The beta for Fallout 76 is now pre-loading for Xbox One, and Bethesda has announced when you can expect to get in if you're lucky enough to be part of the very first wave. The initial session will take place on Tuesday, October 23 from 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT to 11 PM ET / 8 PM PT.
As previously detailed, Bethesda will be running individual targeted time frames for players to access the beta. The idea is that this will force more players together at a specific time to stress test and put the game through its paces. Sessions will typically last 4-8 hours in a given day, and then the beta will be inoperable again until the next session. The process will repeat over again until November 14.
A beta code is available to anyone who pre-ordered the game across Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. Pre-loading is only available on Xbox One for now, since the PC and PS4 betas will begin on October 30. You'll receive a code with your physical pre-order to enter into the accounts page, or you'll be entered into the pool automatically if you pre-order a digital copy. Note that those codes don't grant you access. Rather, they put you into the potential pool of players to get a distribution code later, since Bethesda is rolling out the invites in waves.
Bethesda plans to let to keep your progress from the beta through to the full game. Pre-ordering also will get you 500 Atoms, the in-game currency, for purchasing cosmetic items in the shop.
Fallout 76 is due out on November 14. For more details, check out our guide to everything we know.
The arrival of the weekend brings with it a new appearance by Xur in Destiny 2. Players with and without the Forsaken expansion can now check in with the mysterious merchant for a refreshed slate of Exotic items he has for purchase. Here's where to find him and what he has for sale.
Not long after his last trip to Io, he's returned to this moon of Jupiter once again. He's taken up residence in his standard spot in Giant's Scar. Spawn in at that landing zone and make your way forward through the building in front of you, and then follow the path to the left. Just up on a hill, you'll find a small cave he's hanging out in.
Festival of the Lost and Iron Banner may be underway, but there's nothing unusual about Xur's lineup of items. He has a piece of Exotic armor for each class, as well as one weapon: Crimson, the hand cannon. This is an excellent gun, firing a three-round burst and featuring the Cruel Remedy perk, which heals you when you get a kill and refills the magazine when you get a precision kill.
On the armor side, Hunters can pick up The Dragon's Shadow chest armor, which reloads your guns and provides a speed and handling buff after a dodge. Warlocks get the Crown of Tempests helmet, which speeds up arc ability recovery when you get arc ability kills. And Titans can get the Ashen Wake gauntlets, which improve fusion grenades by letting you throw them faster and causing them to explode on impact.
The full lineup and prices are as follows:
Xur Exotic Items (October 19-23)
Crimson (Exotic hand cannon) -- 29 Legendary Shards
Crown of Tempests (Exotic Warlock helmet) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Ashen Wake (Exotic Titan gauntlets) -- 23 Legendary Shards
Also from Xur, you can pick up a Five of Swords challenge card for adding modifiers to Nightfall strikes (which is needed to do the weekly Powerful gear challenge to score over 100,000 in the Nightfall). Additionally, he has the Fated Engram, which is pricey at 97 Legendary Shards but is guaranteed to decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already have.
As noted above, Xur's lineup may not be thrilling (though Crimson genuinely is great), but there's plenty else happening in the game. You can get curated Iron Banner rewards from taking part in the Crucible mode, and we're still in the first week of the three-week-long Halloween event, Festival of the Lost. This features a new activity called the Haunted Forest that's fun and offers a path to a 600 Power level auto rifle called Horror Story--just be careful when going for the chest at the end.
Fallout 76 's release is a month away, but some players will have a chance to try the new multiplayer-focused take on the series very soon. Following the recent pre-beta stress test, Bethesda is kicking off the Fallout 76 beta on Xbox One on October 23 (before expanding it to PS4 and PC the following week), and those who've qualified will be able to pre-load it right now.
The Fallout 76 beta is open exclusively to those who've pre-ordered the game, so if you want to jump in, you'll need to reserve Fallout 76 on your platform of choice. Not everyone who pre-orders will get into the beta right away, however, as Bethesda will gradually invite more players in waves. You'll also need to have an Xbox Live Gold or PS Plus subscription in order to participate.
As Bethesda details on its FAQ page, to download the beta, you'll first need to find the redemption code on your pre-order receipt or in the email confirmation you received. After that, you'll need to log in to Bethesda's website, then input the code using the link on the FAQ. Once that is completed, Bethesda says it will send an email with further instructions.
The first beta session is scheduled to begin on October 23 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET and run until 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET. No further dates and times have been announced yet, but Bethesda says it will be running during "targeted time frames." According to the developer, the purpose of the beta is to "stress test and break the game," so players should expect some hiccups along the way. The beta will go on until shortly before the game's launch next month.
Fallout 76 releases for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on November 14. Unlike previous installments in the series, 76 is an always-online RPG with an emphasis on multiplayer, which we found makes for a very different kind of Fallout game. You can learn more about the title in our roundup of everything we know about Fallout 76.
Epic Games has released the patch notes for Fortnite's 6.10 update, which is rolling out on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android now. The major new addition to Fortnite's Battle Royale mode is the Quadcrasher, a two-seater vehicle that has a boost function.
This new vehicle is perfect for smashing through structures, so will no doubt become key to securing those Victory Royales. It builds boost as you drive it, with the boost being usable once you've filled a meter, and running into players will send them flying into the air.
The patch also makes a variety of tweaks to the way the game performs and plays. For those on a PlayStation 4 Pro, Fortnite will now display at 1440p instead of 1080p when plugged into a 4K TV. The update also adds a new "Events" tab, where players will find in-game tournaments.
In the weapons and items department, Port-a-Fortress has been disabled while Epic figures out an issue with it. To compensate, the Port-a-Fort will drop more frequently, which should help out those who need to find one of these items for a challenge. The Guided Missile (which was recently disabled), meanwhile, no longer fires the wrong direction, which is nice, and players will no longer permanently attach to a Supply Drop when grappling to it.
Disco Domination, the recently launched limited-time mode, has changed in a number of ways. You'll no longer find bandages as often, and Common weapons are gone altogether. With respawns enabled--something that's quite uncommon for Fortnite--Epic has made some tweaks to improve the variety of places you spawn.
For those that want to see what's new with Save The World, check out the patch notes. The full Battle Royale changes can be found below, along with a video showing off the Quadcrasher.
increased the variability of where you can spawn by 30% along your sides storm circle.
Brought in the side dance floors closer to the Storm edge.
Reduced max respawn distance by 20%.
Weapons + Items
The Port-a-Fortress has been disabled as we work to resolve some issues related to this item.
Drop rate for Port-a-Fort increased from 3.05% to 4.89% while Port-a-Fortress is disabled.
The goal is to keep the drop rate of Port-a-Fort the same as if both items were enabled to help with the completion of Challenges.
Bug Fixes
Guided Missile no longer fires the wrong direction
Players will no longer permanently attach to a Supply Drop when grappling to it.
Attempting to fire while reloading the Double Barrel Shotgun will no longer interrupt the animation.
Weapon equip animations no longer skip when simultaneously attempting to sprint and target.
Gameplay
Quadcrasher
Seats two players.
You build boost just by driving. Unleash that speed with the hotkey once you've filled your boost meter.
Smash through buildings while boosting.
Boost off ramps or cliffs to catch sick air.
Launch players into the air by smashing into them.
You can now view and change Edit Controls separately from Combat and Build Controls in the controller menu.
PS4 controller lighting will match player marker color.
You can now set building mode sensitivity for controllers in the options menu. It is a multiplier on the default controller sensitivity and allows up to a 2x increase.
Controller sensitivity slider in the options menu now allows for more than 10 values.
Added an option to Builder Pro that allows for building as soon as you switch to the piece, instead of selecting first and then placing. This allows for faster building without a preview.
Added an option that allows for edit hold timing to be adjusted.
Opening the Emote Picker with a controller will happen when the button is released, while holding the button will replay the emote that was last played.
Bug Fixes
Fixed inconsistencies with the damage trap not triggering properly.
Allow slight movement when using a consumable with Sprint by Default enabled. This will help match how it works without Sprint by Default enabled
Fixed problem with character orientation getting stuck after falling off the island in a vehicle.
Events
Tournaments can be found inside of the new 'Events' tab available in game. This tab will host a variety of online competitions which are open to everyone. Jump in and explore!
Each tournament has a series of scheduled dates and times that the competition will be run. A carousel of all upcoming competitions and times will be available for browsing, so you can plan and practice.
