Anthem is very different from anything BioWare has made before. It abandons the company's choice-driven, single-player RPG formula in favor of a multiplayer focused game. If you've played some of BioWare's recent titles, like Mass Effect: Andromeda, you'll probably recognize the action-heavy third-person shooter mechanics.
However, setting up combos in Anthem is very different from how you would in past BioWare games. This doesn't mean combos are any less important, though. In fact, they're probably an even more essential part of Anthem's combat than previous BioWare titles. However, the game doesn't do a very good job of explaining how its combo system works.
With that in mind, and the game now being available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC, we've put together a guide on how combos work. For a more detailed impression of Anthem and how each of its systems work in tandem with each other, check out our review.
How Combos Work
Priming and detonating combos isn't necessary for beating Anthem on the easier modes, but understanding how to do so can really help when your squad is ready to tackle the game's Grandmaster difficulties. Each Javelin also creates a different special effect when executing a combo, so know who's piloting what to bring the most pain during Freeplay or Stronghold missions.
To combo in Anthem, you'll first need to know which of a Javelin's unique abilities act as a primer and which are a detonator. Primers set an enemy up for a combo. A detonator, meanwhile, will execute a combo. There are also standard abilities in the game, which neither prime nor detonate, and the Storm's Ultimate attack--Elemental Storm--is both a primer and detonator. In-game, primers are marked in the Forge customization window with a circle icon, and detonators are identified by a four-pronged star. If you don't see either symbol, then the ability is neither a primer or a detonator and just does damage.
Both primers and detonators can be used alone and still cause enemy damage, much like a standard weapon. However, you'll want to execute combos as often as you can to do the most damage in the shortest amount of time. Some enemies tend to be bullet sponges and take a while to kill with firearms alone, so detonating a primer on them is a much easier way of dealing with them.
Detonating an enemy won't remove a primer's effect either, so you don't have to worry about neutralizing status effects by pulling off a combo. If you freeze a group of enemies with a Ranger's Frost Grenade, detonating the combo with a Colossus' Lightning Coil won't unfreeze them. You will have to prime the enemies again for another detonation, but the ice status effect remains until it naturally fades away or its melted via a fire-based attack.
Javelin Combo Effects
Because each Javelin creates its own unique special effect when it detonates an enemy, in combat, you should know when to combo and when to let a teammate take the lead. Each Javelin and their corresponding combo effect are outlined below.
Ranger -- Critical Target Damage: Detonating an enemy causes more damage than any other Javelin's detonation
Colossus -- Explosion: Detonating an enemy causes an explosion which damages all nearby enemies
Storm -- Spread: Detonating an enemy causes an explosion which spreads the enemy's elemental status effect to nearby foes
Interceptor -- Aura: Detonating an enemy causes its elemental status effect to imbued into your Javelin, which can then be spread to nearby targets through proximity
Each Javelin's Role When Setting Up A Combo
Ideally, you'd have Ranger handle all of the detonations when fighting a boss, as its combo effect allows it to do the most damage on a single target. Colossus, Storm, and Interceptor, on the other hand, are great for handling mobs of enemies bunched up together.
That's not to say these roles can't be reversed, though. Ranger's Ultimate, the Multi-Target Missile Battery, hits a bunch of enemies and is a detonator. If you prime a mob, you can do huge amounts of combo damage with this attack. Conversely, Storm and Interceptor's combo effects are ideal in situations where a boss is joined by enemy mobs. Also, Colossus' Ultimate, Siege Cannon, launches three detonators, which can do a lot of damage if your teammates can quickly prime a boss between each shot.
Each Javelin's melee attack needs to be taken into consideration as well. The Ranger's Shock Mace is a primer, while the Colossus' Heavy Smash, Storm's Fiery Strike, and Interceptor's Bladed Daggers are all detonators.
Going Solo Vs. Being A Part Of A Team
In Anthem, it's good practice to have at least two loadouts for each Javelin, one for solo play and another for when you're with others. Because when by yourself, you want a Javelin that can both easily prime and detonate so you're not scrambling against high-powered foes. For example, it's not the best strategy to play by yourself with a Ranger armed with Inferno Grenade and Venom Darts--both of which are primers--as then you'll only be able to detonate a combo with the Javelin's Ultimate. It's a great loadout, however, when playing with another player who's armed with a powerful detonator.
