The next big update for Overwatch is now available, introducing the Horizon Lunar Colony map for all players. It also makes some significant balance changes that Roadhog players are unhappy about, along with other tweaks and fixes.
The Horizon Lunar Colony map, which was first announced in May, is set on the moon. A portion of the map includes a low-gravity area, but this functionality extends to other maps. When creating a Custom Game, you can now adjust both player and projectile gravity to make for a much different sort of experience on any map.
In terms of character updates, Roadhog's is the most significant. The hitbox for his head has been shrunk to improve his survivability, but his primary change comes to his weapon. The Scrap Gun's clip size is now five (up from four) and can fire 30% faster, but each bullet's damage has been reduced by 33%. This reduces the effectiveness of his hook combo, but Blizzard says it "keep[s] his DPS roughly the same."
Reaper also sees a fairly significant change. Rather than being able to pick up health orbs after an enemy dies, he now regains health as he deals damage--specifically, 20% of the damage dealt is returned to him as health. McCree's Ultimate also sees an adjustment, as you'll only have to wait 0.2 seconds (rather than 0.8) to begin locking on. The damage dealt during the first 1.0 seconds has meanwhile been increased, going from 20 to 80. After the 1 second mark, the damage is unchanged.
The UI also sees a number of tweaks, including the removal of the Rate This Match option, which Blizzard has deemed less than useful. The Damage Done stat has been replaced by Hero Damage Done in "multiple locations," while averages are now calculated based on 10-minute "slices," instead of on a per-game basis.
You can check out all of the UI additions and adjustments, along with a long list of bug fixes and other changes, in the patch notes here. The update is out now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
The expansion adds over 140 new cards, namely 12 new Pokemon-GX, which have higher HP and stronger attacks than their normal versions. Pokemon added include Alolan Pokemon Necrozma-GX, Tapu Fini-GX, and Marshadow as well as Machamp-GX, Charizard-GX, Darkrai-GX, and Ho-Oh-GX. See two of the new cards below.
The expansion also adds six full-art Supporter cards featuring "important human characters," most likely from Team Skull. However, there are no previews available for those cards yet, so it remains to be seen how they'll affect the kinds of decks you can build.
The Sun & Moon series was released in February with a base expansion that introduced Pokemon-GX and Alolan Pokemon to the game. It was followed by the Guardians Rising expansion in May, which added 12 new Pokemon-GX cards and a number of full-art cards.
Rainbow Six Siege's next patch, version 2.1, is now available on all platforms. It's positioned as the "first major title update" coming as part of the ongoing Operation Health initiative, the aim of which is to improve the "overall Rainbow Six Siege experience."
In terms of update 2.1's major focuses, there are no big surprises, as Ubisoft has previewed the changes that are to come. That doesn't make them any less welcome, though. 2.1 introduces One-Step Matchmaking, which "means more stability and faster matchmaking results." Ubisoft describes it as a "giant step towards better performance and faster queue times."
Interactive Matchmaking is also new, allowing you to freely browse the menus while waiting for a match. You can purchase new Operators, tweak your loadouts, and so on, all of which could previously only be done if you hadn't yet entered a matchmaking queue. Following a match, you and your party can vote to go back to the menu, re-enter matchmaking, or continue with your current group.
In terms of gameplay itself, the previously discussed hitbox changes have been implemented. Put simply, players will no longer suffer damage when they take hits to things that should not hurt them, such as baggy clothing or accessories. This is true for all existing and future Operators. Ubisoft says it "will allow for a full artistic freedom on character models and customization without a heavy impact on gameplay balancing."
On the balance side, Glaz has been deemed too effective, particularly in high-level play. As a result, his weapon's damage has been reduced and his accuracy lowered when firing repeatedly. "At short distance especially, defenders will take more body shots before dying to the Dragunov," Ubisoft says. This and some changes to the availability of smoke grenades are discussed in detail on the Siege website.
Other changes include resolving certain exploits, such as being able to melee kill someone through Mira's mirror. Three locations where spawn kills are possible have also been addressed (shown in the images above), and others will be targeted in future updates. You can check out all of the other bug fixes in the patch notes below. For the full rundown on the update, head here.
The game's next patch will be update 2.2.2. Ubisoft says this will "issues with Hibana, smoke grenade replication, aiming consistency, Alpha Pack deployment, and other long-persisting issues. However, it should be noted that a lot of what we are working on regarding gameplay fixes will be arriving in Season 3."
Rainbow Six Siege Patch 2.1 Main Bug Fixes
Gameplay
Fixed - Players are able to melee others through Mira's One Way Mirror.
Fixed - Audio from Impact grenades does not always trigger properly.
Fixed - Players receiving Timeout error 6-0x00001000 when first connect to server on creating squad.
Fixed - Nitro Cell does not deal damage if placed on the vans of Consulate.
Fixed - Players will sometimes not see a prompt for "To Enter" when rappelling.
Fixed - Defenders are registered as outside on the Master Bedroom door frame on House.
Operators
Kapkan
Fixed - EDD cannot be deployed in certain locations.
Fixed - EDD is difficult to deploy on doorframes when an object is nearby.
Fixed - The prompt to deploy the EDD is only available in a small angle on certain windows.
Fixed - EDD is hidden when placed at the bottom of the Geisha room doorway.
Caveira
Fixed - Caveira will sometimes use a placeholder audio bark when throwing an Impact grenade.
IQ
Fixed - Friendly gadgets are detected when using the RED MK III "Spectre".
