in Read Dead Redemption 2's first gameplay trailer below.
The honor system from the original game makes a return, but now with far more detailed tracking. Along with the average citizen, members of your community will react to how well or how poorly you treat them. As the lead enforcer, Morgan will have to handle a ton of responsibilities, such as resource gathering, procuring funds, and making sure everyone in the community is happy.
There are a ton of new mechanics in Red Dead Redemption 2. For details on every new feature in the game so far, check out our comprehensive list of all the new features we've discovered so far.
How It Plays: Our In-Depth Preview
We recently got a hands-on with a near final-build of Red Dead Redemption 2. It plays much like its predecessor, but with a bevy of new features and systems that enhance its storytelling, combat, and overall progression. We got to experience two story missions, as well as a chance to goof around freely in the open world. There's a lot to unpack about how the upcoming sequel looks and feels, so be sure to read our in-depth preview detailing our impressions about how it plays.
How Will Online Multiplayer Work?
Currently, Rockstar hasn't shared any info on how the online play will function. The original Red Dead Redemption featured online free-for-all and team deathmatch style gameplay in the open world, along with several co-op themed missions. While it's safe to assume that these sorts of missions will return, another long-lingering rumor is the appearance of a battle royale mode. Rockstar has recently confirmed that a public beta for the online mode is scheduled for a month after the game's launch.
How Can I Play RDR2? When Is Its Release Date?
Red Dead Redemption 2 is set for release on October 26 for PS4 and Xbox One. There are also plans for a collector's edition of the game called the Special Edition. Priced at $80, the package includes a copy of the game along with special missions, weapons and a physical map of the game world for players to own. There are also two additional packs for Red Dead Redemption 2 for premium prices, The Ultimate Edition and The Collector's Box--both priced at $100. While The Ultimate Edition has all items from the special edition--including additional DLC items to acquire--The Collector's Box does not include any digital items. Instead, it offers special playing cards, artwork, a bandit's bandana, a physical map of the game world, and a collector's coin in the set.
Though the original Red Dead Redemption never found its way to the PC, there's been some rumors that its sequel might. A mention of Red Dead Redemption 2's appearance on PC found its way online, but it has since been scrubbed.
We may be only in the middle of 2018, but there's already an exciting roster of games releasing in 2019. Highly-anticipated games like Anthem, Days Gone, and Kingdom Hearts III make up only a small number of what's ahead. And that's not to mention the all the big games recently revealed at E3, like Resident Evil 2 Remake, Gears 5, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which we can't wait to get our hands on. To help you keep track of all the games coming out next year, we've compiled a list of all the noteworthy release dates for the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2019 so far.
More dates are sure to be confirmed as the year goes on, so be sure to check back often as we update this article with new additions or potential changes. But if you're looking for this year's release dates, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2018.
Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime in 2019. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.
After the amazing gaming year that was 2017, many wondered how well 2018 would turn out. Fortunately for everyone, it has been great. The first half of the year has yielded a wealth of fantastic games, and there's more on the horizon. Upcoming games for the rest of this 2018 include slew of hotly anticipated new games, like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Red Dead Redemption 2, Spider-Man, and a whole lot more. To help you keep track of all the games coming out and what has already released, we've compiled a list of all the noteworthy release dates for the biggest ones confirmed to come out in 2018 so far.
Game release dates change all the time and new ones arrive every month. Be sure to bookmark this page, as we'll be updating this article with more release dates or any potential changes to any of the dates below. And if you're eager to figure out the release dates from games next year, you can also reference our feature on the game release dates of 2019.
Below you can find a list of the biggest games that don't have explicit release dates but are confirmed to release sometime this year. There are also games listed that we expect to launch in 2018. We'll be moving each of these games into the release date sections above as soon as official dates are announced.
Rockstar unveiled a deluge of new details about its highly anticipated open-world game, Red Dead Redemption 2. As part of the big information blowout, we unfortunately didn't get a new trailer, but the developer did release more than two-dozen new screenshots from the upcoming western. These showcase protagonist Arthur Morgan, some of the other characters you'll encounter, and the stunning environments you and the Van der Linde gang will trek through on your adventure across the American frontier.
The first set of images, which you can take a look at below, show off Morgan and various other members of the Van der Linde gang doing shooty things and riding horses across numerous and varied gorgeous outdoor and indoor environments. Click through the images in the gallery to see all of the newly released shots, and be sure to click each picture to bring it up in full size.
In this next wave of screenshots, Rockstar really shows off its attention to detail. This lead image of the revolver showcases its intricate design, while you'll see in one of the other images that horses in Red Dead Redemption 2 look stunningly realistic and all-around really, really good.
And in this final wave of new images, we see more of Arthur and company blasting enemies and another shot of Arthur on his horse overlooking a town in the distance.
If you're curious about what you're seeing, we cover everything we witnessed in our Red Dead Redemption 2 hands-on preview. We discuss the two story missions we got to play through, as well as the other new features we discovered during our hands-on session with the open-world game. For even more, check out all of our coverage below.
Like Grand Theft Auto V, Rockstar's next big open-world adventure, Red Dead Redemption 2, will feature a sprawling online component titled Red Dead Online. The mode will launch as a public beta this fall, and judging by the level of support GTA Online has enjoyed, it will likely receive a regular stream of updates for a long time to come. With a second open-world multiplayer game to support now, fans may wonder if GTA Online's updates will slow down, but Rockstar assures this won't be the case.
In an interview with IGN, Rockstar North director of design Imran Sarwar said the developer still intends to support GTA V's online mode after Red Dead Online arrives. "We still have big plans for Grand Theft Auto Online and we will continue to roll out updates for the foreseeable future," Sarwar said.
To avoid competition between its two big online games, Sarwar says Rockstar hopes to "stagger" updates for each one out so that players will be able to keep up with both, but there may be some overlap. "We vaguely plan to stagger the updates of both games so that players can switch between the two, but our development plans may not always allow this!" Sarwar said.
Rockstar still hasn't revealed many details about Red Dead Online. According to the studio, the mode is "an evolution of the classic multiplayer experience in the original Red Dead Redemption, blending narrative with competitive and cooperative gameplay in fun new ways." The public beta will go live sometime this November; those who own Red Dead Redemption 2 will be able to jump in for free, although the studio warns "there will inevitably be some turbulence at launch" given the scale of the endeavor.
Actor-director Jordan Peele will host (and presumably narrate) the new Twilight Zone TV show. He confirmed this in a new video that begins with original host Rod Serling's voice before morphing into Peele's. Serling wrote and hosted the original Twilight Zone TV show, and he leaves enormous shoes to fill.
Peele is also producing the new Twilight Zone TV show, which will premiere on CBS All Access in 2019. You can check out the eerie first teaser in the video embed above.
Sons of Anarchy and Daredevil writer Marco Ramirez is attached to write the script and lead the show as its showrunner.
The Emmy-winning show originally ran from 1959-1964, before being revived in the 1980s and early 2000s; there was also a movie. The Twilight Zone rights at held by CBS, which owns GameSpot.
While we now have some more details about the new Twilight Zone, that's about all we know. There is word as of yet as to who will star in the show, or if it will be an anthology series like the original.
Many famous actors appeared on the first iteration of The Twilight Zone, including Ed Wynn, William Shatner, Cloris Leachman, Don Rickles, and Robert Duvall, among many others.
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