By yourself, one of the best Ranger loadouts is Frost Grenade and Seeking Missile if you prefer fighting from long range. This loadout will allow you to keep enemies in place and detonate them from afar. For close range, consider Inferno Grenade and Pulse Blast. Colossus has a devastating solo build with Lightning Coil and Flamethrower, and it'll put you right in the enemy's face where the Javelin can do the most damage. Interceptor, who also excels at close-range, has two solid solo loadouts: Cyro Glaive and Tempest Strike for those who prefer to shoot firearms or Venom Spray and Spark Dash if you enjoy using melee attacks and a hit-and-run playstyle. You've got a ton of choices for solo builds with Storm, since most of its primers and detonators are really good and can be mixed and matched.
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reportedly plans to host a public workshop on loot boxes, but declined to comment on whether it is conducting any formal investigation.
Variety reports that a letter from FTC chairman Joseph Simons to Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) revealed the workshop, in response to a letter Hassan had written expressing her concern about the practice. Simons noted that he cannot reveal any legal action underway that isn't already public, but stressed that the FTC has other tools available.
"For example, we are currently planning a public workshop on loot boxes for later this year as one non-law enforcement option," he wrote. "A workshop could provide a forum for stakeholders representing wide-ranging perspectives, including consumer advocacy organizations, parent groups, and industry members. It also could help elicit information to guide subsequent consumer outreach, which could include a consumer alert."
In a statement, Hassan praised the workshop as "a step in the right direction," but emphasized that the FTC should keep working with various stakeholders "to ensure that meaningful improveements are made to increase transparency and consumer protections."
Last year, Hassan also wrote a letter to the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB) asking it to look into the practice of marketing loot boxes to children, and to formalize best practices for microtransactions. Shortly after, and amid mounting pressure from other advocacy groups, the ESRB announced it would label games with in-game purchases.
This workshop could be a sign that the controversy over loot boxes and microtransactions is far from over. 2018 marked a big shift in how the industry treated loot boxes. Following the launch of Star Wars Battlefront 2, concerns were raised regarding loot boxes resemblance to gambling, especially in games targeted towards minors. Some in the industry are pressing for change, though many feel it should come from self-regulation.
Fallout 76 has now been out for 100 days, and Bethesda has a surprise in store for those still playing. The studio has unveiled the 2019 roadmap for Fallout 76, which includes three large content drops scheduled throughout the year. The full roadmap can be found on Fallout 76's website, but we've outlined the highlights below.
On March 12, Fallout is getting its Wild Appalachia expansion, which includes two new quests and a game mode. The quests, Shear Terror and Ever Upwards, feature new stories for you to pursue; the former focuses on mythical monsters while the latter has you join the Pioneer Scouts and earn merit badges. The new game mode, called Survival, is a high-stakes PvP variation of Fallout 76's Adventure mode. Wild Appalachia includes several new features as well, including a means of exchanging your unwanted legendary gear for new legendaries, setting up your own store where you can sell to other players, and brewing and distilling your own recipes of Nukashine.
In Summer 2019, Nuclear Winter comes to Fallout 76, and it brings another new game mode and features to the game. The new mode, also called Nuclear Winter, hasn't been detailed yet, but Bethesda has said it will "completely" change the rules of the Wasteland. A new prestige system will allow all level 50 players to pursue a new Legendary status and unlock more powerful abilities as well. Vaults 96 and 94 will also open, bringing challenging Raids to Fallout 76.
This fall, Fallout 76 gets it final content drop for the year, titled Wastelanders, which Bethesda describes as "a tale with true choice and consequences" that includes "a new main questline, new factions, new events, new features, and even more surprises."
In our Fallout 76 review, Edmond Tran wrote, "Bethesda has stated it intends to continue supporting the game for a long time, but at launch, Fallout 76 is a poor experience. There are echoes of the series' admirable qualities, but look past that facade, past the cute Vault Boy animations, past the familiar radio tracks, and you'll find no heart--just an inconsequential wasteland doomed to be nuked over and over again."
If you're a professional wrestling fan, the name Kevin Nash should be a familiar one. The WWE Hall of Famer has had a remarkable career, from holding the then-WWF Championship for nearly a year to being a founding member of WCW's New World Order. However, while he's been primarily a pro wrestler most of his adult life, Nash has also dabbled heavily in acting--primarily on the big screen with roles in movies like The Punisher, The Longest Yard, and both installments of Magic Mike.
Now, though, Nash is trying something a bit different. Living the Dream is a British comedy that aired on the UK's Sky One Network, which finds him playing a retired pro wrestler living in a trailer park under new management--an upper-crust British family in over their heads. Thankfully for those who want to view the show in the United States, the Britbox streaming service is coming to the rescue. The entire first season of the series will be available soon.