Game Modes
Terrorist Hunt
Fixed - AI pathing on Club House.
Fixed - AI pathing on Chalet.
Level Design
Skyscraper
Fixed - Geisha room floor is unbreakable.
Fixed - The floor surrounding the trapdoor in Geisha room cannot be destroyed properly.
Fixed - Defuser cannot be placed on multiple locations due to objects.
Fixed - Black Eye cameras are able to float in mid-air in the Wine Cellar once all bottles are broken.
Fixed - Stairs in 1F Toilet do not have bullet collision, and damage can be dealt through them.
Fixed - Attackers can reach an inaccessible location while being pushed in rappel, causing players to fall out of bounds.
Fixed - Carpets on the second floor are unbreakable.
Fixed - Kapkan's EDD clips through the lamp on the right side of the window in 2F Geisha Room.
Border
Fixed - Ramps at the top of stairs flicker, and present a graphical glitch.
Fixed - Glowstick prevents a Defuser plant in 2F Armory Locker Room.
Fixed - Gadgets cannot be placed on wall in 1F Customs Inspections room.
Fixed - Defuser cannot be placed on the metal steps in the Server Room.
Fixed - Players are able to climb onto the handrail in the stairs of Main Hallway, and then vault into the scaffolding.
Fixed - There is a gap between the walls located in 2F Security Room, allowing players to fire on 1F VIP Section.
Chalet
Fixed - Tree and flower pots do not have collision at 1F Main Entrance, and allow players to shoot through walls to the Snowmobile Garage corridor.
Fixed - Operators do not take damage from Nitro Cells or grenades when rappelling from 2F Bedroom Terrance.
Fixed - Players are able to shoot through the floor in Master Bedroom and kill enemies outside.
Fixed - Defenders are able to spawn kill Attackers spawning at Campfire.
Plane
Fixed - A small flag prevents the placement of the Defuser in Executive Office.
Fixed - Players are able to vault through the top of the plane using a deployable shield.
Fixed - Drones are able to break collision with the partially destroyed ceiling near the entrance of 2F Front Hallway.
Fixed - When player 1 is running and crouching on a prone player 2 at the same place, player 1 will have an advantage.
Clubhouse
Fixed - Broom prevents Defuser placement in Church.
Fixed - Defuser cannot be placed on dumbbells in 2F Gym.
Fixed - Players do not receive damage from a Nitro Cell if it is thrown against the brick wall near the jukebox.
Fixed - The vault option does not appear on the bar counter in the Strip Club.
Fixed - Players are able to shoot through the metal frame of the barred windows in 1F Garage.
Fixed - Location indicator is missing in the room with the destructible wall that is next to 2F Secret Stash.
University
Fixed - Defuser cannot be planted in multiple locations.
Fixed - Some gadgets cannot be placed near the trapdoor found in Model Hall.
Fixed - Floor above the furnace can be destroyed from above and players are then able to place gadgets and cameras within the Furnace. These gadgets and cameras cannot be seen from the outside.
Fixed - University nameplates can be shot through, but not destroyed.
Fixed - Players are able to shoot through the ceiling of the Service Room.
Fixed - Defenders can be detected if crouched near a partially destroyed wall in 2F Model Hall.
House
Fixed - Players are able to shoot from EXT Patio towards Laundry Room, through non-LOS objects.
Fixed - Valkyrie is able to place her cameras between walls, and see through them.
Kanal
Fixed - Defenders are able to have line of sight on the Attacker Spawn point from CC3F Control Room Window.
Consulate
Fixed - Defenders have a direct line of sight into the Side Entrance spawn point by jumping outside from Visa Office.
Fixed - Players are able to vault over a deployable shield onto the metal pipes found under Service Stairs.
Coastline
Fixed - Attackers are able to vault from the exterior canopy inside the 2F Penthouse room.
Fixed - Invisible collision is present around the flowers of 2F Hallway.
Fixed - Defenders are able to shoot through the guitar supports located in 2F Hall of Fame and kill Attackers.
Hereford
Fixed - Players are able to shoot through the lower half dividers in 1F Dining Room.
Fixed - Vaulting through the window from 2F Office that is partially destroyed will result in the Operator remaining stuck.
Oregon
Fixed - Players will not receive any damage from a detonated Nitro Cell if they are on the bed in 2F Small Dorms.
Fixed - There is a seam gap on the ceiling of Tower Stairs.
Fixed - Players are able to fire through a gap between the walls of 1F Office.
Fixed - Players are able to break collision with the freezer in 1F Pantry.
Fixed - A wall reinforcement in the Supply Room does not fully cover the wall.
Fixed - Players are able to reach an inaccessible area in the Boiler Room.
Fixed - Metal decals appear even though bullets do not penetrate through the big dresser in 2F Kids' Room.
Bank
Fixed - Drones are able to clip through the ceiling of Bank Garage.
Fixed - Walking over the box in 1F Archives will interrupt the Secure Area process.
Fixed - Drone can be placed on top of pipes in Garage to see through all floors.
User Experience
Fixed - Jackal's default and Photon uniforms are different from their thumbnails.
Darkest Dungeon, the gothic horror RPG from Red Hook Studios, has released its first DLC expansion. The Crimson Court allows players to jump into a new, parallel campaign, designed to be played alongside the main story.
