Ubisoft's vice president of live operations has weighed in on the publisher's potential takeover by Vivendi by saying, "It wouldn't be the same."
In an interview with PCGamesN, Anne Blondel states that the company's independence is what has made it successful. "I know for a fact, having been there for 20 years, that if you [separate] us from our independence, if you take away the way we like taking risks and inventing new stuff, well it's not going to be the same Ubisoft--for me, it wouldn't be the same.
"I know what made us so successful for 30 years, is being super independent, being very autonomous."
She goes on to say the company's independence allows it to take chances and create diverse experiences. "Sometimes we take a lot of risks, you think about The Crew, that was a risk. People would look at that like, 'Maybe it's not going to work, another racing game, what are you thinking?' Child of Light, Valiant Hearts, all those kinds of titles."
In lighter news, Ubisoft has revealed its 30 Days of Giveaways event, in celebration of both Christmas and its own 30th birthday. Check out the details, including the first free game on offer, here.
Ubisoft is celebrating its 30th birthday by giving away goodies, including games, for the next 30 days.
The festive event starts today, November 24, with Rayman Classic going free on mobile. All you need to do to claim your free gifts is log into 30days.ubi.com using your Ubisoft account every day until December 23.
The pressies will also include "free digital assets," as well as discounts for games on the Ubisoft store. Meanwhile a special, limited time only competition will be run where 300 people can win one of three select Ubisoft games. The publisher hasn't stated which games these might be, though they are among the company's "latest titles."
That's right! Everyone's favourite day of the year is rolling round once again! No, not Christmas; not Easter; not the one day a year the sun comes out--it's Black Friday!
Black Friday is a magical time. A time of loving, caring, and punching everyone in your way to get that sweet £5 discount on bargain bin DVDs.
Only joking, please don't punch anyone.
To help you get the jump on those going to bricks-and-mortar stores, take a look at this list of all the best UK Black Friday Gaming deals in 2016. Where possible, GameSpot has attempted to verify these prices are the cheapest available at the time of writing, but double check yourself for peace of mind.
Fable creator Peter Molyneux has said he wants to make Fable IV, and has also discussed upsetting the series' publisher, Microsoft.
"It's crazy that Fable IV isn't being made," he told OXM. "I would love to do Fable IV, and the studio tried to do it. You'd have to get the original team back together though."
Molyneux also mentioned how he and his team sometimes upset Microsoft with a their sense of humour, something he described as being part of a typically British studio.
"I think it was the sense of humour. You know the British, slightly politically incorrect sense of humour, especially with Fable, where we had prostitutes and same-sex marriage. Microsoft were appalled, you know, they were busily going around trying to rub all the nipples out of all the women just not to offend people.
"[The] things [Lionhead designer] Mark Healy would put in--if you play Black & White you notice that all the totems are completely phallic, just penises everywhere."
The DC superhero team-up Justice League finished production last month, and will be released next year. Director Zack Snyder has posted a series of new set images, taken from the Icelandic location where the film finished its shoot, including one of Aquaman star Jason Momoa. Check them out below, via Batman-news.com:
Justice League also stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as Flash, Amber Heard as Mera, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, and Henry Cavill as Superman. It hits theaters on November 17, 2017.
Although Blizzard is yet to officially announce a Christmas Overwatch event, data miners have all but confirmed it by posted a new festive take on the game's theme tune on Reddit. You can listen to the jaunty little ditty below.
The existence of a Christmas-themed Overwatch event isn't exactly a surprise, as Blizzard has previously celebrated the Summer Games and Halloween by giving its team-based shooter a makeover to suit these. It has also said it plans to release more Overwatch DLC and launch new in-game events.
Along with new decorations on maps, it is expected that a selection of Overwatch's heroes will have new skins for players to unlock, in addition to fresh sprays and player icons. As mentioned previously, this has not been officially confirmed and is speculation based on previous events.
The data miners have also uncovered new voice lines, mainly involving Sombra, the latest hero to join Overwatch's roster of characters. There's one in which Reinhardt sounds like he's celebrating an arm wrestling victory over Zarya.
On November 22, Blizzard released a new and improved version of Symmetra on the Overwatch Public Test Realm. She has undergone some drastic changes to make her a more viable pick. In addition to a few tweaks to her core abilities, she's become the first character in the game to have two Ultimate abilities.