Ahead of the show's US release, Nash sat down to talk with GameSpot at the TCA press tour about everything from what appeals to him about British comedy to whether All Elite Wrestling can actually compete with WWE for dominance in the world of professional wrestling. Of course, we also couldn't help but ask about the time he played Super Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
GameSpot: What is it that kind of drew you to something like Living the Dream?
Kevin Nash: Well, when they pitched it to me, just the premise, like I could see humor in it... To me, if you're going to do a comedy, and they pitch the premise to you, and... without even seeing any of the script, you're saying, "Oh, that's going to be funny," where this was you could just see, you know... And then I didn't know who was attached to it or anything. And then I got there and met everybody, and it just one of things where just kind of everybody just kind of meshed.
Obviously, so much of your career is very action-oriented, between your time in the ring and stuff like The Punisher and bunch of heavier action roles. Is it more fun to you at this point to sort of get the comedy stuff coming your way?
I mean, the only thing that really bothered me about the show was that they pitched it to me, but I wasn't an ex-pro wrestler. We shot the first episode, and then they went, "Oh, by the way, episode three..." And I'm like, "You do know I just had my shoulder reconstructed." So, if you ever watch that scene back, in pro wrestling, you work everything right, so you punch right, everything you do it right-handed. So, that way there, if I say, "Punch block," you know that I'm going to throw right, and you block it. And I had to use my left. I'm a natural southpaw. I do everything left-handed, but work-wise, wrestling-wise, I had to do everything left-handed. And that was a long day. I mean, I was thinking to myself, "I've been out here a long time shooting this." I look my singlet off that night, and it had the farmer tan, and I was already dark.
But you know, it was fun. Like anything, as time goes on, by the time episode five comes, you're pretty much like family. You know, you eat every meal together. And there wasn't much downtime. But they were cool.
To me... Like, Longest Yard, they let me do comedy, and nobody wanted to play that part, and I said, "Gee, a comedic role in a comedy, that might be fun." Everybody else wanted to grunt and snort and be a badass. I'm like, "No, no, no, no, no. I've done that for 30 years. I want to show at least some kind of range." So, I said, any time that somebody hands me a script that I don't have an ax in my hand, I'm listening!
And British comedy--which this is--is very different from American comedy. How easy was it to acclimate to that?
I was such a fan of the British Office and was turned onto it early from a friend of mine and was given the DVDs, so I watched it... But also my step-father is Scottish, and they watched a lot of, you know, Benny Hill and my step-grandparents, they watch a lot of British comedy, you know? I think my era, growing up in the '70s, in high school, like Monty Python and all that, it's different, but it's British comedy, if you get it... Some people just don't get it.
I've also been over in that culture so much. I've probably wrestled in the UK 200 times. Especially when the economy was really bad, when I first broke in, like '90, '91, '92, '93. I mean, I've done an 18-day tour, come home, do three days of TV, and then go back and do a 15-day tour. Mostly in the UK, but we'd go to Austria and Germany and other places, but you know, it kind of kept us alive. And the UK, it translates very well, that industry. It's still, like now, the developmental, which is NXT for the WWE, they've got NXT UK, they've got a performance center now in the UK, they've got their own branding, basically.
You've been a part of some wrestling moments that tend the test of time, real game changers. The business, right now, is at an interesting place between WWE's women's revolution, the rise of the indy scene, and people like Cody and the Young Bucks launching All Elite Wrestling. With so many people striving to be at the forefront of the business, how important is it to be different?
Nash: You know, I think that the WWE is always going to be a flag-bearer. I think when we made the run with [Ted] Turner['s WCW] against Vince [McMahon], Vince, he was a private company. We just basically out-moneyed him. We kept buying his stars. WCW didn't make any stars. They just bought Vince's stars. And that's the whole thing now is the Bucks and guys like that, I think it's great, and people are like, "What do you think? It's just going to be another Monday Night War?" I'm like, "Dude, they've done one pay-per-view, you know? Vince is getting ready to go on Fox."
Which is insane.
Absolutely. I go back to TV, and it's six months since I've been at an event, and it looks like the Super Bowl. We used to have two production trucks. There's like 30 production trucks now. I mean, it is amazing just from a production standpoint. We had seven cameras. There's 17 or 19 cameras now, you know?
As somebody said, it's great if you've got good talent that can put on live performances, like the Bucks and Cody and Omega. I think having Jericho there that's been part of the Monday Night Wars, his career has kind of crossed those two paths, I think he'll be instrumental in kind of guiding that. But at the same time, it's just like it's one thing to have a good live event like they had in Chicago. It's another thing to have the money. I heard the father gave the son $100 million to start. We used to go through that in about seven months at Turner, you know? And just like that don't go too far. We'll just have to see.
