E3 2019 is coming up quickly. The long-running event is set to be a different show this year, as an increasing number of companies try new approaches. In maybe the most significant change, Sony won't be attending the show, which means there's no press conference devoted to PlayStation or new PS4 games (though Death Stranding is getting some visibility before E3 begins). Even so, there's a lot to look forward to, as E3 is sure to still bring tons of game reveals and news.
But what's actually going to happen? The rumor mill has already begun, and things have started to leak (even if we've yet to get something on par with last year's Walmart Canada leak). Beyond that, publishers are largely keeping their lips sealed, but that doesn't mean we don't have some guesses. Below, you'll find our predictions for what we think we'll get to see, including some exciting game reveals and ports, along with the announcement of new hardware.
New From Software Game Revealed During Microsoft's Press Conference
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin recently announced that he's been consulting with a Japanese developer on an upcoming game for a while now. Rumors point to the developer in question being From Software, the studio known for Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. A recent Gematsu report cites a source--someone described as "familiar" with what's going on at From Software--who says the rumors are true and that the game will be announced at E3 2019 during Microsoft's press conference.
Even if neither From Software nor Martin have stepped forward to confirm the rumors, I'm inclined to believe they're true. From Software's Soulsborne games are dark fantasies that regularly kill off important characters and weave together convoluted, but well-written narratives, much like Martin's novels. It seems like a match made in heaven. Plus, From Software director Hidetaka Miyazaki has already confirmed the developer has two more games on the way.
According to Gematsu's report, From Software's new game will be open world, allow you to travel by horse, and features multiple kingdoms to explore. Killing the leaders of each kingdom allows you to unlock new, powerful abilities. You can read more about it in our E3 2019 rumor roundup. -- Jordan Ramée
Halo TV Series First Trailer And Details
After many false starts, the small-screen adaptation of Halo finally appears to be gathering momentum. After losing its director last year, we've seen steadily seen more signs of life over the last several months. In February, Showtime announced that Black Mirror director Otto Bathurst would serve as director and executive producer. In March it reportedly added a second showrunner. And most recently, in April, the show announced its star: Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief.
With development speeding up, the time is right for 343 to start giving more concrete details--and where better to do that than a stage show packed with Halo fans, and hundreds of thousands more watching at home? It's a golden opportunity we don't think Microsoft will allow to pass it by. A teaser trailer followed by a premiere date, possibly with 343 head Bonnie Hunt or transmedia director Kiki Wolfkill peppering in some intriguing details, would hit the spot. -- Steve Watts
Metroid Prime Trilogy Announced For Nintendo Switch
We may not yet know what Nintendo plans to showcase during its E3 2019 presentation, but one game we can safely say is still a long way off is Metroid Prime 4. Earlier this year, Nintendo made the shocking announcement that development on the game had effectively restarted, this time with original Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios at the helm, which means it'll likely be some time before the title is ready to be shown off, let alone released. But while the new Metroid Prime game may still be a few years away, that doesn't mean the series will be absent from E3 entirely, and what better way to ease the sting of Metroid Prime 4's delay than by unveiling a Nintendo Switch version of Metroid Prime Trilogy.
Rumors that the collection is getting ported to the hybrid console have been cropping up consistently over the past few months. Shortly after the news of Metroid Prime 4's delay, Game Informer editor Imran Khan claimed that a Switch port of Metroid Prime Trilogy was already complete, but Nintendo was sitting on it until the opportune moment. If that wasn't enough, listings for the game have popped up at various retailers, most recently in Best Buy's employee system last month. With Metroid Prime 4 still a way off, this would be a perfect opportunity to unveil Metroid Prime Trilogy for Switch. Not only would it tide Metroid fans over until there's more news to share about Metroid Prime 4, but it would also introduce a new generation of players to one of the greatest trilogies in gaming. -- Kevin Knezevic
Xbox Game Pass / xCloud Integration
Microsoft has made some bold moves with its Xbox Game Pass, most notably promising day-one releases for all first-party games and regularly securing day-one releases for indies on its platform. With the impending announcement of its xCloud streaming platform, it could make a big splash all over again, and in the process help define the future of gaming.
Google Stadia showed off some impressive-looking tech, but the lingering question was left: how will this be monetized? Microsoft xCloud, or whatever the company eventually calls it, will likely face similar questions. The company could get ahead of the speculation, and win over hearts and minds, by announcing integration between xCloud and Xbox Game Pass. A streaming platform naturally lends itself to an all-you-can-eat model a la Netflix, so consumers already understand the model. And with recent suggestions that Microsoft is eyeing other platforms for its streaming tech, this synergy would tee up Microsoft to be ubiquitous in video games, on all platforms. -- Steve Watts
Cyberpunk 2077 Gets A Release Date
CD Project Red has already confirmed that Cyberpunk 2077 will be at E3 2019, even if the game won't be playable during the event. The developer plans on showcasing new gameplay during the show, and releasing additional details about the upcoming RPG.
I think one of those details will be a launch date. It's about time CD Projekt Red provides some sort of timetable for the game they've been teasing since 2013, even if it's just confirmation for which year we can expect to see the game release. In August 2018, Cyberpunk 2077 producer Richard Borzymowski revealed the game is already playable from start to finish, so a release in 2019 or 2020 seems plausible. If the former, it makes even more sense that we'd get a release date during E3.