Another feature, called 'Stay as Team,' is also live now in the Overwatch Public Test Realm on PC. It introduces the ability to group up with random players after a game is completed, if you think you work well as a team and want to stay together.
Beyond Good & Evil 2 is "a very serious development for Ubisoft," says the game's creator, Michel Ancel.
Speaking to Kotaku, Ancel said his team have been working on the sequel properly since Rayman Legends' completion. He warned it's still a long way from release, and needs to be "more concrete" before a full reveal.
"[We had] big questions that are so big you can't know the answers because no physics engine can handle all of the dimensions and speeds and things like that," Ancel said to Kotaku. "It's like 'Okay, if no physics engine can do it, how can we achieve that?'
"It's crazy and difficult to explain to people how technical making a game is. Now it's not anymore about polygons and things like that, it's about millions of behavioural AIs, systems, and giant spaceships crashing on big planets."
Mass Effect: Andromeda is the biggest game BioWare has ever made, according to the developer.
In an interview with Game Informer, the game's producer Mike Gamble claims, "This is the biggest we've ever gone, in terms of the number of pieces of content. There are combat-related encounters, puzzle-related encounters, narrative-related encounters, and a lot of things will happen that add more depth to the critical path."
The developer is aiming to make each and every area memorable, even if some planets are not in the main story. Side missions available to the player will include loyalty missions, returning from Mass Effect 2. These are optional, but offer a chance to get to know each of the game's cast of supporting characters a little better.
Depth is also added by fights breaking out between enemy factions, while whole-planet scans can give you clues about the world around you. "Scanning is one of the most important exploration tools you'll have in the game," explains producer Fabrice Condominas. "You're in a new galaxy; there are a lot of things where you just have no clue what's going on. The scanner is a way to capture what is in your environment, send the information back to the Tempest to analyze it, and find those clues."
James Cameron has been talking about his Avatar sequels for a long time, but the first of these is yet to be given an official release date. While this still remains the case, Fox has now scheduled a movie from Cameron's production company that may be the follow-up to his 2009 sci-fi blockbuster.
As Deadline reports, the studio has set a date of December 21, 2018 for a film from the director's Lightstorm Entertainment. Avatar 2 has been rumoured for Christmas 2018 release for some time, and Cameron himself has spoken about his hopes to have it ready by then.
In September, the director was asked about the movie arriving in December 2018. "We haven't moved that target yet," he told Variety. "The important thing for me is not when the first one comes out but the cadence of the release pattern. I want them to be released as close together as possible.
"If it's an annual appointment to show up at Christmas, I want to make sure that we're able to fulfill on that promise."
Earlier this month, Cameron revealed that he hoped to make Avatar 2 and the preceding three films in glasses-free 3D. "I'm going to push," he said. "Not only for better tools, workflow, high dynamic range and high frame rates--the things we are working toward. I'm still very bullish on 3D, but we need brighter projection, and ultimately I think it can happen--with no glasses. We'll get there."
The first Avatar earned $2.7 billion worldwide, making it the most successful movie ever made in terms of box office earnings.
The ever-expanding world of movie franchises and universes means that, inceasingly, release dates are set by studios before the the films themselves are announced. This is the case with Fox, which has confirmed the dates for two unnamed movies in its roster of Marvel superhero films.
The studio has revealed that the Marvel movies will arrive on March 2, 2018 and June 29, 2018. This is addition to the previously announced dates of November 2, 2018 and February 14, 2019. The earlier date of October 6, 2017 no longer appears on Fox's schedule.
What these films will be is currently unknown, but there are various contenders. Deadpool 2 is sure to take one of the 2018 slots. This week the film's director was confirmed as John Wick's David Leitch, who replaces outgoing helmer Tim Miller.
Beyond that, it was recently reported that the teen X-Men spinoff New Mutants might start shooting early next year, with The Fault in our Stars director Josh Boone behind the camera.
The Channing Tatum vehicle Gambit has been much delayed, but it is still expected to start production next year. However, the movie is currently without a director, having lost both Rupert Wyatt and Doug Liman within the space of a year, and production put back several times.
We've already compiled a list of the best gaming Black Friday deals across all major UK retailers, and will continue to update that as we approach everybody's second-favourite sale period (Boxing Day sales are better do not even @ me). For now though, check out the best UK PSN Black Friday deals below, or the full list here. Please note: these aren't necessarily the cheapest prices available for the games listed--as always, shop around to get the best deal.