The expansion tells the story of the Crimson Curse, which is spreading across the estate and bringing new enemies to familiar regions. It also introduces a new environment called The Courtyard, full of "unique curios, traps, and obstacles, a complete faction of new blood-crazed foes lie in wait, overseen by three distinct boss encounters," according to the DLC's description.
"These slavering enemies and epic encounters will introduce new combat mechanics, testing the limits of your favorite strategies." In addition to the new campaign and dungeon, The Crimson Court introduces a bunch of new game mechanics too, including:
A new hero class--"Awash in blood and delusion, they bear the burden of a thousand lifetimes"
A full faction of new enemies
5 new bosses with some of the most complex and devious mechanics yet
A new wandering boss: The Fanatic
Districts: 10 new buildings to upgrade your Hamlet
Massive, sprawling maps with locked doors, prisoner rooms, and progress saves
Lore-driven trinket sets for all heroes, with set bonuses
The Crimson Court DLC is now available on PC for $10, and the original is on sale on Steam right now for $10 too. The original game is available on PlayStation 4 and PS Vita, but there's no word on when the expansion is coming for those consoles.
When it was released, critics praised its unique approach to dungeon-crawler gameplay (adding elements of survival horror) and its dark art style. GameSpot reviewer Daniel Starkey called it a "richly satisfying and wonderfully executed masterpiece," and you can read his full review here.
Developer Crowbar Collective has been working on the final sections of Black Mesa, a Half-Life remake, since 2015. Today, however, the studio announced that those sections--set on the alien world Xen--have been delayed to December.
The studio released an update on its Steam forums that detailed the delay to Xen, alongside the first in-game screenshots of the external world, one of which you can see below. Crowbar Collective explained that it realized that it couldn't ensure the quality it hoped for by this summer, when the area was originally scheduled to be released.
"We know that this is not what anyone would want to hear, but after taking a long and hard look at what we want to achieve, we have decided that this is for the best," the post reads. "We do not want to compromise on Xen's quality in any way. That said, we consider December to be a do-or-die deadline."
The developer also provided some updates regarding its progress on the game. The studio has revamped the game's lighting system to support "fully dynamic lights." In addition, Black Mesa has received color correction to soften some of the more saturated colors. Finally, Crowbar Collective fixed broken weapon holding animations. You can read more about the development progress here.
Black Mesa has been in development and even playable for quite some time. The first portions of the game were released for free back in 2012, and a more complete, paid version entered early access on Steam in 2015. Since then, the game has been almost finished--except for the Xen levels. You can see other images of Xen below, and you can currently try out the unfinished version of the game for $20 over on Steam.
After making its home on 3DS for the past five years, Capcom is bringing the Monster Hunter series back to home consoles with Monster Hunter: World, which is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in early 2018 (with a PC release following soon afterward). Unveiled during Sony's E3 2017 press conference, World looks like something of a departure for the series, introducing new elements like camouflage and a grappling hook-like weapon that add a whole new layer of strategy to the way players approach a hunt.
In addition to the live demo we got to witness at E3, GameSpot got a chance to speak with Monster Hunter producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and executive director Kaname Fujioka via an interpreter about the new title. We asked the developers about their decision to bring Monster Hunter back to home consoles, as well as what new elements players can expect to find in the upcoming installment.
GameSpot: What made you decide to bring this particular installment to home consoles after the most recent ones have been on handhelds?
Ryozo Tsujimoto: The series has been going for about 13 years now, so it's quite long in the tooth, but we felt it was a good time to start reevaluating the series and what we want to do with the next title. It was a good opportunity at this particular time because the current generation of technology is so powerful that it will allow us to express a much more dynamic, living world than we've ever been able to before. So when we had that concept in place, it seemed to make sense at this time to take advantage of home console hardware and bring Monster Hunter back to consoles. It's going to let us have a lot more dynamism and monster behavior, more realistic AI, and complex interactions between monsters. Everything, the timing, just seemed to be right for us.
As far as how the game is structured, are all the individual areas of the map still segmented as they were in the older titles? Or has moving to home consoles allowed you make a more seamless world this time around?
Tsujimoto: We still have the idea that there are numbered zones, different locales in the map, but they are seamless. There's no loading screen between individual areas. It's created as each map is one whole area. That's something that has led us to flowing on from that change, making certain key quality-of-life improvements that make more sense within the concept. For example, in the past, whenever you used potions or similar items, your character stopped and did animations and it was kind of the strategy of what do you prioritize. You have to run out of the area and make a loading screen happen, and now that you're in a clear area you have a chance to take your potion. Now that there's no loading screen, it made sense to make it possible to drink potions while you're walking and other things like that. It's an exciting change to the way the maps work. It's really brought in a domino effect on other parts of the gameplay. But it's still at its core a Monster Hunter experience.
I think both of those styles are Monster Hunter gameplay. It's just that you have to make sure that the entirety of the gameplay system works within the context of what you've done with the maps. That's how we approached it.
Has moving to more powerful consoles allowed you to include more elements that you weren't able to achieve before on weaker hardware?
Kaname Fujioka: The power of the current generation of hardware has really let us make these seamless environments come to life, whether it's just literally the graphical detail, more detailed structures with everything like plants and smaller animals and creatures, up to the big monsters. But when it comes to the fact that we've got more complex 3D geography in the maps, with lots of verticality, that means the more complex the environment gets, the more you have to work on the computation of the monster behavior to make it move around those environments realistically because it's not just moving on a flat plane. It's got to climb complex inclines, jump down cliffs, and things like that. To add all those things together into one living, breathing ecosystem, it really does take the power of the current generation.