Of course, CD Projekt Red could easily decide to keep those details close to the chest for a little while longer. The developer is known for revealing new information slowly. If no release date gets announced, perhaps CD Projekt Red will at least take advantage of E3 to explain why it enlisted multiplayer-focused studio Digital Scapes. -- Jordan Ramée
Rocksteady's Next Game Revealed
Bucking the long-time stigma that licensed superhero games were doomed to fail, developerRocksteady Games made a name for themselves with the Batman Arkham series--which are arguably the greatest Batman games ever made. 2015'sBatman Arkham Knight was the concluding chapter to the series focusing on the Dark Knight's struggles to maintain control of Gotham City from The Joker and other supervillains. With a rather definite ending, there didn't seem much room to continue with just another sequel.
Aside from the release of Batman Arkham VR, we haven't seen another Batman game since the release of Arkham Knight. WB Montreal, who produced the often overlooked Batman Arkham Origins, has also kept quiet. According to Rocksteady co-founder and creative director Sefton Hill, the developers have been at work on their next title since 2016. With E3 2019 approaching, now seems like an opportune time to finally reveal the developer's next project. So far, the only specific info we have is that the next game will likely have an online component of some form, as the developers recently had open positions for multiplayer designers.
Following the Arkham series, there's been a noticeable uptick in the quality of superhero games, and with Marvel's Spider-man showing that other stellar games in the genre can exist too, it's time for WB and Rocksteady to follow-up with their next project. Whether it's a new Batman game, or something branching out into the broader DC comics universe, Rocksteady's next big game will be something that many fans will want to see sooner rather than later. -- Alessandro Fillari
Halo Infinite Release Date And New Details
It's finally going to happen: Microsoft will announce Halo Infinite's release date and talk more about the ambitious sci-fi shooter at its E3 2019 briefing. It's been a long time coming. Halo 5: Guardians was released almost four years ago, so fans have been waiting a long time for news about the next mainline instalment in the classic series. At E3 2019, Microsoft will finally tell us when Halo Infinite is releasing and also what kind of game it actually is.
So far all we've seen is a mood piece for the game's brand-new engine, Slipspace. That's all well and good (the engine looks very impressive), but it is finally time for Microsoft to pull back the curtain and tell us just what the hell Halo Infinite is and when we can play it. The company has talked about letting fans play early through betas, and it could be a huge win for Microsoft to be able to say, "Play the beta later this year" or even early 2020. The Halo franchise has fallen out of prominence, and a big showing at E3 2019 could be just what the series needs. -- Eddie Makuch
Mother 3 Releases On Nintendo Switch, Today!
It may be a pipedream, but Nintendo would be remiss to go another year at E3 without announcing the western release of Mother 3. E3 2019 would serve as a perfect venue for Nintendo to finally lift the veil over an official Mother 3 localization and release. And better yet: I believe it'll release the game the very same day! It handled the series' debut--titled Earthbound Beginnings--the very same way, after all--in addition to several other games throughout the years. My guess is that Mother 3 will be available shortly after the Direct showcase as an Eshop exclusive.
While such a reveal would spark massive excitement, I admit that it would be even greater if Nintendo one-upped our expectations by announcing at E3 that it's committing to a full-on Mario & Luigi-style Mother 3 remake with new mechanics and remastered visuals. Given how badly fans have wanted the game, a remake would seem the proper way to bring Mother 3 to western audiences. Though, if this turns out to be the case, it would be great to have the GBA original included as a bonus somehow.
Nintendo has kept quiet about a potential Mother 3 western release in the past year, but it does know the desire for it. Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has repeatedly mentioned this awareness. However, Game Informer editor Imran Khan claimed in an ResetEra post circulated that Nintendo's effort to localize Mother 3 had allegedly ended due to characters and scenes deemed too controversial for the company.
It's difficult to say what might become of Mother 3 in the west, but I'm crossing my fingers that it's still on Nintendo's radar. The company is known for its E3 surprises, so this year's big show could be the one where we finally hear the Mother 3 announcement we've been waiting over a decade for now. -- Matt Espineli
Next-Gen Fable
The Fable series is not as popular or front-of-mind as it used to be when Peter Molyneux was leading the RPG series. Not only is Molyneux long gone, but Microsoft closed developer Lionhead. But Fable is a very important franchise for Microsoft, and at E3 this year we will finally hear about Microsoft's plans to bring it back--with a new studio. Microsoft's newly acquired studio Playground, of Forza Horizon fame, recently moved to a massive new studio and announced plans to staff up big time for an unannounced AAA role-playing game.
That game is Fable 4, and we are excited to see the look and direction for the esteemed RPG series. With Microsoft also tipped to announce a next-generation Xbox (or two!) at E3, the company could wow Fable fans with an impressive demo for what the new Fable game will look like and the depth it will offer thanks to the power of the new machines. After the unfortunate closing of Lionhead and cancellation of Fable Legends, the Fable franchise could return stronger than ever. -- Eddie Makuch
Ninja Theory's New Game, Bleeding Edge, Gets Announced
The developers at Ninja Theory have kept quiet about their next project ever since last year's announcement that Microsoft acquired the studio. During E3 2018, Xbox head Phil Spencer went into detail about Microsoft's plans to focus more on first-party content with a new studio named The Initiative--and Ninja Theory was among many other developers set to produce a new exclusive game for the company. It also happens to mark the first time in 12 years that Ninja Theory will develop a new first-party exclusive game, with the first being the PS3's Heavenly Sword.