The first poster for Alien: Covenant is here. The latest movie in the long-running sci-fi horror franchise is set to hit theaters in May, which is three months earlier than previously announced, and the poster promises something seriously scary. Check it out below:
Alien: Covenant is directed by Ridley Scott, who helmed 2012's Alien prequel Prometheus, as well as the classic 1979 original. It stars Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Demian Bichir, and Danny McBride.
Earlier this month, Fassbender revealed that he plays two roles--David, his robotic character from Prometheus, and a new version of the android. "I am allowed to say I am playing two robots: Walter and David," he said, via AvP Galaxy. "I think what's great about it is that Ridley has gone back to the original DNA of Alien, the horror element of that.
"But it also has the scope and the scale of Prometheus. Ridley has cut it already. He is a machine. He is an incredible human being, and he was in such good form. He is such an imaginative and mischievous figure."
There are other retailers offering the PS4 Pro 1TB bundled with one game, but this is the only bundle we've found that includes anything else without an increase in bundle price.
Nintendo has yet to announce a set price for its upcoming portable console, so this UK retailer has either let the cat out of the bag, taken a big risk, or has something more nefarious in mind.
According to the GameSeek website, preorder prices are guaranteed, meaning that if the price increases after you place your preorder, you'll pay the lower price. The unspoken threat in this is if the price decreases, you may be locked into the original listed price. The preorder price guarantee is not detailed in the company's terms and conditions.
According to a Facebook comment on the GameSeek store page for the Switch, one customer has spoken to their local GameSeek store, and was told that all customers that have placed a preorder for the Switch have had their money refunded.
We have reached out to GameSeek for comment, and will update this story as it unfolds.
Co-founders of the Open Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) consortium announced today that an upcoming Steam update would include support for open-platform VR content. This means that any game on Steam sporting the OSVR logo (below) should be compatible with whichever VR headset you connect to your PC.
Look for the OSVR logo on Steam.
"This is a great milestone for VR," said Christopher Mitchell, OSVR lead at Razer via press release. "Giving users access to more hardware and content and driving Valve's and OSVR's shared vision of totally open VR content to everyone."
Most people have heard of the three big players in VR: the HTC Vive, PlayStation VR, and the Oculus Rift. Each has a dedicated storefront that is capable of denying access to the games on offer for people with competing headsets. There is some crossover, and many VR titles are released on all three platforms, but it's true that we're talking about three walled-gardens, designed to keep the competitors out.
OSVR aims to change that. "OSVR is a movement founded to create a universal open source VR ecosystem for technologies across different brands and companies," reads the OSVR vision statement. "Giving you the freedom to combine different brands of HMDs and Controllers to experience VR the way they want to." OSVR is supported by Razer, Sensics, Leap Motion, Intel, Gearbox Software, amongst others.
The backbone of OSVR is its software development kit (SDK), which allows developers to build support for all of the VR headsets on the market into their games. The intention being to reduce the hardware fragmentation that is forming around the big three.
"We are delighted to announce support for OSVR titles," said Valve's Augusta Butlin. "Steam is an open platform for all developers, and adding support for OSVR further expands the massive content offerings for the millions of gamers on Steam."
The OSVR headset developed by Razer and Sensics.
OSVR and its Developer Fund program is offering up to $5m to incentivize developers to build games that support OSVR. Out of reportedly hundreds of applications, 38 games have been funded so far.
More details continue to emerge on Mass Effect: Andromeda, with the latest information regarding the types of missions you can find outside of the main storyline.
We've heard previously how loyalty missions are making a return, but they'll be less tied to the core story of the game--director Mac Walters has described them as "much more optional" this time around. And while BioWare has suggested those missions will now do more to mix up the standard Mass Effect formula, they'll hardly be the only side activity you can take part in.
Game Informer has now shared the details of some of those. There are the more expected options, like exploring worlds with Andromeda's new Nomad vehicle, as well as other things that you might not want to jump into haphazardly.
"On most planets there is some level of hostile force, and usually that will be represented by enemy bases or hideouts or whatever you want to call them specific to that planet," producer Mike Gamble said.