Every scheduled session is a completely clean slate with all players starting on an equal footing at the beginning of play.
Compete over the course of several hours to earn points by eliminating multiple opponents or surviving against the competition.
Players are matched against opponents with similar scores during the session.
Score enough points during any scheduled event session and you'll earn a golden pin for that tournament!
Performance
Weapon replication optimization for dedicated server to reduce load during rapid weapon switching.
We've made CPU performance optimizations on Switch across all threads. This results in a smoother gameplay experience and fewer hitches.
Improve multi-threading during heavy physics simulation.
Audio
Celebrate with style. The music selected in your Locker will now play after getting a Victory Royale!
Remove the Doppler effect from the audio when players are gliding.
Added an in-air loop to Grenade Launcher projectiles so you can spatialize where they're coming from.
Improved Grenade Launcher bouncing audio.
Reduced volume of medium-range Grenade explosion sound.
Bug Fixes
Cube ambient sounds no longer randomly play in the middle of matches.
Sequential explosion sounds no longer interrupt each other.
Added missing audio to the Compact SMG and SMG medium/distant fire sounds.
Audio 'pops' no longer occur when emote music loops.
Re-added the audio cue that plays before a new wave of Supply Drops start appearing.
UI
Bug Fixes
Fixed some touch issues for the controller mapping screen on Switch.
Fixed a bug where the player's banner in the top bar would not update when changing the banner in the locker.
Made the reticle hidden when skydiving.
Fixed issues with the display of the on-screen map and inventory inputs.
Fixed issues with touch functionality on the map for the Nintendo Switch
Resource buttons no longer cancel auto-run.
Art + Animation
Bug Fixes
Cosmetic items that change in some way over the course of a match are now marked as "Reactive" in-game (e.g., a harvesting tool that changes as you get eliminations).
Fixed visual display issues with cosmetic music items..
Animation pops no longer occur while in the air after using the Chiller trap.
Replay System
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue causing the first replay not be selected in the replay browser.
Fixed the nameplate distance slider not working.
Fixed an issue where firing guided missiles would start with the camera facing the wrong way in replays.
MOBILE
Major performance improvement for devices running Android 7 or earlier.
Memory improvements on iOS devices.
The first weapon you pick up will now auto-equip itself on mobile.
Touch control input now has smoothing enabled.
Tapping selected buttons on the build quickbar will once again build the selected build piece.
All elements in the Mobile HUD should now be placeable/movable in the HUD Layout Tool.
Updated visuals for independent Quickbar slots in the HUD Layout Tool.
Bug Fixes
Drag and dropping on the Quickbar will no longer select the thing you drag. Players can now adjust their inventory without interrupting other actions.
Fixing a bug causing some touch input to fall through the settings screen to gameplay.
Fixing edit button visibility issues when crouching on Mobile.
2018's new Halloween is now in theaters. it screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, and the reviews are in; find out what we thought in our review below. Beyond that, we've got a look at the series' most brutal kills, and we've ranked every Halloween film. But does the new Halloween hold a candle to the original? Read on.
Remember when fans were worried that Danny McBride and David Gordon Green--the guys behind HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down--would ruin the Halloween franchise by trying to make it funny? Well, the newest chapter in the Michael Myers saga--which is technically only the second, since it ignores all other sequels--is definitely the funniest film in the franchise. But surprisingly, it's also the perfect continuation to the story begun in the original Halloween 40 years ago.
Yes, it's been 40 years since Michael Myers put on a mask and terrorized the town of Haddonfield, Illinois as "The Shape," and he hasn't done much since then. Played by the original actor Nick Castle, as well as newcomer James Jude Courtney, Myers hasn't spoken a word in the 40 years he's apparently been incarcerated at the movie's start. Not even when two podcasters--or "investigative journalists," as they refer to themselves--present him with the iconic mask in an attempt to get a reaction does Michael stir. This is a return to form (or shape) for Michael. No longer the brother of Laurie Strode, as was established in sequels to the original, he is back to being a force of pure evil who commits random acts of violence with no cause or reason. Green, who directs with co-writer McBride, treats the character with utmost respect, like a larger-than-life force that deserves your complete attention and fear.
Castle and Courtney, who seamlessly share the role of The Shape, don't miss a beat with their performances, as this is the most terrifying Michael has been since 1978. It helps that Green and McBride have made this one mean and nasty Halloween movie. It surpasses the body count of John Carpenter's original even before Michael gets to Haddonfield, and we see kills involving knives going through throats, lethal headbutts, and more.
Meanwhile, the core of the story focuses on Laurie Strode. Jamie Lee Curtis gives what is perhaps the best performance of her career in the role that first gave her the spotlight. She effortlessly steps back into Laurie's shoes, evolving the trauma and psychological damage Myers inflicted on her all those years ago. Yes, she is a complete and absolute badass in this film, as she is now the hunter and no longer the hunted. However, she is no Sarah Connor. She is a broken woman who hasn't been able to let go of that fateful Halloween night.
Strode now lives in a fortified house in the middle of the woods and spends every day shooting at target dummies, preparing for the day when her paranoia finally bears fruit. Of course, it doesn't take long before Myers escapes and finds his way to Haddonfield, where he obsesses over finishing the job he started 40 years earlier.
Despite the gravity of Halloween's themes, and the gory and violent fun audiences expect from a slasher, McBride and Green infuse the script with their signature sense of humor, and surprisingly, it actually works. Every side character gets a moment to shine, and the jokes never feel out of place, especially when coming from soon-to-be breakout star Jibrail Nantambu. Nantambu plays the only character who has any idea what's going on in the film--he never makes a stupid choice (it's a slasher, so naturally, characters make a lot of stupid choices) and provides insightful meta commentary about the horror tropes on display.
Speaking of meta, Halloween pokes fun at every single film in the franchise, all while paying homage to its predecessors. There are references to Silver Shamrock, tributes to Halloween 2, and a fun cameo or two. The film also comments on this being a pseudo remake of the original, but in modern times. For example, when discussing the original babysitter killings from the first film, a character remarks that five dead people isn't too much "by today's standards." Green has fun with the idea of Laurie being prepared for Michael by playing with role reversal throughout the film. One instance in particular got the audience at the world premiere cheering so hard, the next three lines of dialogue were inaudible.
If there's one problem with Halloween, it's that it never uses Laurie's granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and Allyson's mom Karen (Judy Greer) to their full potential. Thankfully, it isn't a big issue, as Laurie's story is compelling enough on its own. And those missing the magic Carpenter touch will be delighted to know that the film is keen on using silence to increase the tension, and there is a 5-minute-long single-shot sequence that is a marvel to watch, even if it's quite brutal. Green may not have a ton of experience filming horror, but he sure knows how to create nail-biting tension at the right moments.
John Carpenter returns to score the film with the help of his son, Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies. Yes, you do hear the classic Halloween theme, and Carpenter even uses a slower version of the theme at several key moments. Carpenter also uses a whole new style of synth rock that pulsates and beats like a heart and will have everyone in the audience on the edge of their seat while also making them pre-order the soundtrack as soon as they leave the theater.
Halloween doesn't reinvent the wheel or create a new subgenre of horror. What it does is take the best parts of all the films in the franchise, and deliver the ultimate companion piece to Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece. It's a film that not only has something to say about trauma and PTSD, but also delivers a bloody, fun time at the theater. Will Michael Myers return again? Who knows, but we sure as hell welcome him home.
The Good
The Bad
Laurie Strode is a more complex character, yet a total badass
Side characters are slightly underused
Michael Myers is scarier than ever
The fantastic score that will get your heart beating
A much-welcomed sense of humor and meta commentary
October is underway, which means The Pokemon Company is giving away a new pair of Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. We're now in the penultimate month of the Year of Legendary Pokemon promotion, and this time around, you'll be able to get your hands on the cover mascots from Pokemon Black and White: Reshiram and Zekrom.
Once again, if you live in the US, you'll need to travel to a specific retailer to pick up a download code for the Legendaries. This time, the code is being distributed in the electronics section of Target stores from October 19-28. Those who live in Europe and Australia, meanwhile, will be able to get the Pokemon without leaving the comfort of their home; the Legendaries are being given out over the Nintendo Network in those regions from October 5-21.