With E3 2019 approaching, and Microsoft planning to pull out all the stops for their June 9 presentation, now is the best time for Ninja Theory to reveal their next big project. Recently, International Business Times reported that Ninja Theory filed a trademark for the name Bleeding Edge, which may be its next title. Aside from the name, not much is known about the game. But given the studio's pedigree for blending action with strong storytelling, it seems like a given that next title will focus on that.
It's been exciting to see Ninja Theory hone its craft and particular style over the years. The studio's breakout hit Heavenly Sword showed a lot of promise, but it was clear the developers still had some growing to do in order get to where they needed to be. They would eventually hit those marks with games like DmC: Devil May Cry and Hellblade--both of which showed stellar craft for action-gameplay and storytelling respectively. Though we'll likely never get the proposed DmC sequel that Capcom and NT had plans to work on, this new game could be the next best thing. I predict that Ninja Theory's next big game will make an appearance at this year's E3, and if it can match the quality of their last two games, then we're in for something captivating. -- Alessandro Fillari
Microsoft Will Announce Another Studio Acquisition
Over the years, Microsoft has been criticized for not having the same level of first-party developers as Sony and Nintendo. Halo, Gears, and Forza games are often great, but what else could Microsoft offer? Last year saw the company take some significant steps to address those complaints, announcing the acquisition of a variety of studios, including Obsidian Entertainment (of Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 fame) and Ninja Theory (DMC: Devil May Cry, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice).
They may not all be ready to show off what they've been working on for Microsoft, but I'm expecting to both get a look at some of those games and to hear that Microsoft has acquired another studio or two. While there were some big names among last year's group, I could see Microsoft now going in the other direction and acquiring some quality small studios. Perhaps it could even target some of the developers to release their games at launch through Xbox Game Pass. -- Chris Pereira
Ubisoft Reveals The Next Assassin's Creed, And It's Called Ragnarok
Sure, the leaked images and assets for Assassin's Creed Ragnarok were confirmed to be fake. But that doesn't mean that Ubisoft isn't creating something similar with the next installment of Assassin's Creed, reportedly (according to Kotaku) referred to as "Kingdom."
All we know for sure is that Kingdom takes the Assassin's Creed franchise to the Age of Vikings and is scheduled to release in 2020. If Ubisoft sticks to its traditional pattern, that means a teaser trailer and name drop during E3 this year, and Ragnarok could be a likely candidate for a name. Not only is the term tied to Viking culture (it's the name of a cataclysmic event in Norse mythology), but the themes behind the word could apply to Kingdom's story.
In Norse mythology, Ragnarok is the destruction of the gods, an end to the old conflicts, and the rebirth of the world with two remaining humans (Líf and Lífþrasir) leading humanity into a new age. Ubisoft's past two Assassin's Creed titles, Origins and Odyssey, dealt with the secret war between the Order of Ancients and the Hidden Ones. Assassin's Creed Ragnarok could be a symbolic title, one that references how the game's events ultimately destroy this old conflict, only to give rise to a new one between the two groups that define humanity going forward: the Templar Order and Assassin Brotherhood. The Age of Vikings does roughly last from 793 to 1066 AD, after all, ending just over a century before the events of the original Assassin's Creed. -- Jordan Ramée
Splatoon 2 Is Getting A 5.0 Update And Another Year Of Splatfests
The original Splatoon was a remarkable success considering it was a new, untested property that debuted toward the tail end of Nintendo's poorest-performing home console. However, its Switch follow-up, Splatoon 2, transformed the burgeoning series into one of Nintendo's most popular franchises. Since its launch back in 2017, the game has sold close to nine million copies worldwide and remains one of the preeminent reasons to subscribe to the Nintendo Switch Online service. Given the runaway success Splatoon 2 has had thus far, it would only make sense for Nintendo to announce another big update for the game at E3 2019.
Before Splatoon 2's release, Nintendo said it would support the title with a full year of free post-launch updates, while its Splatfest competitions would be held monthly for two years. That two-year mark is approaching this July and Nintendo has not indicated that its plans have changed, which is why it would be such a great surprise to see the company announce that not only is a major 5.0 update on the way, but Splatfests will be extended for another full year. The Switch is still very much in the early years of its life, and Splatoon 2 has proven to be one of the console's best-selling titles, so it wouldn't make business sense to undercut its success by prematurely stopping support. Moreover, Nintendo is hosting another Splatoon 2 World Championships tournament ahead of its E3 presentation, which is indicative of how important the game is. That would be the perfect venue to announce that more Splatoon content is on the way. -- Kevin Knezevic
Xbox Game Pass Announced For PC With Play Anywhere Support
Recent years have seen Microsoft's gaming efforts increasingly focus on ubiquity--hence why we've seen something like Xbox Live support in the Nintendo Switch version of Cuphead. Predicting an expansion for Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's Netflix-style subscription service, isn't exactly bold; CEO Satya Nadella said last year that Game Pass is coming to PC. But I think we'll see not just the official announcement of this at E3, but also some other welcome news.