Walters added, "These bases are pretty lengthy to take out, so if you approach one, you want to be prepared before you into it. It's fun, because there's a combination of systemic and scripted stuff in there. If you tip off too many enemies, the alarms start going off and you have to shut them off. And there's usually narrative tied around it."
Another task that will require some level of preparation are giant bosses you can fight.
"You'll find creatures and encounters that are so far over-leveled to where you're at naturally on these areas and you can tell right away," Gamble explained. "We have a lot of other things like that, where you'll know that you're not ready for this, but you'll know you want to come back."
Elsewhere on planets, you'll find areas or objects you can scan, which sends information back to your ship to be analyzed. This can, in turn, be used to collect items that allow you to craft weapons and armor.
You'll also discover drop zones, which serve as fast-travel points and where you can tweak your loadout in the field. Finding these also provides points of interest on the map, though Gamble said BioWare doesn't "want to just give you map markers to follow."
More Andromeda news should be coming soon, as BioWare and EA will show gameplay during the Game Awards on December 1. Following that, it's due out sometime next spring--possibly on March 21.
You have a lot of choices for Xbox One deals this week, but if you want to secure one right now, there's a solid offer available on eBay today.
The system's 1 TB Xbox One S Gears of War 4 bundle is currently going for $270, $80 less than it normally goes for. Most places are taking $50 off the price of 1 TB Xbox One S bundles, so this saves you an extra $30.
It should be noted, this is $20 more than some of the the 500 GB bundles will be available for this week. But that hard drive space fills up quickly, and Gears of War 4 is definitely worth a look if you're a shooter fan.
This offer is available through antonline, which is a well-regarded eBay seller. Free shipping is available.
A Good Bundle, as it's simply called, brings together games from 115 different developers for an enormous bundle to support charity. "A bunch of creators are sharing their works to combat some of the ugliness in our world," reads the description.
100 percent of the proceeds will be split evenly between the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood, two worthwhile non-profit groups that have been in the spotlight since the recent US elections.
$20 gets you the complete DRM-free bundle, consisting of 151 titles in all (saving you $451 over their regular prices), including Gone Home, The Novelist, and We Are Doomed. Drop down to $8 and you get 125 of them (saving $114), while even just $2 gets you 89 of them. A number of them can be played in your browser. Many support Mac and Linux, though you'll want a Windows computer to be able to play them all.
The bundle is available from now until 12 PM PST on November 29.
Gears of War 4 and Recore are Xbox Play Anywhere titles for Xbox One and PC, so if you buy the game digitally on one platform, you'll have access to it (along with saves and progress) on the other.
For more on both games, read GameSpot's reviews through the links below.
Black Friday proper is almost here. To help you prepare for the shopping bonanza, we've put together roundups of the best deals we could find. Hit the links below to see all the best deals.
Sony's PlayStation Experience event takes place next week in Anaheim, California. Ahead of that, the company today announced that it's bringing more than 100 games to the show that attendees can play, including unreleased games like Horizon: Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7, and The Last Guardian.
As Naughty Dog separately announced earlier this week, Uncharted 4's Survival mode will be playable as well, alongside Persona 5 and GT Sport. You can see a preliminary list of games below, spanning 96 games. In a PlayStation Blog post, Sony teased that the list contains the games the company is allowed to discuss, suggesting the four-plus others are unannounced.
The PlayStation Experience keynote address will take place at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on December 3. Sony hasn't said what to expect, though new God of War footage has been ruled out. Presumably, the keynote will be livestreamed.
Sony also announced all the developer panels that will be held at PlayStation Experience. There will be three on the show's first day, December 3, though all of these are without details, suggesting they could be for unannounced games. On December 4, there will be three panels, the first of which (10 AM PT) is focused on Horizon: Zero Dawn. The developer will provide an "inside look" at the game during this talk, though no other specifics were provided.
Next up, at 12 PM, will be a live recording of the Kinda Funny: PS I Love You XOXO podcast, while the third panel that day (2 PM) is titled "Accessibiliy: Making Games for All Gamers." This panel will see some of the "top minds" from the accessibility community, as well as members of the PlayStation and Naughty Dog teams, discuss best practices for accessibility gaming features.
In other news, the Capcom Cup 2016 and Call of Duty World League professional gaming events will take place during PlayStation Experience. Go to the PlayStation Blog to see a rundown of events.