As usual, the Legendaries can be redeemed in any seventh generation Pokemon game on 3DS, but which one you receive depends on the version you're playing. Those with Sun or Ultra Sun will get Zekrom, while players who have Moon or Ultra Moon will get Reshiram. The Pokemon will also come with different levels and movesets depending on your game. You can see all of the details below.
Pokemon Ultra Sun
Zekrom -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Fusion Bolt
Bolt Strike
Outrage
Stone Edge
Pokemon Sun
Zekrom -- Level 60
Slash
Zen Headbutt
Fusion Bolt
Dragon Claw
Pokemon Ultra Moon
Reshiram -- Level 100 (w/Gold Bottle Cap)
Fusion Flare
Blue Flare
Draco Meteor
Earth Power
Pokemon Moon
Reshiram -- Level 60
Slash
Extrasensory
Fusion Flare
Dragon Pulse
You can redeem your download code for the Legendaries using the Mystery Gift feature from the games' main menu. After selecting it, choose the option to receive your gift with a code/password, then input your download code when prompted. If you live in Europe or Australia, you'll need to select the option to receive your gift via the internet. Once that's done, the Pokemon will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
Pokemon fans now have a chance to get their hands on October's free Legendary Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but those aren't the only rare monsters up for grabs this month. To commemorate the release of the upcoming Lost Thunder expansion for Pokemon TCG, The Pokemon Company is also giving away a rare Mythical Pokemon for the 3DS games: the Thunderclap Pokemon Zeraora.
First revealed this past April, Zeraora is a fast, cat-like Electric-type monster debuting in the latest Pokemon movie, The Power of Us. This marks the first opportunity players will have to get their hands on one; like other Mythical Pokemon, Zeraora isn't obtainable within the actual games, so you'll want to add one to your collection while you can.
As usual, the way you'll be able to get Zeraora depends on where you live. In the US, players can pick up a download code for the Mythical Pokemon at GameStop stores from October 19 to November 9; in the UK, The Pokemon Company is distributing codes for Zeraora at Game stores from October 1 to November 15.
Unlike most of the other free Pokemon given out this year, you can only redeem the Zeraora code in either Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. Regardless of which version you claim it in, the Pokemon comes at level 50 and is equipped with an Air Balloon, an item that negates Ground-type attacks until it is popped. It also knows the moves Plasma Fist, Thunder Punch, Close Combat, and Thunder.
To redeem your download code, first select Mystery Gift from the games' main menu, then choose the option to receive your gift via a code/password. Input your code and Zeraora will be downloaded into your game. You'll then need to pick it up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center.
In addition to Zeraora, The Pokemon Company is giving away two Legendary Pokemon originally from the Black and White versions this month: Reshiram and Zekrom. The pair will be available in the US via a download code, this one from Target stores. You can see all the free Pokemon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon available right now.
The newly released Daredevil Season 3 on Netflix has an unexpected tie to another story about a grizzled vigilante with a five o'clock shadow battling the forces of evil, while possibly grappling with their own dark side: Mass Effect 3. Fans noticed that one of Netflix's recaps for the Daredevil story so far slips in what could be considered a Mass Effect Easter egg--one that instantly transports fans of the game back to that moment when the Reapers came close to wiping out Earth.
That Easter egg is the song "Leaving Earth," by composer Clint Mansell, from the early portion of Mass Effect 3. The song is a master class in the "sad piano music" category of songs from video game soundtracks. In the game, it plays as the Reapers arrive for their invasion of Earth, and the player character, Commander Shepard, is forced to evacuate. The plan to stop the threat requires Shepard to help the rest of the galaxy, but that requires the painful choice of leaving everyone still stuck on Earth to fend for themselves. A kid gets blown up. It's sad.
Redditor Sons-of-N7 pointed out that a portion the song appears in Netflix's recap for Daredevil Season 2, which is pretty fitting--it's a very "dark night of the soul" kind of song, and that was a very "dark night of the soul" season of Daredevil. Although to be fair, all the Daredevil seasons are like that.
If you're somehow unable to remember the very best track in the entirety of Mass Effect 3, here's a refresher. You might have heard it in other movies, TV shows, or commercials, as it gets licensed for other works fairly regularly.
The song even popped up in a Key and Peele sketch to punctuate a hilariously sad punchline (it's right at the end).
Mass Effect 3 isn't the only video game whose music popped up in Daredevil. Another Redditor, 5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_12_6) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/12.0 Safari/605.1.15","sr_id":4645555,"sr_name":"Daredevil","embed_id":30961916426,"embed_version":"0.1","embed_type":"comment","embed_control":true,"embed_host_url":"https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/10/19/marvels-daredevil-has-spider-man-ps4-easter-egg/","comment_edited":false,"comment_deleted":false,"uuid":"df59c1dd-1d33-4f87-8d59-cfb6b7ea3019","embed_ts_created":"2018-10-19T13:35:59.530Z","redirect_url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3","redirect_type":"timestamp","redirect_dest":"www.reddit.com","redirect_thing_id":"30961916426"}&url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Daredevil/comments/9phg3z/lmao_the_recap_uses_mass_effect_3s_leaving_earth/e81xbm2/?utm_term=30961916426&utm_name=f02ca34c-6770-4b98-844c-fb9d0b6cd62d&utm_content=timestamp&utm_source=embed&utm_medium=comment_embed&context=3">ShieldRune5847, pointed out that a track from the recently released Marvel's Spider-Man on PS4 made it into the second episode of Daredevil Season 3. Turns out, Daredevil's composer, John Paesano, is pretty good at this Marvel thing--he also composed the music for Spider-Man.
Following a recent update to the game and a tweak to the speed of the Battle Bus, we are now in Season 6, Week 4 of Fortnite: Battle Royale. What that means for players is that there are new challenges available to complete, which makes for an easy way to progress your Battle Pass and earn skins and cosmetics, like this season's new pets. As always, while anyone can do the challenges in the Free section, four of the week's challenges will only be available to players who have paid for a Battle Pass.
In the free section, players will need to use a Port-a-Fort or Port-a-Fortress (currently disabled) in five different matches, search an Ammo Box in seven different named locations, and then ring the doorbell of a house with an opponent inside in three different matches. On the paid Battle Pass side, there's a mixture of simple and tricky challenges to do. The first two involves landing at Greasy Grove and dancing on a Clock Tower (find it in Tilted Towers), followed by two other locations (a pink tree and porcelain throne). The remaining two challenges task players with getting a score of three or more at five different Shooting Galleries, and also killing three enemies near one of the Corrupted areas. Take a look at all the challenges, as well as their rewards, below.
Fortnite's 6.10 update is now available on PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. It adds the Quadcrasher into the mix, and this two-seater vehicle is pretty handy for smashing through structures thanks to its boost function. "You build boost just by driving," Epic Games explains. "[Then] unleash that speed with the hotkey once you've filled your boost meter."
The patch also allows those playing on a PlayStation 4 Pro connected to a 4K TV to display the game at 1440p instead of 1080p. The other major new addition is the new "Events" tab, where players will find in-game tournaments. Read the full Fortnite 6.10 update patch notes for more details
Fortnite's popularity continues to soar, and the latest celebrity to be drawn to it is Ellen DeGeneres, who had well known streamer Ninja on her talk show. As one of the most well-known Fortnite players around, Ninja was brought in to teach Ellen how to play which, if we're honest, didn't go well, but they seemed to be having fun and that's what matters. To get some tips from us, use our Fortnite Season 6 challenge guide to get Battle Stars from previous weeks' challenges.
Fortnite Season 6, Week 4 Challenges
Free
Use a Port-a-Fort or Port-a-Fortress in different matches (5) -- 5 Battle Stars
Search an Ammo Box in different Named Locations (7) -- 5 Battle Stars
Ring the doorbell of a house with an opponent inside in different matches (3) -- 10 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Land at Greasy Grove -- 5 Battle Stars
Dance on top of a Clock Tower -- 5 Battle Star
Get a score of 3 or more at different Shooting Galleries -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents near any of the CorruptedAreas -- 10 Battle Stars
Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man launched to a warm reception, but fans of the PS4 exclusive have long been clamoring for a New Game Plus mode. In September 2018, Insomniac teased that the mode was in the works, and now the developer has revealed New Game Plus is on its way.
In a tweet, Insomniac said that New Game Plus is "coming soon" as a part of Update 1.07. Although the patch was initially announced to launch on October 17, Insomniac has since clarified that is not the case. [Update: Insomniac has since confirmed that Update 1.07 will release prior to The Heist, which is scheduled for October 23.]