First, I expect that Game Pass on PC will be a built-in part of the existing Game Pass subscription; you won't be expected to pay for a separate service, as is the case with EA Access and Origin Access. Whether you want to download and play something on your Xbox One or PC, you'll be free to do so with that single subscription.
Further blurring the lines between those platforms, I think Game Pass will combine with Play Anywhere to let you seamlessly move back and forth between PC and console versions of a game. It could even tie into xCloud, as Steve predicted above, but I think Microsoft will use Game Pass to continue eliminating barriers we've dealt with for years. -- Chris Pereira
There have been so many movies about the drama and trauma of high school that it's a wonder we haven't abolished it yet. Ma is another, focusing on the cruelty of kids and the pain of being an outsider, and the scare-infused comeuppance that stems from them. If you've seen the trailers for Ma, you already know that Octavia Spencer spends much of the movie menacing some teens, and that's pretty much the gist of it.
Though it's treading familiar ground, Ma is self-aware enough to make these well-worn high school paths fun ones--although its focus on being a story about high schoolers seems misplaced in the end. One expects new girl at school Maggie (Diane Silvers) to struggle to fit in and face off against your usual array of mean popular kids, but that never happens. Instead, Maggie gets approached by the typical teenage friend group, comprising: one jock boy (Gianni Paolo), one flirty party girl (McKaley Miller), one cute and sensitive love interest boy (Corey Fogelmanis), and one Black boy (Dante Brown). In the sadly typical fashion, additional character traits are not forthcoming. The kids instantly embrace Maggie and invite her to come to a party. It all goes pretty well.
When the party falls through, though, the kids hit a typical teenager fallback plan: procure booze; drink booze. Being 16, nobody can actually buy for themselves, so the kids stand in front of a shockingly accommodating liquor store, tempting passers-by to rip them off. Eventually, Sue Ann (Octavia Spencer) happens past, takes pity on the kids, and gets them what they ask for. Almost immediately, Maggie--being the only kid in the area with a brain--has a bad feeling, but teens gonna teen.
Even after everything goes okay, Sue Ann just keeps, uh, showing up, using the internet to gather info on the kids and their parents, and slowly worming her way into their lives. The next time Maggie and her pals need booze, she not only provides it, she invites them to hang out in her unused basement rather than drive around after drinking. It quickly becomes the local teen hangout spot and everyone becomes pals with Ma, as Sue Ann is dubbed. Ma is a bit clingy, sure, but the kids appreciate a place to drink (that also provides pizza rolls!), and for the most part, it seems like Sue Ann is lonely and just needs some friends.
But while Maggie and her friends ignore Ma's general weirdness, the movie opens things up by digging into their parents' past. Turns out, Maggie's mom Erica (a solid but underused Juliette Lewis) is originally from this dinky town, having reluctantly returned after an escape to California and a recent divorce. Her new job as a casino waitress brings her into proximity of Mercedes (Missi Pyle) and Ben (Luke Evans), the jerk popular kids she went to high school with. Ben is the father of Maggie's would-be boyfriend Andy (Fogelmanis), and while Maggie's pals are pretty cool to each other, Ben and Mercedes are still the popular jerks from an '80s teen comedy. For Erica--and Sue Ann, who was at school with the same set of clowns, it turns out--the pain and tribulations of high school are still a big part of their lives. Neither has managed much progress; in Sue Ann's case, she almost literally regresses, hanging out with the teens for a second chance at being a cool kid.
All that history has to go somewhere, and Ma unwinds it slowly to lay a foundation of what's going on in the present, becoming a mix of something like Carrie, Flatliners, The Gift, and the recently released Greta. And at times, it's about as clunky as you'd expect that combination to be.
But it works because of Spencer undergirding the entire contraption, and the movie is at its best, spookiest, and most fun when director Tate Taylor lets her run with the character. She goes from charming and fun to believably dangerous and shockingly violent in a snap, and executes those shifts perfectly throughout the movie to give Sue Ann a boiling menace; she's your friend, but you wouldn't want to piss her off. When the movie focuses on the kids, it devolves into semi-dull slow-burn teen spookfest, complete with a few misdirecting jump scares. Whenever it trains back on Sue Ann, Ma takes on a great deal more depth and texture thanks to Spencer, who's capable of making Sue Ann a sympathetic figure and a simmering psychopath, often at the same time.
Sue Ann's unhinged nature works well enough to make the proceedings a lot of fun, especially toward the end of the movie as all the threads start to come together and the dread ratchets up. Evans, Pyle, and a surprising Allison Janney add some delightful despicability, and Spencer perfectly toes the camp line, keeping things fun and threatening. While it makes gestures that Ma might have more to say about what generations pass down to one another or how cruelty begets cruelty, the movie never commits, and just when you might be a little too close to rooting for Sue Ann, Ma goes out of its way to release some of that building pressure. As a result, it's mostly the safe kind of scary experience, one you don't need to think too hard about.
And as a fun thriller, Ma works very well. Its moving parts are competent and its characters relatable enough to keep the stakes up as things start getting dangerous. But it's all thanks to Spencer keeping the movie going. One wonders what Ma could have been with a little more effort put into other aspects, like spending more time with Sue Ann's generation, developing Maggie's friends a bit more, or expanding on some later additions to Sue Ann's personality. But for a movie that's ostensibly about wondering just when Octavia Spencer is going to lose it, and how drastically, Ma keeps you wanting to go back to the party, against your better judgment, because it really is a lot of fun.