PlayStation Experience 2016 takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California. You can buy tickets right here. The Game Awards 2016 take place earlier in the week, on December 1.
PlayStation Experience Confirmed Games:
2064: Read Only Memories
3on3 Freestyle
Aaero
Ace Combat 7
Batman: Arkham VR
Bound
Boundless
Brawlhalla
Chasm
Cosmic Star Heroine
Cryptark
Death Tales
Death's Gambit
Destiny: Rise of Iron
Disc Jam
Divide
Drawn to Death
EarthNight
Eitr
Eve Valkyrie
Everything
Fallen Legion
Fantasy Strike
Farpoint
Flinthook
For Honor
Full Throttle Remastered
Future Unfolding
FutureGrind
Gang Beasts
Garou: Mark of the Wolves
GNOG
Graceful Explosion Machine
Gravity Rush 2
GT Sport
Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone
Heart Forth, Alicia
Here They Lie
Horizon Zero Dawn
Human: Fall Flat
I Expect You To Die
Jenny LeClue: Detectivú
Just Shapes & Beats
Killing Floor 2
Knights and Bikes
Let It Die
Loot Rascals
Mages of Mystralia
Masquerada: Songs and Shadows
MLB The Show (presumably 17)
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
Monsters and Monocles
Mosaic
NBA 2KVR
Nidhogg 2
Night in the Woods
Nioh
Obduction
Orcs Must Die! Unchained
Persona 5
Plague Road
Pox Nora
Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin
Pyre
Rain World
Rainbow Six Siege
Randall
Ray's the Dead
Refactor
Resident Evil 7 biohazard
RIGS Mechanized Combat League (PS VR)
Robinson: The Journey (PS VR)
Salt and Sanctuary
Shadow Warrior 2
Shakedown: Hawaii
SmuggleCraft
Snake Pass
Sniper Ghost Warrior 3
Sonic Mania
Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: Scarif
Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One: X-wing VR Mission
Being such a silly game, Saints Row IV would seem to lend itself to modding, and yet that hasn't been officially supported in the three-plus years since its release. That's no longer the case, with Volition announcing that mod and Steam Workshop support have been added to the open-world game.
"There were many challenges in implementing Steam Workshop support since the game was not originally designed to support modding," the company said in its announcement. "A handful of dedicated Volition devs worked on this in their free time to update the engine and remove memory restrictions, as well as finding a way for individual mods to interact and work correctly with each other without the need for running special tools. It was all a labor of love for our fans, and we're incredibly excited to see the crazy content you come up with!"
Amazingly, this screenshot doesn't include any mods
Given the feature hasn't been available for long, the mod selection is somewhat slim, though you can find a flamethrower guitar weapon, new clothing options, and additional companions to keep you from feeling lonely. As with other games that support Steam Workshop, the process of installing mods is incredibly simple.
Currently, Steam Workshop support is only available for the Windows version. Volition says it hopes to announce Linux support "soon."
Saints Row IV is currently discounted on Steam as part of the newly launched autumn sale. It costs $3.74, with its complete edition (dubbed the Game of the Century edition) going for $5.
The Season 7 premiere of AMC's The Walking Dead drew more than 17 million viewers, which came close to matching an all-time high for the show. Since then, however, viewership has dropped every week, with the latest chapter, Sunday's Episode 5, seeing the worst viewership since 2013's Season 3.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the viewership dropoff was followed this downward trend: Episode 2 (12.5 million), Episode 3 (11.7 million), Episode 4 (11.4 million), and Episode 5 (11 million).
While The Walking Dead's ratings may be on the decline this season, it's important to note that the show is still a ratings juggernaut. Episode 5 had an adult demo rating of 5.1, which was bigger than any other cable TV show that day.
"So, they're kind of a hundred percent in the dark, which I guess is pretty remarkable, and I would probably say it's a testament to the trust that AMC has in me," he said. "I mean, I guess to a certain extent, at this point, the comic book is kind of a workshop of future seasons of the show, and it's fun to think that I can just completely torpedo the story if I wanted to."
In October, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling announced that there will be at least five Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films. Now, producer David Heyman has confirmed the idea to tell the story across five films came from Rowling herself and explained why it was necessary.