The Heist is the first piece of a three-part DLC expansion called The City That Never Sleeps. According to Insomniac, the DLC adds new story missions where a robbery "entangles Spider-Man and MJ with an old flame from Peter Parker's past, Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat." Felicia is a part of a side-quest in Marvel's Spider-Man, but only appears in recorded messages. This DLC marks her first major role in the game.
The Heist also adds a new faction of enemies for Spidey to take on, as well as more challenges to complete and PlayStation Trophies to earn. Three new suits--Scarlet Spider II, Resilient, and Spider-UK--will also be added. Spider-Man enthusiasts might recognize these suits from the Ultimate Spider-Man TV show and Spider-Verse comic book series. The Peter Parker from Marvel's Spider-Man recently joined the expanded Spider-Verse in Spider-Geddon and his suit shows up in the upcoming Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse animated film.
Niantic has unleashed a new generation of pocket monsters in Pokemon Go. Pokemon originally introduced in the Sinnoh region from the series' fourth-generation titles--Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum--have now begun appearing in the wild. But while most of these are available for all players to catch, as we've previously seen with select Pokemon, a small handful appear to be exclusive to certain parts of the world.
As was the case with Gen 3 Pokemon, Niantic is rolling the new Sinnoh monsters out in waves. Players can already get the Gen 4 starters Turtwig, Chimchar, Piplup, and their evolved forms in the mobile game, as well as a handful of other Pokemon like Starly, Bidoof, and Buneary. However, if you want to get your hands on a Pachirisu--Gen 4's adorable Electric-type rodent--you'll need to live in the northern part of the world; according to Reddit, Pachirisu has only been spawning in Canada, Alaska, and Russia thus far.
Two other Gen 4 Pokemon, Chatot and Carnivine, likewise appear to be region-exclusive. It seems the former is only appearing in countries located in the southern hemisphere, such as Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, and other places in South America and the lower portion of Africa. Carnivine, meanwhile, has been found in the southeast United States and the Bahamas.
It remains to be seen if these Pokemon will eventually appear in other areas of the world, but for the time being, it seems you'll only be able to capture them if you live in one of the aforementioned regions. However, Niantic has occasionally given players a chance to capture other region-exclusive monsters, such as Mr. Mime and Kangaskhan, through special in-game events, so don't get discouraged if you can't yet catch any of the aforementioned Pokemon.
Pokemon Diamond and Pearl originally released for the DS back in 2007. The pair added 107 new Pokemon to the series, including two new evolutions for Eevee--Glaceon and Leafeon--as well as new evolved forms for other popular monster like Electabuzz, Magmar, and Rhydon. They also added a number of new Legendaries; one of them, Giratina, was teased at the end of Pokemon Go's latest trailer, suggesting it may come to the game soon.
Beyond the new Gen 4 Pokemon, Go players have the game's next Community Day to look forward to. October's event takes place this Sunday, October 21. The featured Pokemon will be the Steel/Psychic-type Beldum; if you manage to evolve it into its final form, Metagross, during the Community Day, it'll learn the new attack Meteor Mash. You can find more details in our roundup of everything you need to know about October's Community Day.
The launch of Red Dead Redemption 2 is so close you can almost hear the gunshots and feel the saddle on the horse carrying you down a dusty path. Rockstar operates on its own schedule and releases games only when they're ready. When they come out, they tend to be landmark events in the gaming world. From everything we've seen so far--including our hands-on time with the game--Red Dead Redemption 2 promises to be one of the biggest games of the year.
If you pre-order a digital copy of the game, you can pre-install it now. You might have to delete a game (or 10) off your hard drive first, though, because a game this big takes up a whole lot of gigabytes.
The game itself stars Arthur Morgan and the Dutch van der Linde gang--whose members include John Marston, the star of the original game. The game launches for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on October 26, 2018. Its accompanying online multiplayer mode, Red Dead Online, will launch in beta at some point in November. All owners of the base game will receive free access to it.
A new gameplay trailer showcased more of the single-player component's open-world gameplay. That includes a variety of heists you can take part in and some of the customization options at your disposal.
You don't have to wait until October 26 to secure your copy--you can pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2 right now from a number of retailers, both in-store and online. Here's all the information you need to know to lock in your Red Dead pre-order.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Pre-Order Bonus
Pre-order Red Dead Redemption 2, and you'll get a couple of digital goodies for your trouble.
War Horse: An Ardennes War Horse with greater courage and stamina than the average steed.
The Outlaw Survival Kit: Contains a collection of key supplies, including items to replenish Health, Dead Eye, and more.
If you pre-order a digital edition of the game, you can begin downloading it on Friday, October 19. You won't be able to play the game until it launches on the 26, but downloading it early means you won't have to wait for the massive download once the game is available.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Digital Pre-Order Bonus
Anyone who pre-orders a digital version of Red Dead Redemption 2 from the PlayStation Store or Xbox Store will get the bonuses listed above, plus a handful of other digital freebies thrown in for good measure.
Cash Bonus for Red Dead Redemption 2 Story Mode
Treasure Map: Gives you a head start on the hunt for hidden riches. Must pre-order by July 31, 2018 to receive.
Bonus GTA$: Immediate download that contains in-game currency for Grand Theft Auto Online. Here's the breakdown of how much GTA$ you get for each edition: Standard Edition - $500,000 | Special Edition - $1 million | Ultimate Edition - $2 million.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Standard Edition
This edition comes with the relevant pre-order bonuses listed above, plus the core game. Here's where you can pre-order it.
The ultimate edition comes with all the content from the special edition, plus the following.
Bonus Outfits: The Blackrose Bounty Hunter Outfit and The Copperhead Enforcer Outfit.
Black Chestnut Thoroughbred: A racehorse and special saddle, both available in online.
Free Access to the Survivor Camp Theme
Free Access to Additional Weapons: Get access to the Volcanic Pistol, Pump Action Shotgun and Lancaster Varmint Rifle, free of charge from Gunsmiths in online.
Rank Bonuses: As a great start for all Ultimate Edition players, you can rank up faster in online, up to rank 25.
Here's where you can pre-order the ultimate edition.
First off, it's important to note that the Collector's Box does not include the game. So if you're going to pre-order it, make sure you also get yourself a separate copy of the game or you'll be very disappointed come launch day. What the Collector's Box does include is a bunch of physical goodies.
Metal Tithing Box with Lock & Key
Collectable Challenge Coin
Double Sided Puzzle
Six Shooter Bandana
Treasure Map
Pin Set
Playing Cards
Wheeler, Rawson and Co. Catalogue
12 Cigarette Cards
Here's where you can pre-order the collector's box.
Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox continues to slowly push forward, and if you've been keeping up with any of the movie news from the Fox camp, you've noticed drastic changes from movies originally under the Fox banner. Why is this happening, though? Well, Disney and Fox are putting some separation between their releases as 2019 is stacked.
The most notable of these changes came from the next movie in the X-Men franchise, which was originally going to release on February 14. Two days after the first trailer came out, the movie was pushed back to June 7. This happened because another Fox movie, Alita: Battle Angel was pushed from December 21, 2018, a week after another CG fantasy/adventure, Mortal Engines, was set to release.
Everything between 21st Century Fox and Disney is expected to finalize soon, and according to THR, Dark Phoenix could be first film under the Disney banner. Additionally, Disney's plan is to release everything Fox already has in production or wrapping up.
After months of shifting dates, here's what the post-Fox-buyout release schedule looks like for Disney. There are a few other dates, which aren't included on the list, where Disney has a date saved as an "Untitled Project." There are plenty of those titles for 2020, which we all know will be numerous Marvel Studios films and at least on Star Wars movie.