Sony may be skipping E3 this year, but the company isn't ignoring the nearly 100 million PS4 owners out there. With the company officially announcing its annual Days of Play sale--starting on June 7 and ending on June 17--the only thing that could sweeten the pie is free games, and now Sony has announced June's free titles for PS Plus subscribers.
SCEE blog manager Fred Dutton took to the PlayStation blog to give the announcement. Beginning on June 4, PS Plus members can download both Borderlands: The Handsome Collection and Sonic Mania for the low price of free. You can check out the announcement trailer above.
This month's free PS Plus games--Overcooked and What Remains of Edith Finch--are available to download until June 3. There's still time to add them to your ever-growing backlog before they're replaced on June 4.
In our Borderlands: The Handsome Collection review, we said, "Even considering issues presented by Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, The Handsome Collection is still a great compilation, allowing you to witness not only Jack's tale, but play a major role in shaping the history of Pandora itself, along with its lonely moon."
In our Sonic Mania review, we said that "Sonic Mania methodically uses its sentimental appeal to great effect, but in the process, it heals the wounds inflicted by its most disappointing predecessors and surpasses the series' best with its smart and interpretive design."
Fortnite's 9.10 content update is now live across PS4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. As the official patch notes detail, this week's update brings another new weapon to the hit battle royale shooter, along with a trio of limited-time modes and some new content for Fortnite Creative and Save the World.
Headlining this week's update is a new gun: the Burst SMG. It's available in common, uncommon, and rare varieties and can be found as floor loot or in chests and vending machines. The new gun features a 24-round magazine and uses light ammo. However, to make room for it, Epic has vaulted another weapon: the Suppressed Submachine Gun.
Alongside the Burst SMG, Epic is adding three different LTMs to the rotation this week. First is Solid Gold Duos, which only features Legendary-variant weapons. Next is Unvaulted Squads; as its name suggests, this mode only features items that are vaulted in standard play. Finally is Close Encounters Squads, which has you doing battle using shotguns and jetpacks.
Beyond that, Epic has made it so that four Hot Spots now appear during Team Rumble. According to the developer, this was done "to ensure that there is at least one on each side more often," although the studio says this is a "temporary fix." Meanwhile, a new hero has been added to Fortnite's Save the World mode, and there are a handful of new galleries in Fortnite Creative. You can read the patch notes for this week's Battle Royale changes below; the full notes can be found on Epic's website.
In other Fortnite news, players have recently spotted a giant eyeball encased in ice within the game. The eye can be found underneath Polar Peak. It's still unclear just what this means for the game, although fans are theorizing it could lead to some kind of community event or even a Godzilla: King of the Monsters tie-in, which certainly wouldn't be out of the ordinary, as Epic has previously held tie-in events for John Wick and Avengers: Endgame. You can watch some footage of the eyeball here.
Fortnite 9.10 Content Update Patch Notes
Battle Royale
Limited-Time Mode Rotation
Solid Gold Duos
Fight to the finish using Legendary weapons!
Unvaulted Squads
Battle Royale gameplay with a limited set of weapons made up entirely of items that are vaulted in the standard modes.
Close Encounters Squads
Close quarters combat with Shotguns & Jetpacks!
Weapons & Items
Burst SMG
Available in Common, Uncommon and Rare variants.
Fires a quick 4 round burst.
Deals 23, 24, 25 damage.
1.75x headshot multiplier.
24 round magazine.
Can be found from Floor Loot, Chests, and Vending Machines.
Uses Light Ammo.
Vaulted
Suppressed Submachine Gun
Common, Uncommon, Rare
Team Rumble
Now spawning 4 hot spots each match, to ensure that there is at least one on each side more often. This is a temporary fix until we can set up functionality to force the same number on each side in big team modes.
EA has announced its full schedule of its EA Play livestreams, to take place just before E3 2019. The back-to-back presentations will run the entire morning of Saturday, June 8, and the company is starting the streams with a showstopper: a deeper look at Respawn's Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order.
From there the half-hour slots will be devoted to the EA library, with games ranging from Apex Legends and Battlefield V to FIFA 20, Madden NFL 20, and even The Sims 4. Hosts will include Greg Miller, Andrea Rene, and Julia Hardy. All of the streams will be broadcast through EA's YouTube and Twitch channels.
Those attending the all-weekend event in person will be able to score a touchdown, take part in a Jedi Fallen Order "theater experience" and photo op, check out new Apex merch, and play on a FIFA soccer pitch. As always EA Play is taking place just before E3, so part of the event will overlap with other press conferences from big publishers. Check out our full E3 press conference schedule to make sure you don't miss out on any.
Read on for the EA Play schedule and plan your watching accordingly.
EA Play Schedule (Saturday, June 8, Times Listed PT)
9:15 AM: Countdown to EA PLAY
9:30 AM: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (Hosted by Greg Miller and Andrea Rene)
10:00 AM: Apex Legends (Hosted by Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez)
10:30 AM: Battlefield (Hosted by Julia Hardy and Adam Freeman)
11:00 AM: FIFA 20 (Hosted by Alex "Goldenboy" Mendez)
Sony has finally announced the release date for Death Stranding, the much-anticipated PS4 title from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima. The game will launch on November 8, 2019. In addition, the company revealed an extensive look at gameplay for the first time--take a look at the trailer above.