"She has such a great knowledge and a deep knowledge of this world," Heyman told IGN about the wider Harry Potter universe. "Nothing happens by chance, as it were. One of the reasons for the success of the [Harry Potter] books is it's such a richly conceived world. So she knew Newt's story many years ago when she wrote the textbook. So she knew his history; knew what his story was; knew where he'd come from; knew the adventures that he went on. So it was [J.K. Rowling] who made the decision [to make five movies] and she told us a couple of weeks ago."
The first film, which stars Eddie Redmayne as magizoologist Newt Scamander, opened in theaters last weekend and had a strong debut. The first sequel, due in 2018, will be set in Paris and feature Dumbledore and the evil wizard Grindelwald, who will be played by Johnny Depp.
Rowling herself revealed earlier this month to Variety (see the video below) that Fantastic Beasts was originally conceived as a trilogy. Though after fleshing out the script, she thought five movies might be better. Even five movies will apparently be a tight squeeze to tell the story she wants to.
"It's pretty ambitious to tell it in five to be honest because we're spanning 19 years, but I can see an arc to five--so that's how it happened."
The first Fantastic Beasts is set in 1926, which means the story will wrap up in 1945, at the end of World War II. Intriguingly, that's the year when Dumbledore and Grindelwald have their famous showdown (via Movie Pilot). This suggests that the fan-favorite character Dumbledore will have a major role to play in the sequels. Warner Bros. has not yet announced who will play the great wizard in the movies.
19 years may sound familiar to Harry Potter fans, as that's the same amount of time that existed between the end of the events of the Harry Potter series and the epilogue.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren't really singular "days" anymore, they're more a week of deals spread out across the US Thanksgiving holiday period. If you're looking for a specific deal on a console or game, or just a general holiday gift, Black Friday weekend is generally the best time to buy.
To help you out, we've rounded up the various articles and highlighted some of the very best deals we've found so far. If there's anything we missed or that you think needs a special call out, let us know in the comments below!
Of course, GOG's sale and Steam's sale are the de facto place to buy all of your discounted games, but we've also rounded up some great deals on monitors, mice, and keyboards. Good deals here will depend on your budget and what kind of components you're looking to upgrade on your current rig, but if you want to start building a machine from scratch on a budget, Black Friday is a good day to start. Highlights include:
If you already know where you're going to camp out this holiday, or you just want a store specific breakdown, here are our retailer-specific round-ups:
Microsoft and Nintendo worked together for Minecraft's Wii U version, and it's possible this relationship could lead to future partnerships between the rival companies. Xbox executive Phil Spencer said in a new interview that Nintendo's lineup of first-party franchises is second to none in gaming, and that he would "love to see Mario on Xbox" someday if that could be worked out.
"Nintendo has the strongest first-party of anybody," Spencer told AusGamers. "They're just fantastic and the memories that they have instilled in so many of us, who've played their games and had those delightful experiences, having those on Xbox would be great."
Discussing the decision to bring Minecraft to Wii U, Spencer said some might have questioned the company's decision to launch a first-party franchise on a competing console. But, as Spencer has said in the past, he said that working with Nintendo has been "great," and he hopes their partnership can continue.
"Continuing to work with them on that and building a stronger relationship... I mean if that paid dividends down the road that lead to something else, that would be fantastic," Spencer said. "I know I get questions all the time on would I ever like to see Banjo in Super Smash Bros. And I'm like, 'Yes, I would do that in a second.' If we ever had a chance to work with them in the future, I would absolutely do it."
Also during the sale, Valve is taking nominations for the first-ever Steam Awards, which are coming in December. You can nominate any game in a variety of unusual categories, such as "Whoa, Dude" and "I'm Not Crying, There's Something in My Eye." Taking part in the nomination process can earn you a special badge, with each level of it providing you with Steam XP.
Both the sale and nomination process run from now until 10 AM PST on November 29. For more offers, check out our roundup of the best Black Friday PC gaming deals. Some of the prices you'll find there beat what's available on Steam; for instance, Civilization VI will be $40 at GameStop, $14 less than the $54 it's going for on Steam.
Check out deals on other platforms through the links below:
Black Friday is later this week, and with numerous sales flyers in our hands, we know many of the deals you can expect. We've rounded up many of the best for PS4, Xbox One, Wii U/3DS, and entertainment, and now we're taking a look at all manner of things for PCs. What you'll find below is not entirely comprehensive; more deals will pop up later this week, especially once Amazon's offers go live.