How long has Monster Hunter: World been in development?
Fujioka: I think over three years, at the moment. We also had period of about a year when we were first kicking off the project prototyping the concept of what we wanted to do.
Does Monster Hunter: World build off the elements that were introduced in Monster Hunter Generations, like the Hunting Styles and Hunter Arts? Are they going to appear in this game, as well?
Tsujimoto: The Hunter Arts and Hunting Styles from Generations are not featured. Those were part of the concept of that title. That was kind of a celebration of Monster Hunter history to that point. One of the focuses of that title was flashy, unique action style, which was going to make everyone pick which one of the four styles they wanted to use. That was that concept. Every title we make, we have a key concept, and from that flows forth the gameplay decisions. That doesn't necessary mean that once you made a decision for one game it makes sense to just bring wholesale all those elements back into the next one. So, as I said earlier, World, the name itself, is the concept for our new title. It's a comprehensive, detailed, vivid, living, breathing world that you're just going to dive right into as a hunter. That's where all of our gameplay decisions flowed from.
Fujioka: We want you to think about this world and also use it. It's something you can use strategically as part of your hunting strategy. You've got this new sub-weapon or sub-tool called the Slinger. It's something you can use not just to hook shot off of parts of the environment, but you can pick up rocks and things and use it to fire them out or even create distractions. You'll also be able to use it to cause environmental effects which damage the monster. Thinking about the world that way, as an aspect of your actual hunting action, is a concept we wanted to go for this time. That's something that's just separate from what we did on Generations.
There was one weapon in the game's debut trailer that looked kind of like a machine gun. Are there going to be new types of weapons that change your fighting styles in this game?
Fujioka: It's the same 14 weapon classes that are in the existing series. It's separated into blades and guns, as usual. What you saw in the trailer was actually a special kind of ammo mode for the heavy bowgun. It's not a separate machine gun weapon. When you load up a certain kind of special ammo, you've got a certain amount of time in which you can create this machine gun damage effect. But we haven't added a machine gun. It's within the same construct within the existing weapon classes.
Every weapon has been reevaluated, re-looked at, with new moves, new combos. So even if you're a veteran hunter and you know your favorite weapon really well, you're going to have a lot of fun diving in and finding out what's new and what's changed.
As far as online play goes, is that going to be restricted by region, or will it be opened up to let you hunt with players from other regions as well?
Tsujimoto: It's first-ever worldwide global servers, part of the "world" concept. You can team up with anyone from around the world to go hunting with. Of course, if you choose to filter it by, say, language, you can limit your search as well. But, yeah, you can for the first time ever combine Europe, American, and Japanese servers into one.
That sounds more ambitious than previous titles. Has it been more difficult on the server side to ensure that players can team up with other hunters from all around the world?
Tsujimoto: We were totally ready to take on that approach from the start, because in the past Monster Hunter has usually released first in Japan. You've got a period of time [before] Western releases. I think the shortest was six months for Generations, but often up to close to a year before the Western version comes out. We knew right away from the start for this game we wanted to have a simultaneous global launch window for the title. We're planning to do that for World in early 2018. When you do that, it just makes so much sense. The title is releasing everywhere at the same time, then you want to make all the players be able to play with each other. So we have taken appropriate steps since the beginning of the project to be ready to bring global servers for online quests.
Will Monster Hunter: World also feature PS4 Pro or Xbox One X support?
Tsujimoto: Yeah, we're planning to support both Xbox One X and PS4 Pro. It's great to see the specs are finally coming out for Xbox One X. So, yeah, we're gearing up to bring you guys support for those platforms.
In Monster Hunter Generations and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, there were a lot of really fun collaboration items and gear. Can we expect those in Monster Hunter: World as well?
Tsujimoto: Yeah, we were looking at bring some fun collaborations to you. It's the kind of situation where, because we just announced the title a couple days ago, we can't even go talk to the guys we want to collaborate with until the veil of secrecy is lifted at E3. [Laughs] So we're going to try to bring something fun for you guys.
Capcom and Bandai Namco have entered into a cross-licensing agreement "related to online matching in properties such as the Street Fighter series." Capcom says the goal is to improve the "user experience" for the player, and it specifically focuses on online matchmaking.
Capcom and Bandai Namco's deal will also "[accelerate] the production of titles and [reduce] development costs for both parties...Capcom aims to effectively utilize the patents it has been granted in game series such as Street Fighter in order to deliver even more exciting content to game players," the developer said.
Earlier this year, Bandai Namco stopped development on its game Tekken x Street Fighter, a joint project with Capcom. The game director, Katsuhiro Harada, said the developers didn't want to "split these communities," stating the game was now on hold. Tekken x Street Fighter was supposed to be a follow-up to Capcom's game Street Fighter x Tekken, which was released in 2012.
For the latest news and updates on Street Fighter V and Tekken 7, check out our full coverage right here on GameSpot.
Price of entry is one of the main barriers holding some people back from picking up their own VR headset. Sony's PlayStation VR aims to be a lower-priced option compared to its PC counterparts, but it's still an expensive purchase. At the moment, however, its cost is a bit more palatable.
Over on eBay, Newegg is selling the $400 PSVR for only $300. Discounts on the headset have not been commonplace, and this might well be the cheapest that a new version of the headset has been sold for since its launch last October.
Shipping on this deal is free, and Newegg is a reputable seller, but the offer is only available to those in the United States. It's unclear how long this discount will be available for, so you should act quickly if you're interested.