The Combined Disney and Fox release schedule for 2019 and beyond:
2019:
The Kid Who Would Be King (Jan. 25)
Alita: Battle Angel (Feb. 14)
Captain Marvel (Mar. 8)
Dumbo (Mar. 29)
Avengers 4 (May 3)
Aladdin (May 24)
Dark Phoenix (Jun. 7) -Possibly first Fox movie under the Disney banner
Toy Story 4 (Jun. 21)
Spider-Man: Far From Home (Jul 5)
Stuber (Jul. 12)
The Lion King (Jul. 19)
New Mutants (Aug. 2)
Artemis Fowl (Aug. 9)
Spies in Disguise (Sept. 13)
The Woman in the Window (Oct. 4)
Jungle Cruise (Oct. 11)
Noelle (Nov. 7)
Kingsman 3 (Nov. 8)
Frozen 2 (Nov 27)
Star Wars: Episode IX (Dec. 20)
The Call of the Wild (Dec. 25)
2020:
Mulan (Mar. 27)
Maleficent (May 29)
Death on the Nile--sequel to Murder on the Orient Express (Oct. 2)
We've had a few glimpses at Spidey's new suit from the upcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home, but the most extensive look yet came from Jimmy Kimmel Live. Actor Tom Holland stopped by the show sporting the fashionable new red-and-black suit to promote the film with a short comedy bit.
Holland retained his Peter Parker American accent through the whole scene, even when stepping outside the meta-fiction to talk about the movie's release next summer. The routine covers the problem of web fluid shortages, the limits of his Spidey Sense, and even the dark end to Avengers: Infinity War. Asked by Kimmel to explain his presence in Far From Home, Holland hastily makes an excuse about Thanos robbing a bank and exits. No, you're not going to get that particular plot resolution from a late-night talk show.
Spider-Man: Far From Home will be the first movie in the Marvel cinematic universe after Avengers 4, which will presumably resolve the cliffhanger left by the end of Infinity War that Kimmel referenced. It will actually be the third in a packed schedule for MCU movies, after Captain Marvel and Avengers.
But it's not the only Spider-Man film in production. On December 14 we'll be getting Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, an animated feature that has criss-crossing Spider-people from different dimensions: Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and even Spider-Ham.
One of Fortnite's challenges for Season 6, Week 4 involves getting your dance on while being on top of a Clock Tower. By doing this you'll earn yourself some experience but, more importantly, you'll get the Battle Stars needed to level up your Battle Pass and get those sweet, sweet cosmetics. To do this specific challenge, you'll actually need to own a Battle Pass, as it's exclusive to those players that do. As it stands, we're only aware of one Clock Tower, so here's where you'll need to go to find it and what to do to ensure you've completed the challenge.
The Clock Tower in question can be found at Tilted Towers. If you're flying in, get your glider out and it's very easy to spot in the southwestern corner. Of course, you'll need to aim for the very top of it, but if you flub the landing and end up at the bottom, you can always build your way there. One thing to note is that the roof of the clock tower can be destroyed, which makes it considerably easier to land in, but planting yourself on top of a non-busted clock tower isn't difficult either. Once you're in or on the clock tower, bring up your emote wheel and bust some moves.
Click images to view in full screen
Once that's done you'll need to dance on top of a Pink Tree. You'll find one of these at the centre of Lucky Landing. The strategy is the same here: land on top of it, and do a little jig. Sadly, you might find that people are trying to--or already have--cut down the tree, in which case you'll need to quit out and jump into another match to try again.
For the third part of this challenge head to Flush Factory, where you'll have to dance on top of a Porcelain Throne. If you hadn't figured it out, that's a fancy way of saying "toilet." Once that's done, you should be finished. Just keep an eye out for the pop-up that confirms that the challenge has been completed. You can see all three locations in the images above.
The other difficult challenge for the week asks players to go to five shooting galleries and score three points at each one. There's a bunch of shooting galleries scattered around the island, but if you're not familiar with their locations you may end up running around aimlessly. We've put together a map of exactly where you need to go to find the targets in our Shooting Gallery location guide.
The Netflix Marvel superhero universe has had its ups and downs, and nothing can really make up for how bad Iron Fist Season 1 was, and what it did to The Defenders. But sometimes when you hit rock bottom, there's a silver lining: There's no direction to go but up. The Punisher was pretty good, Luke Cage Season 2 was a step in the right direction, and even Iron Fist Season 2 was watchable. Now that we've mostly forgotten about Jessica Jones Season 2, it's time to return to where it all started: Daredevil. And you know what? It's good to be back.
Daredevil Season 3 has a lot preceding it, but except where it's relevant to Matt Murdock's story, it mostly ignores what's come before. In the first six episodes, which were sent to press ahead of time, there's no mention of Jessica, Luke, Danny, or The Hand. Even Elektra is just a memory, albeit one that haunts Matt still.
Daredevil Season 3 is about rebuilding. Matt (Charlie Cox) suffered his most emotionally and physically devastating defeat yet when an entire building fell on him at the end of Defenders, and he's forced to find the time and will to heal on multiple fronts. Fisk (Vincent D'Onofrio) has a scheme to get out of prison, but he puts himself at great risk to pull it off. Foggy (Elden Henson) and Karen (Deborah Ann Woll) are still dealing with the fact that Matt is gone, trying to put the pieces of their lives together without their best friend. Naturally, his eventual return in Season 3 will only complicate things further.
To fans, it's no secret that Matt survived the events of Defenders. He spends much of Daredevil Season 3's first half recuperating in the basement of the Catholic orphanage where he was raised, tended to by a nun who may or may not be his mother (in the comics she is; it hasn't yet been made clear in the show). At the season's start, his hearing has suffered, and without it his "sight" has also waned. An early season boxing match puts Daredevil's brutality, the actors' impressive physicality, and Matt's threshold for punishment all on display. Daredevil spends plenty of time wallowing in Matt's well earned nihilism, but even then it can be a joy to watch.
Fisk, meanwhile, proves to be the manipulative villain we remember him as from Daredevil Season 1. He flips and turns FBI informant, snitching on New York's Albanian mob and almost getting himself offed in the process. That triggers a transfer out of prison and into a cushy high-rise, "for his own safety," of course. He claims to be doing it all for Vanessa--played by Ayelet Zurer in Season 1, though she's yet to reappear in Season 3--but with the Kingpin, there's always the sense that there's more going on than we're ever made aware of. No doubt that shoe will drop before Season 3 is over.
Fisk's recruitment of crack shot FBI agent Benjamin "Dex" Poindexter--who we know from the comics as Bullseye--only begins to see its full payoff by the time Season 3 is halfway through. But Dex gradually proves himself to be a dangerous presence, an obsessive sociopath with perfect aim who was taught as a child to blend in with society. When the cracks in his "normal" life start to shake his foundations, Fisk knows exactly how to dig his fingers in deep.
The news of Fisk's "release" doesn't go over well in Hell's Kitchen, and protesters keep vigil outside his suite, adding to the feeling that this is all leading somewhere topical. Foggy and Karen fight back in their own ways--still working at the Bulletin, Karen starts investigating what Fisk is really up to, while Foggy attempts to get at him through legal means.
That's all to say that Daredevil Season 3 puts the focus where it belongs: on Matt, Fisk, Foggy, and Karen, the core characters that we originally grew to love or hate back in Season 1. With that re-anchoring comes some really cool stylistic choices; there's an entire sequence that plays out in black and white, half flashbacks, half imaginings, with one character walking back through another's life as he strives to learn everything he might use to his advantage. And there's a single-shot fight scene in these first half dozen episodes that's unbelievably impressive, easily rivaling any action that's come before in the whole Netflix Marvel universe.
So yeah, Daredevil is back. And thanks to its much needed laser focus on the characters and stories fans actually care about, you don't even need to be caught up; If you watched Daredevil Season 1 and then stopped, you could pick up again right at the start of Season 3. That definitely says something about how forgettable much of what came in the interim was. But regardless of where you've been all this time, Daredevil Season 3 is worth returning for.
The Halloween series is one of the longest running and most successful franchises in horror. Nevertheless, it's been nearly a decade since the last movie--Rob Zombie's Halloween 2--and even longer since a movie that was well received by fans and critics. While Zombie's two remake/reboots attempted to do something different with the series, for many, it was 1998's Halloween: H20 that was last great Halloween movie.
Today sees the release of a new film titled Halloween. This is a direct sequel to John Carpenter's 1978 original and ignores all the sequels, remakes, and reboots in-between. It's directed by acclaimed indie filmmaker David Gordon Green and co-written by comedian/actor Danny McBride, with Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role as Laurie Strode from the first movie.
The film originally screened to critics at the Toronto International Film festival last month and the reviews are in. So is this just another disappointing addition to the series, or have the filmmakers delivered something worthy of the title Halloween? Let's take a look at the reviews...