I mean, New Japan, like Ring of Honor, when you see their shows, their television shows, they look like the old ECW from 1990. So, if it has that look, it won't be competition. The thing with Nitro was Nitro had a look that was comparable to, you know, production quality-wise was comparable to Vince's product. But if you're nowhere in the ballpark... And I sat there at WrestleMania last year. That thing was, I mean, it was longer than the Crusades. But I just sat there, and I just watched the production, the pageantry, the costuming. I mean, just every aspect of it. I was just like, this like Cirque du Soleil meets live theater meets ultimate fighting. There's such a hybrid, and there's nothing like it, and it's such Americana. Pro wrestling, there's nothing more American than pro wrestling. It's been on TV since the conception of television, and it's never been off. So, it ain't going nowhere.
I think it's great, because right now, I've heard that there's guys that are getting, you know, like Vince is locking in people for more money, for longer periods, because there's somebody that's got another checkbook. So, for me, I'm a [tax form] 1099, so anytime somebody's upping the ante for guys, I don't care how long.
The last thing I wanted to touch on was your first movie credit. Before Big Daddy Cool or a member of the New World Order, you were a comic book villain. You played the Super Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Do you have any fun memories from back then? I'm dying to know what wearing that costume was like.
The people that made the original Batman outfit made the Super Shredder outfit. So, that cape is latex, but it's double-lined latex. That cape weighed about 105 pounds, was bolted onto you. So, when you put that thing on... Like, they used to put me in everything except the helmet, take me to set, and I would sit in the back of a pickup truck gate, and they would take me to set, because there was no way I could walk that far. That thing was so heavy.
I don't remember if it was a rib or what, but the first scene I ever shot, they brought me in, only me, on Saturday, and all I did was took this hand, went through that wood, went like this, and made the first movement. They had me do that for six hours. I don't know if they did it, and it was just like, "This guy doesn't know. We'll just see how long he'll do it." And I'm like walking over, I'm looking at the takes, and I'm like they all look eerily similar! Maybe they just wanted to get some overtime, I don't know what it was, but it was at my cost. I mean, I look back, and like doing comic-cons and stuff like that... I sign a lot of Secret of the Ooze VHS boxes.
You were an action figure!
Before I had a wrestling action figure, I had a Super Shredder action figure. And people say to me, they'll say, "I bet you've never seen one of these before," and I say, "I have a box of them. I have seen those." Did I see any royalties? No.
Oh no!
No. They owned it. There's no likeness.
Living the Dream premieres on Britbox later this year.
BioWare has detailed current and upcoming changes for Anthem, its loot driven shooter. A post on the game's Reddit page opens by stating that the developer is able to make some fixes without the need for a patch, but notes that others will require players to download an update.
In the former category, BioWare has already addressed a number of issues that were reported by the community, including a bug that displayed and rewarded the incorrect amount of Coin for some activities, and another that was causing rain to fall more often than intended. There has also been tweaks to the kind of items that chests drop, as well as how the shield performs, among other things.
BioWare is also working on some other fixes which, as mentioned above, will require the player to download an update. These include an issue that would result in the final boss in the game's Heart of Rage stronghold not appearing, problems with HDR on PS4 and Xbox One, and game crashes. You can see the full list of live and upcoming changes below.
Live Changes
Coin changes for daily/weekly -- We have fixed an issue that displayed and rewarded the incorrect amount of Coin from various activities
Stronghold matchmaking -- We have extended the timer that allows for matchmaking in a stronghold. This should allow groups to fill easier when matchmaking
Non-stop rain -- We have fixed an issue that was causing it to rain in game more than intended
Fusion proc bonuses on weapons -- Weapons were incorrectly applying infusion proc/bonuses from being equipped when they should only have been applying bonuses from the weapon that was in the active slot
Chests found in missions changes -- Chests found in missions now have less of a chance to drop higher tiered items
Emotes not properly saving -- We have fixed the issue that was causing emotes not to save properly when bound
Shield fix -- We corrected an issue that was allowing players who still have shields active to be one shot by high damaging attacks
Upcoming Changes
The final boss in the Heart of Rage stronghold isn't appearing if the group wipes before engaging
HDR is currently disabled on consoles (Xbox One and PS4)
Some players are encountering issues that are causing them to crash
BioWare has detailed Anthem's day one patch, which is significant and covers everything from loading times and server disconnects to tweaks for Strongholds, challenges, gear, weapons, and more.