An important thing to note is that this doesn't come with anything but the headset itself--you'll still need a PS4 and a PS4 camera at a bare minimum. PlayStation Move controllers (two of which are included with $500 PSVR bundles) are optional but do often enhance the experience. You can GameSpot's PSVR review for more details.
With Hitman developer IO Interactive having recently secured its independence, it's now looking to attract new players to the game. As of today, you can play a chunk of Hitman for free.
The game's first location, the ICA Facility, can now be downloaded and played in its entirety without paying a cent. This is not a stripped-down version, either; IO says it includes "absolutely everything" that's been released for the location, which includes two story missions, two Escalation Contracts, 40-plus challenges, and 17 Achievements/Trophies. You also have access to all ICA Facility missions designed by other players in Contracts mode.
This portion of the game is available on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. Should you decide to pick up the full thing, you can carry over the progress made in the free version. IO notes that deals on the game are forthcoming; it's already discounted on the Xbox Store for $24, with Steam and PlayStation Store sales presumably coming later today.
Although the ICA Facility is not the game's best level, it does provide a good sense of what to expect from the game overall. You can also read GameSpot's full Hitman review, which scores the game an 8/10.
IO Interactive has said before that this season of Hitman was expected to be the first of several, but that was called into question recently when Square Enix said it planned to sell the developer. Last week, it was revealed that IO is instead going independent and will retain the rights to the Hitman series.
You can download the free version of Hitman through the links below:
During Microsoft's press conference at E3 2017, Square Enix debuted Life is Strange: Before The Storm, a prequel to the critically acclaimed episodic series developed by Dontnod Entertainment. Unlike the original series, however, Before The Storm is being handled by Deck Nine, which has turned back the clock to tell the story of Chloe Price, the rambunctious, blue-haired friend to Max Caulfield in Life is Strange.
The series will depict a time when Chloe's life falls apart following the death of her father. It will allow players to guide her decisions as she attempts to find herself and recenter. Core to this story is her complicated relationship with Rachel Amber, who is key to making Chloe the person we know from Life is Strange.
During E3 GameSpot spoke to Life is Strange: Before The Storm's lead writer Zak Gariss about Deck Nine's involvement in the Life is Strange series, the decision to return to Arcadia Bay, and why it felt Chloe's story was an important one to tell.
You're a new studio to Life is Strange but are no doubt aware of the legacy and the fandom it has. How did it feel to be brought on board, was it nerve wracking? Did you feel up to the challenge?
It was extraordinary. All of the above that you just described. We're all huge fans of the first game. So getting the part from Square and jump into the Life is Strange universe and write these characters that are so vivid and so loved from what Dontnod created is tremendous pressure, and a privilege simultaneously. And it's been an absolute joy.
How much input did you have on the direction of the prequel? I consider the first Life is Strange to be a great self-contained story, but you're returning to Arcadia Bay. Where did that decision come from?
I think it's Square responding to what the fans were asking for. The community's so big and so vocal and their passion for what Life is Strange is and has become, I think that really speaks to what Dontnod achieved with the first game. But Square loves the community and they love the game and I think they wanted to meet that desire from fans to kinda go back to Arcadia Bay and see something new in there that's gonna feel both familiar and at the same time, maybe shocking.
Is there ever a worry that you might be over-explaining? I like that there was a mystery to the relationship between Chloe and Rachel and the details were personal. I knew something complex happened there but the fact that I wasn't privy to the everything gave texture to the character and relationship. And now that you're going back to it and really laying it all out, do you think that that is a risk that you guys might be taking away some of the magic there?
I think in the sense that you were ... We're taking something that in the first game was very private to Chloe. She didn't even tell Max the details of her relationship with Rachel, like you're hinting at. We just know that Rachel was hugely important. Not how, not in what way, not why. So we are unveiling that for the player and absolutely I think there could be a risk to that in the sense that we're asking the player to take what was Chloe's and make it their own. And we're very deliberately, in the story that we're telling, not attempting to lay out for the player what Chloe's relationship was with Rachel. Rather, we give the player an opportunity to navigate that relationship for themselves. And to make decisions that form kind of what that looks like and what that means to them.
What's really interesting is when Chloe appears in the first game she's a strong, guiding influence that helps define Max in a lot of ways. And now we're seeing her when she's vulnerable and in need of guidance. Rachel is there too, but she seems like she also doesn't have a stable grasp of herself. You've got two people who are kind of both adrift. Can you talk a bit about why you went with that dynamic?
I think that's a very keen observation. Yeah, our Chloe is a lot more vulnerable than the Chloe from the first game. She's younger, she's 16. She's closer to the detonation, after her father's death blew apart her life, right? She's alienated, she's all alone. And we're examining what it's like when Rachel shows up in Chloe's life like a comet. We're looking at these two people who are seemingly opposite, with Chloe being at the bottom of the Blackwell social ladder, really kind of adrift, really lost. Rachel being the top, loved by everyone. This mythic character from the first game. And we're actually kind of shattering that illusion and we're exploring how, oh yeah, the girl who looks like she has all her life together? No no, she's broken too. And the girl who's absolutely obviously broken, no no, she's strong. And there is unique ways in which both girls kind of desperately need each other in this particular moment in their lives. And in that way, we're really excited to just be exploring this universal aspect of human connection. How everyone, I think at a certain moment in time in their life might have that one person who just kind of walks in and kind of changes their world.