GameSpot -- no score
"Halloween doesn't reinvent the wheel or create a new subgenre of horror. What it does is take the best parts of all the films in the franchise, and deliver the ultimate companion piece to Carpenter's 1978 masterpiece. It's a film that not only has something to say about trauma and PTSD, but also delivers a bloody, fun time at the theater. Will Michael Myers return again? Who knows, but we sure as hell welcome him home." -- Rafael Motamayor [Full review]
Entertainment Weekly -- B+
"A big, funny, scary, squishy, super-meta sequel that brings it all back to John Carpenter's iconic 1978 original. The movie mostly works because it's so fundamental, and funny too: Michael still never speaks; his mask and his slow, deadly, deliberate walk say everything they need to. At 59, Curtis seems to have fully arrived in her role as a midnight-madness queen, and she has a great time in jeans and a grey fright wig, swinging her shotgun around and screaming at everyone to get in the safe room."--Leah Greenblatt [Full review]
Total Film -- 3/5
"This humour, and the repeated allusions to the first film (including a couple of particularly satisfying reversals) suggest a film that's intended to be whooped along to at midnight screenings, and the cracking final sequence ensures audiences will leave on a high. But given all that has been sacrificed to give this franchise a shot of redemption, the end result does feel flimsy and throwaway. The biggest disappointment in this belated sequel is how little new it does, feeling more like an homage than a narrative leap forward. There's enough ambiguity in the ending to suggest further sequels could be on the way here, but on this evidence there's not a lot left to be wrung from this well-worn franchise."--Matt Maytum [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter -- no score
"Green has a good bit of fun with inside jokes and boundary-pushing kills (should we be laughing while that character we like is begging for her life?), and offers more than a couple of gleaming kitchen knives, before he starts pushing the action away from Haddonfield's civilians and toward the woman who's been planning for it. [This] kind of gig [was] hitherto reserved for J.J. Abrams and few others, it's one Green fairly leaps into, delivering both fan service and honest-to-god moviemaking of the sort rarely seen in horror spinoffs."-- John DeFore [Full review]
Screencrush -- 7/10
"Green serves up everything we love about the first Halloween, completely playing off our nostalgia for the slasher classic, and to me, that's not necessarily a bad thing. He doesn't try to mimic what Carpenter did with that movie--after all, no filmmaker can recreate the magic and brilliance of the first Halloween--but affectionately pays tribute to it with buckets of grisly violence, prickly tension, and snarky humor. Not all of it works--a lot of the scares are predictable, and there's one very idiotic third act twist the film could do without--but the suspenseful finale leaves you on a high."--E. Oliver Whitney [Full review]
Slant -- 1 .5/4
"For all of the film's attempts to get back to the sinisterly sidling Michael of the first Halloween, his stealth movements no longer terrify because his fixations are less unthinkingly instinctual, more compulsively mortal. It doesn't help that Green has no evident flair for horror. The latest entry in the Halloween series was probably always a fool's errand, yet its myriad failures are still shocking given the talent involved."--Keith Uhlich [Full review]
Nerdist -- 4/5
"Forty years after the original film's release, Green, McBride, co-writer Jeff Fradley, and most importantly, star and big beating heart of the franchise Jamie Lee Curtis, made a film that's a profoundly feminist re-examination of its psychology of trauma through its iconography. It's also a rip-roaring slasher flick that's hands down the best Halloween sequel ever. It's everything in a Halloween film that inspires us to return, again and again, but the reversal, reimagining and reinterpretation of these elements is what truly thrills in this new iteration."--Katie Walsh [Full review]
Indiewire -- B-
"There's no getting around some of the messy staging and clunky dialogue that keeps Halloween from reaching greater heights for the bulk of its running time. But Carpenter's own Halloween was itself a bumpy ride, made on the cheap and carried along by the director's firm grasp on his potent themes. The new one works overtime to keep them intact, while communing with the first instalment in every possible way--from that famously creepy synth score to the blocky orange credits that bookend the story. In an intriguing twist, Green has revisited this familiar turf less to exhume an old nightmare than to chart a path toward waking up from it."--Eric Kohn [Full review]
It seems Sony loves nothing more than springing a surprise sale on PS4 owners. Right now, in addition to the regular weekly PlayStation Store sale, you can save up to 50% on a mountain of mostly spooky games to play during the lead-up to Halloween and beyond. As usual, PS Plus members get an extra discount on top of these deals. It's the Sale of the Dead, and it runs between now and November 2. Let's take a look at what deals are available.
If bang for your buck is what you're after, you can pick up BioShock: The Collection for $26. These creepy games tell some of the best and most out-there stories you'll find in any shooter on the market. And if you'd like to spend time trying to avoid death-by-xenoomorph, grab Alien: Isolation for $15.
With Devil May Cry 5 scheduled for March 2019, now is a great time to catch up on the series. You can pick up the first three games in Devil May Cry HD Collection for $18 and finish it off with Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition for $10.
Some early PS4 games are on sale for deep discounts right now, including The Order: 1886 for $5 and Until Dawn for $6. Both are cinematic horror stories. Speaking of, What Remains of Edith Finch ($20) is basically a playable collection of short stories that all revolve around death. One of them even takes place on Halloween.
What connection, exactly, Street Fighter has to horror is unclear; nevertheless, you can pick up Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition on sale for $28. Hitman: Game of the Year Edition might not seem like it has a Halloween connection, but in fact it does: you can grab the Halloween Pack for free right now. The full game is also discounted to $30 right now.
We have more selections below, or you can head to the PlayStation Store to see the full list of sale items.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds matches on PC are about to get even crazier starting today, with the kickoff of the game's 50v50 game mode event. Dubbed Platoon Mode, it sees the usual crop of 100 players, usually set against each other to see who can be the last player or the last squad standing, into a huge gunfight. (Update: Whoops, it seems Platoon Mode has been decimated by a "critical error" and PUBG Corporation has canceled the event, but said in a tweet that the mode will return.)
Players are divided into five 10-player squads to make up each platoon--and one can only assume that the in-game voice channel completely unusable at that point. Battle royale competitor Fortnite has a similar mode that pops up periodically as a timed event.
Platoon Mode kicks off today, October 18, at 7 PM PT / 10 PM ET (and 3 AM BST on October 19) for the PC version of the game. Platoon Mode also supports both third-person perspective and first-person perspective games.
You might be fighting with an army at your back in Platoon Mode, but that's the only big change to your normal PUBG match. The usual objectives of looting buildings, finding better gear, avoiding the closing circle, dodging explosive red zones, and killing other players (or spending the whole match hiding in a bathroom) still apply. All that's different is the size and scope of the teams in the match.
You'll know the other players in your platoon in-game by the blue circle that appears over their heads. While having 50 players on a team might sound like chaos, friendly fire is disabled, so players won't have to worry about accidentally shooting other friendly squads.
This isn't the first time PUBG made an attempt at a take on the 50v50 mode. It briefly ran the mode back in May, when it was dubbed "Desert Knights," but server issues and crashes led to the mode's discontinuation within 24 hours.
Players pulled into PUBG to check out the 50v50 mode will have a surprise waiting for them if they haven't played the game in a bit, also. Developer PUBG Corporation is offering players a free in-game item, plus 20,000 Battlegrounds Points, its in-game currency, as an apology for some recent matchmaking and server issues. Players have until 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET on October 23 / 1 AM BST on October 24 to claim their items.
The release of Red Dead Redemption 2 is fast approaching, and you can be prepared to venture into the Old West by having it loaded and ready to go for launch. Alongside a new launch trailer, Rockstar has announced that pre-loading will begin on Friday, October 19 at 12 AM ET / 5 AM BST, or 9 PM PT on Thursday. [Update: Pre-loading is now live.]
In the tweet announcing the pre-load timing, the studio also gave word that the launch trailer will debut on Thursday at 10 AM ET / 7 AM PT. That should be our last long look at the game before its launch next Friday, October 26. Rockstar is giving plenty of time for the pre-load, which makes sense given that RDR2's install size is huge, as the company has now officially confirmed.
Pre-loading also means you pre-ordered, which will net you a cash bonus for the story mode, and some bonus GTA$ for GTA 5's Grand Theft Auto Online. Those who pre-ordered by July 31 will also get a treasure map for a head-start on making their fortune on the frontier. The physical editions come with a wide variety of bonuses, including physical items in the Special and Ultimate editions. A separate Collector's Box, which doesn't include the game, comes with a bunch of tchotchkes like a pin set, bandana, playing cards, and tithing box with lock and key. You can read more details in our pre-order guide.