Death Stranding is Kojima's first game since leaving Konami and is something of a departure from what we've seen him and his team do in the past.
The trailer shows main character Sam exploring a strange open-world filled with mysterious creatures. We see him riding a motorbike and, separately, being attacked by some of the world's monsters. Elsewhere he wields an assault rifle to retaliate.
The trailer begins with Mads Mikkelsen's character singing to what seemingly is the artificial baby seen in previous trailers--he refers to it as BB. From there, we see a photograph of Sam and his wife--whose face is greyed out--and a woman that is presumably his mother. A sickly woman that seems to be the president of a company called Bridges says, "Together, you can help us reconnect. You can make America whole." Sam replies, saying, "No, America is finished ... We don't need a country. Not anymore."
There also seems to be an ongoing conflict with a militant separatist group that have special powers. They enter into towns and kill people. In terms of gameplay, we see Sam engaging with enemies in third-person melee combat, but there's also elements of stealth, which will no doubt be appreciated by fans of Kojima's previous titles.
Sam works for Bridges and we see him suiting up, to the sounds of Path by Apocalyptica. He goes out into a strand world, traversing terrains from snowy mountains to rocky cliffs, using tools such as a ladder and a Climbing Anchor to get around. We're also introduced to a number of characters, many of which have interesting names. You can see a full list of the characters and the actors playing them below:
Sam -- Norman Reedus
Cliff -- Mads Mikkelsen
Fragile -- Lea Seydoux
Mama -- Margaret Qually
Deadman -- Guillermo Del Toro
Heartman -- Nicolas Winding Refn
Die-Hardman -- Tommie Earl Jenkins
Higgs -- Troy Baker
Amelie -- Lindsay Wagner
The release date was revealed in a peculiar Twitch stream in which footage was slowly uncovered by fading handprints. The stream eventually showed an extensive trailer that included gameplay footage, which you can watch above. A message from Kojima was also posted on the PlayStation Blog and offers more insight into what the game involves and is about.
"Death Stranding is a completely new type of action game, where the goal of the player is to reconnect isolated cities and a fragmented society. It is created so that all elements, including the story and gameplay, are bound together by the theme of the 'Strand' or connection.
"As Sam Porter Bridges, you will attempt to bridge the divides in society, and in doing create new bonds or 'Strands' with other players around the globe. Through your experience playing the game, I hope you'll come to understand the true importance of forging connections with others."
Until now, little had been known about Death Stranding, with Kojima Productions and Sony remaining tight-lipped for much of the game's development cycle. The cast includes a number of celebrities, such as The Walking Dead actor Norman Reedus in the lead role, as well as Mads Mikkelsen, Lea Seydoux, Lindsay Wagner, Guillermo del Toro, and Troy Baker.
A recent report said Death Stranding could come to PS5, but that has not yet been announced. For now, it will be coming to PS4 only on November 8.
Square Enix has detailed when it plans to show off more of its Avengers game. As the name indicates, the game is based on the Marvel property and, it has been confirmed that we'll learn more about it during Square Enix's E3 2019 press conference on June 10 at 6PM PT. The tweet announcing the date indicates that the game may simply be called "Marvel's Avengers." Beyond that, it doesn't share any details about the game involves or what we'll be seeing--it only states this will be the "worldwide reveal," which hopefully means we'll get some idea for what kind of game this is.
The Avengers Project was initially announced in January 2017, with Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics and Deus Ex studio Eidos Montreal attached to it. Although the announcement provided very little in detail--something that has remained unchanged thus far--it did lay some of the foundations for its narrative.
In the original teaser, a voice narrated, "They say the time of heroes is over. That if you're 'different,' you're dangerous. But I know the truth. The world will always need heroes. We just need to reassemble."
Thor's hammer, Captain America's shield, and Iron Man's hand were shown, but they had clearly been through many battles and looked damaged. The tagline "reassemble" suggests the Avengers may have gone their separate ways, for some reason, and in the game will be brought back together to save the planet.
"The Avengers project is being designed for gamers worldwide and will be packed with all the characters, environments, and iconic moments that have thrilled longtime fans of the franchise," read a press release from Square Enix. "Featuring a completely original story, it will introduce a universe gamers can play in for years to come."
In January 2018, a full year after it was first announced, Crystal Dynamics provided an update on development, after it was noticed that the team was staffing up with ex-Naughty Dog and Visceral Games developers.
"We're committed to delivering an incredible, completely original Avengers experience to our gamers, and that means we are always looking to add amazing developers to our existing best in class studio talent," Crystal Dynamics co-head Scot Amos said.
While we've known for months that Sony is skipping E3 2019, the company is still giving PS4 owners something to get excited about this June: its annual Days of Play sale. If you've been wanting to upgrade to the PS4 Pro or pick up a PSVR bundle, the Days of Play sale will be a great opportunity to snag the hardware you need. Plus, some of PS4's best recent games will be significantly marked down, and you'll be able to save on official merchandise from the PlayStation Gear Store.