Anthem became available to play on Friday, February 15 for those with EA Access subscriptions on Xbox One or Origin Access membership on PC. Both versions offered a 10-hour trial, and Origin Access Premier granted unlimited access. The game's general release is today.
GameSpot's Anthem review awarded it 6/10. "Anthem has good ideas, but it struggles significantly with the execution," said Kallie Plagge. "It's a co-op game that works best with no one talking; it buries genuinely interesting character moments and puts its most incomprehensible story bits at the forefront; its combat is exciting until you get to the boss fights and find your wings have been clipped. Even the simple, exhilarating act of flying is frequently interrupted by the limitations of your javelin, and you never quite shake that feeling of disappointment--of knowing, throughout the good parts of Anthem, that you'll inevitably come crashing back down."
Nintendo has released a new update for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This patch, version 2.0.1, is a fairly minor one; it doesn't make any new balance adjustments to the game, but it does resolve an issue with one of its Challenges.
Specifically, the patch fixes a bug that arose following the recent 2.0.0 update, which prevented players from completing an Adventure Challenge featuring King K. Rool, even if the conditions had been met. Once the update has been installed, load your Adventure save data and the issue will be resolved.
The aforementioned 2.0.0 update made some big changes to the game, the most notable of which was the addition of Piranha Plant, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's first DLC character. Early adopters were able to receive the new fighter for free, but those who missed out on the offer have the option of purchasing it from the Eshop for $5.
The next DLC character coming to the game is Persona 5's Joker. During the latest Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed that he'll be joining the roster sometime before the end of April alongside Ultimate's 3.0.0 update. Joker is one of the five DLC characters included in the $25 Fighters Pass; the four others have yet to be revealed.
In addition to the 2.0.1 update, a new Spirit Board event is now live in Ultimate. This week's event is called Kong Family Reunion, and it features a variety of characters from the Donkey Kong series, including the Legend-class Spirit Kaptain K. Rool.
It's nearly the end of the Season of the Forge, which means Destiny 2 is gearing up for new content. It also means there are a few last season-ending events to partake in before everything resets on March 5, including the Iron Banner this week and a Triple Infamy Gambit event starting on February 26. There are also just two more visits before the end of the season from Xur, Emissary of the Nine, from whom you can buy Exotic weapons and armor.
You'll find Xur this week on Io, in the Giant's Scar region. From the transmat location, hop on your sparrow and head north. Follow the western edge of the area, where you'll find a cliff wall, and look for a cave cut within it. You'll find Xur within.
The gun Xur offers this week is Graviton Lance, which is great if you're spending some time in the final Iron Banner of the season. The pulse rifle does particularly high damage with its second shot, and kills with Graviton Lance create an explosion that spits off Void projectiles that hit other enemies. It's also a highly accurate gun that does a lot of damage, which makes it great for hitting people at range in the Crucible.
For Titans, Xur brings the Synthoceps gauntlets, which increase your melee lunge distance and give you additional melee and Super damage when you're surrounded. Hunters get the Orpheus Rig leg armor, which provides more shots for the Moebius Quiver version of the Shadowshot Super, and gives you back ability energy for every enemy you tether with it. Finally, Warlocks can pick up the Aeon Soul gauntlets, which gives allies class ability energy whenever you throw a grenade, with additional energy gains if those allies are also wearing Aeon Cult Exotic armor.
Also available from Xur is the Fated engram. This costs a whopping 97 Legendary shards but will decrypt into a Year One Exotic you don't already own (assuming you haven't collected them all). While pricey, it's a reliable way to fill out your Exotic collection. Additionally, Xur has the Five of Swords challenge card that lets you add modifiers to Nightfall Strikes.
March 5 marks the beginning of the sixth season of Destiny 2, the Season of the Drifter. It'll include another Exotic weapon quest--teasers suggest it's for the Destiny 1 hand cannon Thorn--and seems likely to push forward the Drifter's story. That's quickly becoming one of the more interesting plot lines going on in Destiny 2 right now; read our lore catch-up to see why.
Netflix's trippy, sci-fi series about putting consciousnesses into different bodies will be returning to the streaming service in the near future. Altered Carbon Season 2 is now in production.
In a recently released video, which you can see below, Netflix announced the cast for Season 2 and who they will be playing in the upcoming episodes. The short video gives nothing else away about Altered Carbon's next run.
After a few clicks on the keyboard, the Psychasec inventory is opened, revealing the cast. Anthony Mackie (Captain America: Civil War) will play Takeshi Kovacs--played by Joel Kinnamon in Season 1--Simone Missick (Luke Cage) will play Trepp, Dina Shihabi (Jack Ryan) will play Dig 301, Torben Liebrecht will play Colonel Ivan Carrera, James Saito (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) will play Tanaseda Hideki, Renée Elise Goldsberry returns as Quellcrist Falconer, and Chris Conner returns as Poe.