The Red Dead Redemption 2 Launch Trailer Debuting tomorrow, Thursday October 18 at 10AM ET Pre-order now on digital and begin pre-loading this Friday at 12AM ET: https://t.co/dvyUu5JJSOpic.twitter.com/76FjGrLwUr
It appears Rockstar has crafted a massive open world to explore, with no shortage of activities and detail. You can fish and hunt, your clothes will degrade, and dialogue will shift based on your personal hygiene. Rockstar co-founder Dan Houser estimates it has 500,000 lines of dialogue.
All that ambition appears to have come at a cost, though, as Houser also stated that the studio has had 100-hour work weeks to deliver on the promise. He later clarified that he was referring only to a few senior members of the team having intensive writing sessions, and that the studio doesn't expect such long hours from its team as a whole.
Another week of challenges has arrived in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Week 4 consists of the standard mix, as there are three challenges for all players and additional four reserved for Battle Pass owners. It's in the Battle Pass-only challenges that you'll find the more complex ones this week that you may need a map for. These include scoring three or more at shooting galleries and dancing at the clock tower, among other locations.
Meanwhile, Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 rolls on, and new challenges continue to roll out on all platforms--PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android. Those feed into the latest Battle Pass, and as with previous seasons, you level that up by playing the game and completing challenges. Every week there will be a new set of tasks for players to complete that unlock Battle Stars and level up the Battle Pass to unlock goodies.
Like in Season 5, weekly challenges are split into two categories. The first is a free set, which are available to all Fortnite players, while the second is for Battle Pass owners. To get a Battle Pass you'll need to cough up 950 V-Bucks in game. If you haven't bought the Battle Pass, you'll be able to complete certain objectives and earn some rewards, but some of the coolest unlocks are locked behind the paid Battle Pass, so if you plan on sinking lots of time into Fortnite, we recommend picking that up.
Although you can pick up a Battle Pass later and go back to unlock any premium rewards you've earned based on the tier that you've already reached, there is one major advantage in doing it at the start of the season. Namely that you'll get bonus XP, which is dished out for just playing the game either alone or with buddies. This XP levels you up and translates to Battle Stars that also level up your pass, so it may be a good idea to get in early if you can.
Alongside the standard challenges, there are also Hunting Party challenges for those who buy the Battle Pass. These operate similarly to the Blockbuster and Road Trip objectives of past seasons, where each one tasks you with completing all challenges from a single week during the season. The reward for each is a loading screen that reveals the location of a hidden Battle Pass tier you can then obtain. Additionally, by completing seven of these, you'll earn a Legendary skin that will remain a mystery for now.
Each week we'll have guides on the trickiest challenges to make things quicker and easier for you. However, this article will serve as a hub for all our guides so, as the season goes on, you'll be able to keep coming back here to get the latest guides as well as ones for previous weeks. This will be especially helpful if you decided to pick up a Battle Pass part of the way into the season. If you're wondering if it's worth the effort, you can take a look at all of Fortnite Season 6's new skins, cosmetics, emotes, sprays, and other items to unlock in this gallery of Fortnite Season 6 Battle Pass rewards.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Season 6 Challenges
Week 1
Free
Pickup a Legendary Item in different matches (3) -- 5 Battle Stars
Regain health from a Cozy Campfire (15) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Seach Chests (3) -- 3 Battle Stars
Battle Pass
Apply Shields (500) -- 5 Battle Stars
Stage 1: Land at Junk Junction (1) -- 1 Battle Star
Dance under different Streetlight Spotlights (7) -- 10 Battle Stars
Eliminate opponents in different Named Locations (5) -- 10 Battle Stars
Reward: 5K XP (after completing four challenges, only for Battle Pass owners)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has brought back its in-game shop, the Black Market. It's launching first on PlayStation 4 on October 19, then following on PC and Xbox One on October 26. It will serve as the central hub for cosmetics and customization throughout Black Ops 4's Multiplayer and Blackout modes.
The Contraband stream is a free progression path for all players to earn new cosmetic gear. It will be swapped out with seasonal Operations rotating roughly every two months. The first one, available today, is Operation First Strike. It offers new Blackout characters, signature weapons, outfits for your Specialists, and tags and gestures. You'll earn progress toward these cosmetic items by playing the game regularly.
Special limited-time events will also rotate in from time to time. The first, starting October 20 on PS4 and then PC and Xbox One on October 27, is a limited time Halloween event with special spooky gear.
Finally, the Black Market store front will update with the Blackjack's Shop in November. That will house premium real-money purchases with limited availability. It will rotate on a weekly basis.
It's a weird time to be Negan on The Walking Dead. Don't believe that? Just asked Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays the character. After being taken down once and for all by Rick Grimes in the Season 8 finale, the man who used to wield his trusty bat Lucille is now locked in a cage with no freedom in sight.
"I think what's been interesting this year for me is that we're seeing Negan vulnerable," Morgan told GameSpot and a small group of other outlets during a visit to The Walking Dead's set in Atlanta. "I think that Negan's been locked up for a spell. I don't think anybody interacts with him, except for possibly Rick."
Being isolated from everyone can't be easy for Negan, a guy known for going on long rants to anyone and everyone within earshot. After all, he built up an entire community around himself full of people who looked to him for leadership. Now he's just a man in a box who sporadically gets to speak with Rick, the man he considered an enemy.
"I think Negan probably lives for that," Morgan admitted. "I think that's all he thinks about, 'Please, Rick, come down here.' So, I think that's when he gets a little bit of bravado."
Still, even with those few visits, imprisonment is getting to Negan. "I think he's going insane, is truthfully what I think is going on," the actor revealed. "I think that the four walls have closed in on him, so he's battling trying to keep some sense of sanity. It's not going well."
Of course, that doesn't mean you won't still get long Negan monologues. While the character's appearance in the second episode was brief, there's plenty more to come with the character. Chances are, though, he won't be quite the showman he once was.
"He's used to performing in front of a lot of people and putting on a show," Morgan said. "I think [being] unable to do that has killed a part of him that is very important to his psyche. I think that he's going through a lot of s*** right now. I don't think he's eating well. I don't think he's getting to talk to people. These are things that are important to Negan."
Everyone likes saving money, and if you're a Nintendo Switch owner, you can get some appealing deals on the Eshop right at this very moment. But because the Eshop doesn't do scheduled weekly sales like many other digital game sellers, the prices here go back up on different dates depending on the game. So if you see something you want, grab it. With that in mind, let's see what Switch games we can save money on for the next few days.
Now that the NBA season has begun, you might have basketball on the brain. If so, you can channel that sporting passion into NBA 2K19, which is on sale for $40. That's a great deal, considering the game just came out last month and normally sells for $60. If you want to add a bunch of digital extras (you can see what's included here), you can pick up the 20th Anniversary Edition of the game for $80, down from $100.
Also on sale this week are Mega Man X Legacy Collection, which comes with games 1-4, and Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2, which finishes off the series with games 5-8. They're on sale for $15 each, which is $5 less than you'll have to pay when they go back up to full price on October 24.
If you're in the mood for a spooky game to get ready for Halloween, you have several choices on sale right now. Layers of Fear: Legacy is on sale for $14. It's an adventure game about a painter who's slowly going mad. Darkest Dungeon, on sale for $19, also deals with the loss of sanity, but packages it in a roguelike RPG. And if creepy puzzle games are more your thing, you can grab The Room for $9.
You can find more of our picks below, or check out the full selection of Switch, 3DS, and Wii U games on sale right now here.
After initially being limited to the invite-only EX Raids, the Legendary Psychic Pokemon Mewtwo made its debut in standard Raid Battles last month, giving many Pokemon Go players their first opportunity to capture one. If you haven't yet done so, your time is running out, as Mewtwo is set to leave Raids very soon.
The Legendary Psychic Pokemon is scheduled to depart from the game at 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET on October 23, so you have until then to encounter one at Gyms. As is the case with all other Raid Bosses, you'll first need to team up with other players in-person and battle it. If you manage to defeat the Legendary, you'll earn a handful of Premier Balls and the chance to capture it.
Mewtwo remains one of the most popular--and powerful--Legendary Pokemon in the entire series, making it a formidable challenge. On top of that, one of the possible Charged Attacks it can know is Focus Blast, which is super-effective against many Pokemon that would typically have an advantage over it. Your best bet is to challenge Mewtwo using Bug, Dark, and Ghost Pokemon such as Scizor, Tyranitar, and Gengar.