Days of Play kicks off June 7 and will run through June 17, which overlaps conveniently with E3 2019. During that time, you'll be able to snag a PS4 Pro for $350 USD (details coming soon for Europe), and all DualShock 4 wireless controllers will start at $40 / £35 / €40. A limited-edition PS4 will also go on sale, but unfortunately, it's not a PS4 Pro. The steel black console features the four PlayStation shapes embossed in silver on the top and comes with a matching DualShock 4 controller. You'll be able to buy it for $300 / £280 / €300.
Limited-edition PS4 console - will be available for $300 / £280 / €300
If you're considering taking the plunge and getting PlayStation VR, some bundles will be considerably cheaper during the 11-day sale. PSVR bundles will start at $250, a full $100 cheaper than their usual price. The bundles each come with a pair of games, such as Trover Saves the Universe and Five Nights at Freddy's; Borderlands 2 and Beat Saber; or Everybody's Golf and Blood & Truth. In Europe, the PSVR Starter Pack will sell for £180 / €200 and PSVR Mega Pack will sell for £210 / €230.
On the game side, we know the sale will include PS4 hits like God of War and Marvel's Spider-Man. Recent release Days Gone will also be on sale, along with MLB The Show 19. These games and others will be available starting at $20. (In Europe, some prices are already announced: Days Gone for £40 / €50, God of War for £25 / €30, and Marvel's Spider-Man for £25 / €30.) Older hits, such as The Last of Us Remastered, Uncharted 4, and Bloodborne will be on sale starting at $10 / £12 / €15.
By Anonymous on May 29, 2019 06:30 pm We played an early build of Final Fantasy 14: Shadowbringers and ran through a new dungeon made up of whimsical forests and wacky frog bosses in top hats. Shadowbringers launches for PC and PS4 on July 2.
A bill that would ban loot boxes has been officially introduced before the United States Senate. Now industry lobbying group the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has responded, criticizing the bill for what it calls "inaccuracies" and a misunderstanding of how video games actually work.
"This legislation is flawed and riddled with inaccuracies," ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis said in a statement (via USGamer). "It does not reflect how video games work nor how our industry strives to deliver innovative and compelling entertainment experiences to our audiences. The impact of this bill would be far-reaching and ultimately prove harmful to the player experience, not to mention the more than 220,000 Americans employed by the video game industry. We encourage the bill's co-sponsors to work with us to raise awareness about the tools and information in place that keep the control of video game play and in-game spending in parents' hands rather than in the government's."
The Protecting Children from Abusive Games Act, introduced by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), aims to regulate what it characterizes as predatory and casino-like mechanisms in video games, particularly ones aimed at minors. Specifically it would bar the sale of any randomized unlock, with the exception of difficulty modes, cosmetic items, and expansions. It also targets pay-to-win content, defined as anything that gives a competitive advantage.
The PCAGA defines "minor-oriented video game" very broadly, in such a way that it could impact lots of games that aren't necessarily meant for children. It also sidesteps the ESRB's own age classifications for these criteria.
Loot boxes have come under fire recently, following a controversy over their use in games like Star Wars Battlefront 2 and concern over their similarity to gambling. Some countries, like New Zealand and France, have already ruled that the practice does not constitute gambling. Belgium and the Netherlands reached the opposite conclusion, forcing Rocket League developer Psyonix to disable its loot box mechanic in the countries. Nintendo will be pulling a few of its own mobile games from Belgium altogether.
As the title suggests, the movie features several other classic giant monsters, including Mothra, Rodan, and the terrifying King Gidorah. In terms of the human cast, it stars Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring), Kyle Chandler (Game Night), Millie Bobbie Brown (Stranger Things), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), Ken Watanabe (Inception), and O'Shea Jackson Jr (Straight Outta Compton). It's directed by Michael Dougherty.
Ahead of the movie's release, reviews have been published online. We're collecting excerpts here to help you get an idea for if the movie is worth your time and money. For more on the critical reaction to the film, head to GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Directed By: Michael Dougherty
Written By: Michael Dougherty, Zach Shields
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobbie Brown, Sally Hawkins.