Everything in the video looks pretty normal, up until Poe's slide, where next to "Inventory" it reads "Error." In all the rest of the cast slides, that read "Unavailable." Additionally, instead of "Sleeve" and "Stack" above the actor and character's names, it reads "A.I" for both sections on Poe. This should give a few clues away considering where Season 1 left off.
In GameSpot's Season 1 review, Mike Rougeau said, "Altered Carbon never shies from examining exactly how an invention like the cortical stack would change our reality, and this future society appears far different from our own. Yet in many ways, it's really exactly the same--which is more or less the prime directive of great science fiction."
Season 2 of Altered Carbon is now in production with no set release date at this time.
Epic Games has announced the details of its Fortnite World Cup, including a whopping $100 million prize pool for the 2019 season. That chunk of money will be split among several prizes, with the largest single cash prize coming in at $3 million.
First, there will be 10 weekly Online Open qualifiers running from April 13 to June 16. Every week the company will distribute $1 million broadly among the top players. Then, the top 100 Solo players and top 50 Duos teams will take part in the World Cup Finals in New York City from July 26-28. That event will distribute $30 million. Each player will win at least $50,000 and the Solo World Champion will win $3 million. Plus, $1 million in weekly tournaments will continue through the end of the year.
Epic notes that to compete you need to be at least 13 years old, and players between 13-17 need a parent or guardian's permission. Players also need to be in good standing without any violations on their current or previous accounts.
Recently Fortnite has gotten a new challenger in the battle royale space with the release of Apex Legends, which quickly grew an audience. Epic Games pointed out that Fortnite is still doing fine for itself too, setting a new record for peak concurrent players.
Still, Fortnite appears to be shoring up its defenses against the new challenger. With Season 8 approaching, Epic announced that you can earn the Battle Pass for free by taking part in Overtime challenges. That was interpreted as a sign that the company is attempting to retain its users by giving them a reason to put their time into Fortnite. A major tournament with tons of cash on the line could also help entice players to stick around.
More than two years after the game launched, Pokemon Go will finally give players the option to change their teams. Niantic has announced a new item called the Team Medallion, which will go on sale in the in-game shop beginning February 26 and allow users to switch their allegiance to another team one time.
The Team Medallion will cost 1,000 PokeCoins, which makes it fairly pricey, as a bundle of 1,200 coins runs for $10 USD. There are a few caveats as to how it works as well. You can only purchase one Team Medallion every 365 days, so once you switch teams, you'll be locked into your choice for the next year.
Shortly after players first begin Pokemon Go, they're asked to join one of three teams: Mystic, Instinct, and Valor, which are represented by the Legendary birds Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, respectively. Up until now, however, your choice has been permanent, so if you've been itching to switch sides, this will be your first opportunity to do so.
The Team Medallion isn't the only new feature Niantic is introducing in Pokemon Go; the developer has also rolled out the recently announced Go Snapshot AR photo mode. This allows players to take photos of any Pokemon they have in storage and easily share them with friends and on social media.
This weekend is a busy one for Pokemon Go players. From February 22-25, Niantic is bringing back the Gen 3 Legendary Pokemon Latias for a special Raid Weekend. On top of that, a new Limited Research event is scheduled to take place this Saturday, February 23, and it'll give players their first chance to catch the never-before-available Water Pokemon Clamperl.
If you're looking for something new to play but aren't quite ready to plunk down some cash on a game, you'll have plenty of options to choose from this weekend. A number of titles are free to play for the next few days on PC and Xbox One, and PS4 and Xbox One owners will be able to try a special demo of Dead or Alive 6.
PC players have the most choices this weekend, as four titles are holding free weekends on Steam. These include the sandbox games Boundless and TerraTech, the mech strategy game BattleTech, and the 3v3 competitive game Aftercharge. You'll be able to sample all four of these at no charge until Sunday, February 24, and each is also on sale in case you'd like to pick them up after the free period ends.
On Xbox One, Xbox Live Gold members can try both Halo Wars: Definitive Edition and its sequel, Halo Wars 2, at no charge as part of Microsoft's ongoing Free Play Days promotion. The trial period likewise runs through February 24. You can download them either from Microsoft's website or the Gold member area on Xbox One, and both games are on sale for 50% off from the Microsoft Store.