Life is Strange had a profound effect on so many people who identified with characters and issues in the game. As someone who's now creating the next chapter, how much do you think about the audience and the issues you could address? Do you want to target issues and try to help people through them or is it just like, "We're gonna write a story, and whatever issues arise, we'll tackle them"?
Yeah, I think that's a really good question. We think about this every day. I think Life is Strange had a real courage in how it put a lens on social and personal issues. What we might call small issues in Hollywood, but are actually quite huge because they're real. They're about what our lives are actually about. It's incredibly courageous. It is the franchise's prerogative to do that, and the impact that it's had on lives is sacred.
Deck Nine and Square Enix take that really, really seriously. So we've pursued that same kind of courage, topics that are personal, that are impactful. And we strive to be thoughtful about how we're doing that. I would never be presumptuous to want to tell people how to identify themselves or solve their problems, right? But I think good art asks tough questions. And asking tough questions creates dialogue, creates connection, and that can empower people to kind of find the answers they need. So that's very much what we're hoping will happen with Before the Storm.
We're exploring how, oh yeah, the girl who looks like she has all her life together? No no, she's broken too. And the girl who's absolutely obviously broken, no no, she's strong.
One of the major changes you've made is to remove the supernatural element of Life is Strange. Max had the ability to rewind time and Chloe does not have that kind of ability. What was the thinking there?
Yeah, I'll say we stripped away the power from the player character. That we definitely did. The supernatural does live in our Arcadia Bay. We have a lot of surreality to the world, a very Twin Peaks style of normalcy, masking strangeness, right? And we think that was core to the first experience and we've really embraced that. But yeah, choosing not to have a power Max has, the rewind, it felt like it was really fitting for Max. But for Chloe, it's a different story, it's about a different part in a person's life. Different lessons that she's learning for her personality and for what we're examining. We felt like having to really double down on the discomfort about, "You're gonna make a choice and you're just gonna have to live with the consequences of that." That felt really right for Chloe.
Max's ability formed the meat of the gameplay in Life is Strange since the puzzle solving involved figuring out the logic behind the situation, unraveling it, and then putting it back together to create a scenario that works for you. Without that sort of mechanic what does gameplay in Before The Storm entail, beyond speaking to people and making decisions?
Yeah. So I think you'll see a lot of puzzles. A lot of gameplay is not just cinematics. Chloe will find herself in all sorts of situations, and from a puzzle standpoint and a gameplay standpoint and a narrative standpoint, these situations feel very right for Chloe. Did you see the demo?
Yeah.
Yeah, right. So the mill is an example. That's a place Max would never go to. Chloe will fight her way inside. She actually has to fight her way inside, there are a variety of ways she can accomplish that. The gameplay can accommodate success or failure in different paths. But they're fitting to her because the environment is reflective of her personality and the consequences and the nature of those puzzles, without spoiling the gameplay features ... Will really map on to Chloe's kind of, more aggressive, more in your face, approach to things. She's more of a wrecking ball than Max was.
By the end of Life is Strange there was a villain character. Is that going to be the same for Before the Storm? It seems like you guys are trying to shine the spotlight on these two characters specifically and how they navigate the world instead of creating a bad guy, so to speak.
Yeah, so, the content that we've shared with the public so far is very much just about Chloe and Rachel and kind of setting the foundation of the game and the context of the relationship. But that world that you're describing, that we're gonna see in Arcadia Bay, it's going to have a variety of characters who will be more and less wholesome depending on the choices you make. One thing that the franchise strives to do, and we definitely are striving to do with Before the Storm is embrace the kind of gray space where all characters have something sympathetic about them. All characters have vulnerability to them. And many characters have really problematic aspects of their personality. We're trying to avoid pure evil, but rather just sort of examine humanity in its good, in its bad, and how messy that can be.
So there won't necessarily be someone positioned as a villain, but someone could be interpreted as one based on actions?
I think that's fair to say.
What engine is this being developed on?
So we've used Unity to develop. And we use our own proprietary narrative design tools that we call StoryForge, which is a combination of a script writing software that looks like Final Draft but contains code. So our staff writers actually write in code, dialogue and code to create branching structures that exports directly into a second part of the tools called StoryTeller which is a cinematic design tool that our cinematic artists use to light and block, insert camera frames and timing, and keyframe objects to create the cinematic elements. This is something our studio has been developing for years.
Okay, so it's all your own tech?
In house. Yeah.
And you've emulated the style of Life is Strange. Are you planning to diverge any? You've got this sort of clean, soft style which typifies Max a lot for me. She was this young, innocent character finding her way in the world. Whereas Chloe seems to be this more aggressive, boisterous figure. Are you going to be playing with how the game is presented to reflect that?
Yeah, so there's certain elements of visual style that we do play with to say that, "You're in Chloe's shoes, you're not in Max's shoes." But then there are core elements which we don't because we feel like they're really core to the franchise experience, the franchise as a whole. I mean it's a very, almost surreal kind of painted world. And we really wanted to keep en masse ... We think it's one of those charming things about the first game. But in terms of the spaces you're going to, yes, sometimes they'll feel a lot darker, a lot more malevolent just because Chloe's story's gonna be a little different here.
Where did the decision to do three episodes came from? I felt Life is Strange had a very slow start. Its writing and characters didn't really hit their stride until a few episodes in. Is this a case of trying avoid that to make it tighter experience with three episodes?