Release Date: May 30
Runtime: 132 minutes
GameSpot
"Simply put: It's fun. It's fun to sit around and root for Godzilla to come save us, even if he's completely obliterating whole cities in the process. King Of The Monsters knows this in its bones, and that's what it wants to deliver. It's a kaiju movie where the kaiju themselves are the stars and that's what makes it such a great ride." -- Meg Downey [Full review]
The Wrap
"Whereas 2014's Godzilla made us wait too long for the monster-movie money shots, this one offers a family story made all the more heartfelt thanks to committed performances by Millie Bobbie Brown, Vera Farmiga and Kyle Chandler, not to mention a constant stream of the kind of rock-em-sock-em action that makes you want to see a film like this in the first place."-- Alonso Duralde [Full review]
AV Club
"When they fight each other, or scream in triumph over the smoking ruins of various world capitals, it's difficult not to fist-pump a little. However, to Dougherty's presumed disappointment--and to this movie's ultimate detriment--you can't just have two hours of kaiju slapping each other around like a gargantuan WWE highlights reel." -- Katie Rife [Full review]
Empire
"What you're left with is a catastrophically dumb, thunderously boring blockbuster as numbing and unsatisfying as the worst Transformers movies--even one hilariously nutty sub-aquatic development can't liven things up." -- Ben Travis [Full review]
The Hollywood Reporter
"The old monster has a grand time in Michael Dougherty's Godzilla: King of the Monsters. Easily the most satisfying of his Hollywood-produced adventures and a respectable cousin to the long string of Japanese ones, the sequel to Gareth Edwards' admirably serious but dullish 2014 film is the first to suggest any promise for what Legendary is calling its 'MonsterVerse'" -- John DeFore [Full review]
Indiewire
"Godzilla: King of the Monsters never met a sci-fi film it didn't want to rip off--brace yourself for a dramatic sequence that pulls so liberally from "Armageddon" that we can only assume Michael Bay is readying a lawsuit--and the result is a sloppy, stitched-together offering with no sense of self." -- Kate Erbland [Full review]
Variety
"[Dougherty] gets the job done, staging a movie that, at its best, makes for a giddy and satisfying clash of the titans. You won't feel cheated; at stray moments, you'll feel the wonder. But for every high point, there's a moment when the thrill threatens to leak away." -- Owen Gleiberman [Full review]
Screencrush
"I'm not sure what happened here, but something went very wrong along the way to the multiplex. The characters--particularly poor Vera Farmiga's monster scientist--behave so irrationally that Godzilla and his simple, clear motivations feel downright human in comparison. The last movie this big saddled with a story and characters this bad was Independence Day: Resurgence. Not that it matters. Legendary's "Monsterverse" will roll on anyway." -- Matt Singer [Full review]
After launching a double discount sale last week in the US, Sony has now started a similar campaign in Europe and Australia. The promotion discounts hundreds of PS4 games by up to 30% for everyone, or up to 60% if you're a PS Plus member.
Hitman 2 is one of the newer games to be discounted, with its gold edition slashed from £80 to £32 for PS Plus subscribers. There's plenty more on offer, too, and you can browse the full offering of deals at the PlayStation Store.
The workplace comedy The Office, an adaptation of Ricky Gervais' show of the name, is Netflix's No. 1 most popular show "by far." That's according to actor Brian Baumgartner, who said on a recent podcast that The Office is No. 1 by a huge margin.
He said The Office is more popular now than it was when it originally aired on NBC in the 2000s. The reason why The Office is so enduringly popular is because it's "subversive," according to Baumgartner. He said young people in particular respond to its kind of humor, especially Steve Carell's Michael Scott character who is known to make off-color jokes about race and sexual orientation.
"The show is bigger now than it was at the height of the show," Baumgartner said. "It's because it's subversive. It appeals to that younger demographic ... Some people who watched it when it came out, they're still watching it, or watching it with their kids. It just keeps repopulating because of young people."
"I don't think it's a secret; it is verifiably the number one show on Netflix right now which is the number one thing in the world," he added. "By the way, it's not close. I don't know how much really I am supposed to say. It's crazy."
Baumgartner is presumably talking about popularity by measure of viewership. He's also probably talking about popularity in the United States, as The Office isn't available on Netflix worldwide. In Australia, for example, The Office streams on Stan, not Netflix.
"Apart from the fact that I just don't think that's a good idea [to bring back The Office], it might be impossible to do that show today and have people accept it the way it was accepted ten years ago," he said. "The climate's different. I mean, the whole idea of that character, Michael Scott, so much of it was predicated on inappropriate behavior."
NBC Universal owns The Office, and Netflix pays a licensing fee to have The Office on Netflix. The current contract to keep The Office on Netflix expires in 2021, according to The Wall Street Journal. At that time, or perhaps sooner, Netflix would have to pay NBC Universal to retain The Office, and another layer of complexity is that NBC is launching its own streaming service relatively soon.
Netflix's No. 2 show is believed to be Friends. Netflix reportedly paid $100 million to WarnerMedia to keep Friends on Netflix at least until the end of 2019.
Also on the podcast, Baumgartner talked about why The Office was the "worst possible show you could be on." Unlike other shows where actors come in, film their scenes, and leave, The Office kept each actor on set at the time time. He says he worked 12-14 hours per day to film one episode.
According to reports, the new version of The Office will feature a combination of returning cast members and newcomers, while a new boss is reportedly coming in to take over for Michael Scott. Once again, it would take place at Dunder Mifflin's office in Scranton, PA.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is coming to PC, and it won't be long until we learn more about Microsoft's plans to release the compilation package on PC.
Developers from 343 Industries, including community director Brian Jarrard, design director Max Szlagor, and STE lead IK Grubb will appear on the 343 Social Stream on May 29 to provide an update on how the game is coming along.
The panelists will provide a "show-and-tell update on Halo: Reach and the journey to bring MCC on PC." The event begins at 1:30 PM PT, and you can watch the event live on Mixer.
In addition to the livestream, 343 is planning a massive blog post that will dive deep into "many topics," including Halo: Reach for Halo: MCC and MCC for PC in general. It will truly be a huge info dump, as 343 says the current draft is 22 pages and almost 6,000 words long.
343 Industries originally planned to launch the first beta for Halo: Reach on PC in April, but it didn't happen. Presumably the stream tomorrow will provide more answers on when people might be able to begin playing Halo: MCC on PC. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.
You can sign up for the free Halo Insider program for a chance to get into the beta tests. The tests will start small before expanding to additional users over time.
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