Beyond that, Team Ninja is holding a beta for its upcoming fighting game Dead or Alive 6 from February 22-24. The demo will be available on both PS4 and Xbox One, but you'll need to have either a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold subscription to participate. You can read more details about the beta on the Dead or Alive 6 website.
Separate from the free weekends, Epic is giving away another title for free through its storefront, the Epic Games Store. From now until March 7, PC players can claim a digital copy of the point-and-click adventure game Thimbleweed Park at no charge.
Ahead of its upcoming open beta next month, Ubisoft is holding another private technical test for The Division 2. The test is now live for select players, but unlike the previous private beta, this one is only available on PC, and it will run from February 21-22.
According to Ubisoft, the purpose of this technical test is to "assess a certain amount of fixes [it has] implemented based on your feedback following the Private Beta." Only players who have received an invitation via email will be eligible to participate in this test.
If you're one of the players who've been selected, you'll be able to try out all of the content that was available in Ubisoft's previous Division 2 beta, with the exception of Conflict, Endgame, and Photo Mode. Participants also won't be able to invite friends to join during this test. You can read more details on The Division 2 website.
Even if you don't make it into this week's test, everyone will soon have a chance to sample the upcoming shooter. Ubisoft is hosting an open beta for The Division 2 next week, from March 1-4. That test will be available to all players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
After more than 15 years with the company, Nintendo of America president and COO Reggie Fils-Aime is retiring this April. Shortly after the news broke, the company shared a heartfelt farewell message from Fils-Aime himself on Twitter.
"I wanted to reach out directly to you, the Nintendo community, because there's one thing I really want to say: thank you," Fils-Aime said in the video below. "Thank you for your never-ending support, and for your passionate love of Nintendo. And personally, for giving me a Mushroom Kingdom full of incredible memories that I will never forget, ever.
"From the first time I saw the nickname 'Regginator,' I realized that Nintendo fans share a unique sense of community, a bond that goes beyond just a love of video games. For these past 15 years, I've been honored to be included as part of your family."
Fils-Aime also shared a few words about his successor, NOA senior VP of sales and marketing Doug Bowser, who'll be formally taking over his role on April 15. "Doug is a passionate and powerful leader, and a guy who in his youth probably spent too much time in front of a Donkey Kong arcade machine. Inside Nintendo, people already know him as a driving force, and you'll come to see that too."
Fils-Aime joined the company partway through the GameCube era and has been its face in North American territories ever since, delivering press conferences and appearing in Nintendo Direct broadcasts. He'll perhaps best be remembered, however, for the countless memes he's inspired, from the time he danced to promote Yo-Kai Watch to his unintentionally iconic catchphrase.
Following the news of Fils-Aime's retirement, many other industry figures, such as Microsoft's Phil Spencer, expressed their thanks and shared memories and anecdotes of the NOA president.
Valve has announced it's retiring the Video section from the Steam store. You'll keep any videos you've already purchased from Steam, though, so you don't have to worry about losing anything you've bought.
"In reviewing what Steam users actually watch, it became clear we should focus our effort on offering content that is either directly related to gaming or, is accessory content for games or software sold on Steam," Valve wrote in a blog post. "As part of this refocus, we have retired the Video section of the Steam Store menu with an expectation that video content is discovered via the associated game or software store page, or through search, user tags, recommendations, etc."
As part of the company's renewed focus on gaming, in the next few weeks, Valve will be retiring "a number of non-gaming videos" which "will no longer be available for purchase." As stated above, you'll still have access to these videos provided you've bought them already. Otherwise, they'll be gone from the Steam Store for good.
Steam's domination of the PC gaming marketplace has been challenged by the arrival of the Epic Games Store. Epic--creator of the popular battle royale game Fortnite--has managed to carve out a chunk of the PC gaming landscape by offering developers a larger cut of their profits in comparison to Steam. Already, Epic has managed to secure the exclusive distribution for the PC versions of several indie games, like Ashen and Journey, as well as some notable triple-A titles, such as Metro Exodus and The Division 2. Exodus, specifically, caused quite a bit of controversy, as its movement from Steam to Epic angered both Valve and fans of the Metro franchise.
Metro Exodus launched to several positive reviews, including ours--Michael Higham gave it an 8/10. If you prefer consoles, the game is also available on Xbox One and PS4.
Reggie Fils-Aime, the affable president of Nintendo of America, announced that he'll be retiring in April. The shadow of Fils-Aime looms large--in part because he is just very physically large--but mostly because he was well-known as an friendly figure and public face, not just for Nintendo but for the video games industry as a whole.
As a result, his retirement is bittersweet, and the industry is gathering to let him know he'll be missed. Several industry leaders have stepped forward to issue congratulations and thanks on Twitter, including his ostensible competitors like Phil Spencer from Microsoft.