That's a good question. Yeah, it wasn't an attempt to deviate from anything that Dontnod did with the first game. We actually kind of broke the story at a high level, deliberately agnostic of any length. We wanted to say, "What's the story that we're most interested in, that we're most passionate about? Okay, what does that feel like?" Does it feel like a four episode story, a three episode story, a five episode story ... And it just landed on three episodes. Which is six to nine hours of content.
Those five or so episodes that made up the original game felt like a much longer journey. Does Before The Storm have a similar journey-like feel, even with just three episodes?
Yeah, I think we're deliberately telling ... In many ways we're telling a smaller, more intimate story then what season one covered. I mean we're not ... It's not cataclysmic in a lot of ways that I think the kind of quantum effects of Max's power created. We're looking at grief. Grief in a 16 year old's life. I think it will feel like a journey, but not necessarily an odyssey.
You mentioned the cataclysm and, by the nature of it being prequel, you're segueing into Max's story. So will we have any sort of like connective tissue between the two games?
Yeah, you might be surprised at where connective tissue manifests. It certainly will in a lot of ways. Our story will talk to and intersect with the world of the first story. But we're setting it far enough before that the entirety of our narrative, the mystery, the tension and obstacles, the climax, it'll all live in such a way that I think that fans from the first game will still be surprised and challenged by some of the decisions that they're gonna have to make. And ultimately where the story ends up going.
While it may not be a proper expansion pack, Diablo III is in line to receive some major new content very soon with the Rise of the Necromancer pack. This DLC, the core component of which is the new Necromancer class, finally has a release date and is slated to launch on June 27.
The pack is priced at $15 and will be available following the release of the 2.6.0 update on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Console players who don't yet own the game can pick up Diablo III: Eternal Collection, which bundles the pack with the existing Ultimate Evil Edition. This carries a price tag of $60 but will be available for a limited time for $40. Blizzard did not specify how long this introductory pricing would last for.
Rise of the Necromancer adds the Necromancer class, which is based on the fan-favorite one from Diablo II. It can be played in both the campaign and Adventure mode like any other character. The pack also includes a number of other, less significant components, most of which are previewed in the video above. There's a non-combat pet, set of cosmetic wings, banner customization options, portrait frame, and pennant. Players also get two more character slots and stash tabs, although the latter is only available to PC players.
All of this will be accessible once the Rise of the Necromancer pack goes up for sale, which will be once maintenance on June 27 is complete. You can see the exact schedule for this here; on PC it starts at 10 AM PT / 1PM ET in North America and at 11 PM CEST in Europe. On consoles, it starts at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 5 PM CEST.
Even if you don't purchase the new pack, you'll still be getting new content with the release of the 2.6.0 update next week if you own the Reaper of Souls expansion. The Shrouded Moors and Temple of the Firstborn zones, the Realms of Fate, and Challenge Rifts all release for free as part of the patch.
Microsoft has unveiled the latest round of deals on the Xbox Store. A number of these require an Xbox Live Gold subscription, but many more are open to all Xbox Live members.
On Xbox One, everyone can pick up Hitman's first season for just $24, or individual episodes for $4 each. Also available to all are Rogue Legacy for $3.75, Crypt of the NecroDancer for $5, IDARB for $3, and Smite's Ultimate God Pack (consisting of all existing and future characters) for $20. Gold members can also grab Farming Simulator 17 for $30.
Jurassic World was one of the biggest hits of recent years, and although director Colin Trevorrow chose not to return to direct the sequel, he is heavily involved as a writer and producer. He has now been speaking about what fans can expect from Jurassic World 2.
Trevorrow appeared on the HappySadConfused podcast, and explained that the film he had written for director J.A. Bayona was very different from what he might have done for himself.
"It is by far my favorite creative collaboration that I've ever been involved in," he said, via Collider. "Bayona is a completely different kind of filmmaker and thinker than I am, yet we do have a lot of things in common. I was able to craft something specifically for another filmmaker that I admire. I built a Spanish horror thriller with dinosaurs in it that I probably wouldn't have built for myself."
Trevorrow went on to state that he thought Jurassic World 2 would be even better than the first one. "I think that it's gonna be a better movie. I just do," he said. "It's just deeper, it's more character-based, it definitely leans into suspense especially in the second half.
"I've started to see stuff come together and it's just insane. I apologize to those who thought they were never gonna need to see another Jurassic World movie, because I think J.A. Bayona is gonna prove [them] wrong."
The film stars Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt once more, and they will be joined by James Cromwell, Toby Jones, and Rafe Spall. Jeff Goldbum, who starred in the original Jurassic Park, will also reprise his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm.
Jurassic World 2 opens on June 22, 2018. The first on-set image was revealed in March--check it out here.
Jurassic World currently stands as the fourth biggest movie of all time, bringing in $1.6 billion at the global box office. It was the first new entry in the series since 2001's Jurassic Park III. The franchise is based on Michael Crichton's 1990 novel.
The sequel to the 2014 monster movie hit Godzilla has started production, and new details about the film have been released. It will be the next part of Legendary's interconnected MonsterVerse, following Godzilla and this year's Kong: Skull Island, and will see the iconic creature face off against a host of fearsome beasts.
Although the movie was previously titled Godzilla: King of Monsters, the latest press release does not use that title, implying that it might change. But in any case, a new synopsis does reveal that fans can expect appearances from several other monsters from the classic Japanese Godzilla movies, including Mothra and Rodan.
The synopsis reads: "The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species--thought to be mere myths--rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity's very existence hanging in the balance."