A lot has been happening in Pokemon Go as of late. Earlier this week, Niantic rolled out the first wave of Gen 4 Pokemon, including the Sinnoh starters Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup. There are also a handful of region-exclusive Gen 4 monsters, which have only been appearing in certain parts of the world. No Gen 4 Legendaries have debuted in Pokemon Go just yet, but one--Giratina--was teased at the end of the game's latest trailer, suggesting it could be on its way fairly soon.
Meanwhile, Pokemon Go's next Community Day event takes place this Sunday, October 21. During it, players will have a much easier time of finding Beldum and hatching Pokemon. If you manage to evolve one into a Metagross, it will also learn the powerful new attack Meteor Mash. You can read everything you need to know about October's Community Day here.
The women's evolution in WWE has been making strides the past year, and finally, the company's female superstars will get their own PPV, aptly named Evolution. The show will showcase current talent from the women's roster at the company while bringing back some iconic stars from the past.
Evolution comes to the WWE Network on Sunday, October 28 at 4 PM PT / 7 PM ET / 11 PM GMT. At this time, we're unsure if a Kickoff Show will open up the show an hour prior. WWE's Evolution will be held at NYCB Live in Uniondale, New York. If you're in the area, tickets are still available for the upcoming event. If you want to check out the event for yourself, you can subscribe to WWE's streaming service for $10 a month, or sign up for a free month and cancel at any time with no obligation.
Thus far, everything on the card is straight fire. The glorious pirate Kairi Sane and her amazing elbow drop continues her rivalry with the Queen of Spades, Shayna Baszler, for the NXT Championship. Also, Charlotte gets a rematch for the Smackdown Women's Championship against the super-arrogant--and super-wonderful--Becky Lynch in a Last Woman Standing match, and the buildup to that match has been phenomenal over the past few weeks.
As of this writing, there are only five matches on the card. There is a week left to go before the show, but we'll keep you updated as more matches are announced.
Evolution Match Card:
16-Woman Battle Royal
Kairi Sane (c) vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Championship)
Trish Stratus & Lita vs. Alexa Bliss & Mickie James
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (Last Woman Standing Match for the Smackdown Championship)
Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Nikki Bella (Raw Championship)
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday, October 28 for live coverage of the event.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is off to a rousing start, and players who have jumped in already can get a leg up this weekend. Treyarch announced another patch, and alongside it comes the first Double XP weekend. Not to be outdone, the Zombies mode features Double Nebulium Plasma as well.
This comes alongside a substantial update to the game, with several fixes and improvements across each of its three modes. The studio specifically noted that it will include stability fixes for the Zombies mode. This comes shortly after another stability patch, so Treyarch isn't resting on its laurels. The 2XP and Plasma is the headliner though, giving early adopters a chance to speed ahead and make some major progress quickly.
Black Ops 4 is the first game in the series to drop the bombastic single-player story campaign, instead focusing its efforts on three separate multiplayer modes: traditional competitive multiplayer, the popular Zombies mode, and the new battle royale Blackout. It does carry some story that ties into the Black Ops fiction, in the form of single-player missions following each of the multiplayer mode's specialists.
That change doesn't seem to have cooled its reception. The early sales are promising for Activision, and the critical reception has been generally positive. In GameSpot's Black Ops 4 review, critic Kallie Plagge said the absence didn't impact her enjoyment.
"Black Ops 4 isn't short on content, and its three main modes are substantial," she said. "Multiplayer introduces more tactical mechanics without forcing you into them, and it largely strikes a good balance. Zombies has multiple deep, secret-filled maps to explore, though its returning characters don't hold up and prove distracting. Finally, Blackout pushes Call of Duty in an entirely new direction, making use of aspects from both multiplayer and Zombies for a take on the battle royale genre that stands on its own. Sure, there isn't a traditional single-player campaign, but with the depth and breadth of what is there, Black Ops 4 doesn't need it."
Nintendo Switch's upcoming Pokemon games, Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee, may be geared toward newer and younger players, but that doesn't mean they'll be entirely devoid of challenge, especially once you've become the Pokemon League Champion. The Pokemon Company revealed new details about the games' Master Trainers, tough opponents who'll only appear around Kanto after you've conquered the Elite Four.
Each Master Trainer specializes in one particular Pokemon, and The Pokemon Company says there will be one Master Trainer for every monster from the Kanto region. You'll be able to easily tell them apart from other trainers on the overworld by their different clothing, and each will have a speech bubble above their heads indicating which Pokemon they use.
Most of the Master Trainers will challenge you to a battle, although some will instead have a request, such as showing them a powerful Pokemon. What makes these trainers particularly challenging is that you'll only be able to compete against them using the Pokemon they specialize in; for instance, you can only battle the Charizard Master Trainer using your own Charizard.
Further ramping up the challenge, their Pokemon will also know unexpected moves that give them an advantage over you; in the reveal trailer, you can see a Master Trainer's Gyarados using Thunderbolt. You also won't be able to use any items or switch Pokemon during these battles.
If you defeat a Master Trainer, you'll earn their title, which you can display in-game to other players when challenging them to Link Battles. You can get a closer look at the Master Trainers in the new trailer above. Make sure to watch to the end, as the video is capped off with a humorous nod to the greatest battle ever depicted in the Pokemon anime series.
To celebrate Halloween, the team at IO has flung open the doors of Hitman by offering a whole stage playable for free for a limited time. Plus since Agent 47 is known for dressing the part, he can take on the missions disguised as a spooky scarecrow.
According to the announcement, the Halloween Pack offers the Colorado location for free for anyone to download. You can access the Freedom Fighters mission, all of the Escalation and Featured Contracts, and make your own Contracts. Plus IO has made ten new Featured Contracts with a Halloween bent--telling spooky stories, causing wanton destruction, or dressing up in disguises.
Speaking of disguises, the pack also includes the very fashionable scarecrow outfit for 47. The whole pack is only available for a limited time, but IO didn't detail when it will expire. Your game progress will transfer to the full game if you purchase it.
This appears mostly aimed at giving users a taste for Hitman's brand of clockwork assassination-puzzles in time for Hitman 2. The sequel, which eschews the episodic model of the first, is due out on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 13. IO recently announced that actor Sean Bean will play its first Elusive Target in a limited-time mission available starting November 20.
Week 3's challenges are now available in Fortnite, giving players across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices another opportunity to earn Battle Stars and unlock some more Season 6 rewards. As usual, if you manage to complete all of the challenges from a given week, you'll in turn complete a Hunting Party challenge, which will reward you with a special loading screen pointing to the location of a free item hidden somewhere around the map.
Typically, the item in question is a free Battle Star, which levels your Battle Pass up by one tier when collected. However, toward the end of Season 5, Epic began offering free battle banners--items that players can use as their profile icon--as a reward as well. It seems this season, Epic will alternate between the two; Week 2's Hunting Party challenge led to a battle banner, but this week, players will once again be able to collect another free Battle Star--provided you're able to complete all of the requisite steps.
If you've kept up with all of the challenges thus far, including Week 3's, you'll unlock the loading screen pictured below. This one shows off a character dressed in the new Red Riding Hood-inspired Fable Outfit shooting at werewolves outside of a log cabin. Look at the screen closely enough, however, and you'll be able to spot the silhouette of a Battle Star etched on the cabin's chimney.
The cabin depicted in the loading screen is located in a northeastern clearing in Wailing Woods. The easiest way to collect the Battle Star is to glide to the area at the beginning of a match, find the cabin, and the item will appear on the chimney as teased. Collect it to level your Battle Pass up and come one step closer to unlocking the new Season 6 rewards.
If you need more help finding the Battle Star, you can see its exact location on the map below. You can also watch the video at the top of this story to see where you need to go to collect your reward. As previously mentioned, you'll first need to complete enough challenges and unlock the aforementioned loading screen to be able to grab this Battle Star; it won't appear on the map unless you've hit all of the requirements.
The latest batch of weekly challenges features some fairly straightforward objectives, such as eliminating opponents in different matches and hitting a player with a tomato. It also brings back timed trials, a type of challenge introduced in Season 5; here's where you can find the timed trials and how to complete the challenge. Epic also released a set of Skull Trooper challenges to all players, which will unlock a cool Ghost Portal Back Bling when completed.
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