"All the best to Reggie Fils-Aime on the next phase of his life and career," said Spencer. "Great leader, industry partner and friend."
Others have thanked him for his contributions, shared endearing anecdotes, or otherwise wished him well. As of April 15, the role of Nintendo of America president will go to current sales VP Doug Bowser, who definitely hasn't heard anyone else tell him your very creative "Bowser" joke yet. Fils-Aime has also released a heartwarming message of his own on Twitter.
Check below for a sampling of reactions from around the industry.
I'll miss seeing you at all of the industry events Reggie. Thanks for all you've done over the years. Congrats on the new gig @thetruebowserhttps://t.co/Rb1do2NAJ2
Here's a picture of Reggie playing Super Meat Boy on Wii. He said "I'm buying this with my own Wii points, I'm serious guys". Pretty sure he ended up with it on WiiU and Switch. Happy retirement my dude! @NintendoAmericapic.twitter.com/O3DaAc0WuY
Enjoy a well deserved rest, my friend. Thanks for everything you did for gaming. I am super jealous. Please sleep in and do as little as possible so I can live vicariously through your retirement. ❤️ https://t.co/vhXMVqGSas
Can't believe I'm writing this: Reggie Fils-Aime is retiring from Nintendo. One of our industry's finest leaders and a dear friend. He's always believed in me. Thank you Reggie.
One time I was backstage of an awards show about to present and Reggie looked at me and said, "You look uncomfortable." I was. I was uncomfortable. Have fun in retirement Reggie! May you never be uncomfortable. pic.twitter.com/tcXs7OP4Pk
Many of you know I am a huge fan of Nintendo (since a kid!). Over the last 15 years Reggie Fils-Aime has done a great job. I'm sad to see him retire, but also happy for him to spend more time with his family. Thank you for great entertainment. https://t.co/BJaHDdfSdx
Reggie Fils-Aime, the longtime president and COO of Nintendo of America, will retire this spring, he and the company announced in a joint statement on Thursday. Taking over his role will be the company's current senior vice president of sales and marketing, Doug Bowser, a man whose name requires a "yes, really" after every mention.
Fils-Aime has been in this role for more than a decade, having gotten the job in May 2006 following a three-year stint as the executive VP of sales and marketing. He has effectively served as the company's face in North American territories for much of his tenure as president; he's often seen in Nintendo Direct streams and was often the primary presenter back when the company did live E3 media briefings. Fils-Aime stood out both due to his Terminator-like stature and meme-friendly antics, like when he danced in an attempt to convince a western audience to take notice of Yo-Kai Watch.
"Nintendo owns a part of my heart forever," Fils-Aime said in a press release revealing his departure. "It's a part that is filled with gratitude--for the incredibly talented people I've worked with, for the opportunity to represent such a wonderful brand, and most of all, to feel like a member of the world's most positive and enduring gamer community. As I look forward to departing in both good health and good humor, this is not 'game over' for me, but instead 'leveling up' to more time with my wife, family and friends."
In addition to that message, Nintendo shared a video from Fils-Aime on Twitter in which he thanks fans for their support. "I wanted to reach out directly to you, the Nintendo community, because there's one thing I really want to say: thank you," Fils-Aime said. "Thank you for your never-ending support, and for your passionate love of Nintendo. And personally, for giving me a Mushroom Kingdom full of incredible memories that I will never forget, ever." In addition to this, there's also been an outpouring of well-wishes on Twitter from various members of the games industry.
"I really appreciate everything Reggie has done for Nintendo," said Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa. "Inside and outside our company, Reggie is known as an exceptional leader. We are grateful that he is leaving the business in good shape with strong momentum. While we will miss him and we wish him the very best in his retirement, we are also pleased to have such an able successor ready to step into that role. Doug Bowser and the rest of the team will ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum for Nintendo."
Fils-Aime will officially step down on April 15, at which point Bowser will assume the title of president of Nintendo of America. Prior to his current position at Nintendo, he worked for EA. When he was first hired at Nintendo, he tweeted an image offering his thanks but--with a nod toward his surname--Mario and Luigi plushes discreetly tied up in the background.
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) May 20, 2015
Bowser also had a comment to share in the press release regarding Fils-Aime's retirement. "It has been my great fortune to work with and be mentored by Reggie for four years at Nintendo of America," he said, before going on to menacingly promise, "And rest assured, we will continue to build on his work to evolve and expand our brand, furthering Nintendo's global mission of creating smiles. There are millions more of those to come."
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