As with all Black Friday deals, you'll want to check with each retailer for specific availability. Be sure to let us know what you plan on getting or if you've found any better deals in the comments below!
Games
Steam's Autumn sale is now underway until November 29. [Full details]
GOG's Black Friday sale has already begun, offering DRM-free games on the cheap. [Full details]
The Xbox Store's sale began last week for Xbox Live Gold members and has since opened to all Xbox Live members. While it primarily consists of Xbox One and Xbox 360 games, there are some PC games in there too. They include Play Anywhere games like Gears of War 4, Forza Horizon 3, and ReCore that get you access on both Xbox One and PC. [Full details]
GameStop's flyer mentions that its digital games store will offer up to 75% off PC game downloads, but we don't have a specific list yet.
Vive's Viveport app store is offering $10 in credit when you spend $30 or more between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. [Full details]
Overwatch -- $35 (Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop)
Civilization VI -- $40 (GameStop) / $45 (Best Buy)
World of Warcraft -- $5 (GameStop)
StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void -- $20 (GameStop)
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm -- $10 (GameStop)Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty -- $10 (GameStop)
[UPDATE] Ubisoft has confirmed we'll be getting more information on year two of Rainbow Six Siege before the end of 2016.
In an interview with PCGamesN, Ubisoft's vice president of live operations Anne Blondel said, "We'll be announcing much more about year two in the weeks to come, but I would hate to spoil what they have in store for the game."
When asked specifically if we'll hear more details on the upcoming DLC plan before the year's end, she replied, "Yes, absolutely."
Original story follows.
Ubisoft confirmed via Twitter today that Rainbow Six Siege would receive another full year of content.
The past year has been an incredible journey, and we are excited to have you join us for another full year of content! pic.twitter.com/2W9youloDJ
Updated November 23 with details on Nintendo's eShop sale.
With Black Friday just days away, we already know many of the gaming deals you can expect to see this year. If you were hoping the combination of the Switch's announcement and Black Friday would drive some good Wii U system deals, it looks like you may be out of luck.
While there aren't quite as many deals of interest to Nintendo fans as those on other platforms, there are still some worthwhile deals for both Wii U and 3DS. We've rounded up some of the best for you below. Keep in mind that stock (and timing) may be limited, and that not every game on sale has necessarily been listed in the flyers. We also don't yet know what deals will pop up on Amazon and elsewhere.
Be sure to let us know what you plan on getting or if you've found any better deals in the comments below! And don't forget to check out our roundups of PS4, Xbox One, PC, and entertainment deals.
Hardware
$100 New 3DS
Nintendo advertised this one well in advance of Black Friday, revealing it will offer two special-edition versions of the New 3DS for $100 at select retailers. Mind you, this is not the larger New 3DS XL, but it is the cheapest that this system has ever been offered for, and you get to choose from two exclusive designs. [Full details]
Software
Nintendo kicked off its eShop sale on November 23. It runs until December 5 and offers cheap prices on digital copies of games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD and Monster Hunter Generations.
Meijer is offering select 3DS games for $20-$30: Mario Kart 7, Super Smash Bros., Super Mario 3D Land, Kirby: Planet Robobot, and The Legend of Zelda: TriForce Heroes.
Toys R Us has all games that cost $19.99 or less available 2 for $25.
Wii U
Splatoon -- $35 (Walmart)
Super Mario Maker -- $40 (Toys R Us)
Pikmin 3 -- $15 (Walmart)
NES Remix Pack -- $15 (Walmart)
Minecraft -- $20 (Toys R Us)
Pokken Tournament -- $35 (Target)
Disney Infinity Starter Packs -- $10 (Toys R Us)
Lego Dimensions Starter Pack -- $39 (Walmart) $40 (Best Buy, GameStop, Target, Toys R Us, Fred Meyer)
Lego Dimensions fun packs -- $10 (Target) / 3 for $20 (Toys R Us)
With Sony and Microsoft's respective Black Friday digital game sales already underway, Nintendo today kicked off a promotion of its own.
Select Wii U and 3DS games are now on sale on the eShop, offering discounts of up to 50 percent. In terms of sheer quantity, the sale isn't a huge one, but it does offer some solid deals, particularly considering Nintendo's digital games don't often go on sale.