In addition, Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts tweeted a new image to celebrate the start of Godzilla 2's production, featuring him and Godzilla director Gareth Edwards hard at work. Check it out below:
To celebrate GODZILLA 2 starting filming - Gareth Edwards & I went to Skull Island to wish everyone luck...No one bothered to show up. Help! pic.twitter.com/XgfihfZ4UF
Godzilla 2will be directed by Michael Dougherty. Dougherty previously helmed the Christmas-themed horror movie Krampus, and as a writer, he worked on Bryan Singer's superhero movies X-Men 2 and Superman Returns. Edwards was originally scheduled to helm the project, but he dropped out last year.
The movie stars Vera Farmiga, Bradley Whitford, Thomas Middleditch, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Aisha Hinds, and Zhang Ziyi, plus Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown. It hits theaters on March 22, 2019.
A new Nintendo Switch update is now available, bringing with it a range of new features as well as overall performance improvements. Crucially, the update addresses an issue with certain TVs that caused HDMI inputs to change when the Switch was docked in sleep mode.
Other features introduced as part of the update include the ability to add friends from your Nintendo 3DS and Wii U friends list, locate nearby paired controllers by making them vibrate, and use a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller through a wired connection. Take a look at the full patch notes below, courtesy of Nintendo.
Added System Functionality
Register a channel to receive News for specific games
To register, head to News > Find Channels
Add friends from your Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Friend Lists
To add friends, head to your My Page on the top left of the Home Menu > Friend Suggestions
Receive notifications when your Friends go online
To turn this ON/OFF, head to System Settings > Notifications > Friend Notifications
Find paired controllers within communication range by activating the vibration feature
To search, head to Controllers > Find Controllers
Change the user icon order on the Home Menu
To change order, head to System Settings > Users > Change Order
Select from 6 new Splatoon 2 characters for user icon
To edit your user icon, head to your My Page on the top left of the Home Menu > Profile
Change the system volume from the Quick Settings
To access Quick Settings, hold down the HOME Button
Lower the maximum volume for headphone or speakers connected to the audio jack
To lower the max headphone volume, head to System Settings > System > Lower Max Headphone Volume * This settings will be ON when Parental Controls are enabled
Change display colors to Invert Colors or Grayscale
To use this feature, head to System Settings > System > Change Display Colors
Use the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller via wired communication by connecting the USB charging cable
To enable, head to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Pro Controller Wired Communication * The NFC touchpoint on the Pro Controller will be disabled while the controller is using wired communication.
Update connected controllers
To update, head to System Settings > Controllers and Sensors > Update Controllers
Added a feature that suggests deletion of software data if there is insufficient space when downloading other software
To use this feature, head to System Settings > Data Management > Quick Archive * User save data is not deleted
General System Stability Improvements
Resolved an issue that caused game software updates to fail and prevented the software from starting
Improvements to prevent unintended HDMI input change with certain TVs while the console is docked in Sleep Mode
In other Nintendo Switch news, a replica SNES controller for the handheld and console hybrid is in development. The SNES30 Pro features Bluetooth, USB-C, rumble vibration, motion controls, and player indicator LEDs and, of course, looks like a classic SNES controller. Check it out here.
In an update posted on the Kickstarter project page, developers iNiS J and NanaOn-Sha thanked people for their support but said they "must sadly accept that our crowd-funding journey must end here."
The statement continues: "We knew that sourcing funds for a high-quality rhythm-action game would be tough, and though we knew that Project Rap Rabbit would be an incredible game, unfortunately we weren't able to do enough to prove that to the wider world."
The developers added that they "are not in the position to be able to fund further production for a crowd-funding relaunch involving a title deeper in development" and wouldn't want to scale back their vision for the game. As a result, "work on Project Rap Rabbit cannot continue at this time."
Despite the seemingly definitive end to Project Rap Rabbit, iNiS J and NanaOn-Sha indicated they haven't given up on the game entirely and that recent meetings at E3 may help give the project a future.
"Though our Kickstarter campaign hasn't gone the way we'd intended, our early stages of development have left us more determined than ever to bring Project Rap Rabbit to life. While you didn't see Project Rap Rabbit at any conferences or booths during E3 week, we had a very, very busy E3 filled with meetings about our vision for the future of rhythm-action.
"So what happens next?," the update adds. "At this moment it's far too early to say, but thanks in part to your overwhelming support we know that our vision for Project Rap Rabbit hasn't gone unnoticed."
The game was set to follow Toto-Maru, a rabbit and farm boy, and his sidekick Otama-Maru on their quest to save the world. The planet is becoming an increasingly hostile place thanks to "overlords." The heroes needed to create peace by "embracing the strength of music and by using the magic of rhythm and rhyme." The art style was inspired by 16th century Japan, and promised to blend traditional Japanese artwork and modern rap culture.
Project Rap Rabbit was initially planned for release on PlayStation 4 and PC. The team later committed to making a version of the game for Nintendo Switch if they exceed their goal and raise $1.5 million.
Attack on Titan season three will air in 2018, it has been announced. This will come as good news to fans of the series, who previously had to endure a four year wait between season one and season two.
The news was revealed through a very short teaser, which you can watch below. The video flips through artwork from the anime series, before ending on the message, "Behold, the sea."
Season 2 of Attack on Titan began airing in April 2017 and concluded with its 12th episode on June 17. Season two of the series comprised half the amount of episodes as the first season, and as of yet it remains unclear how many episodes season three will include.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Master Mode will utilise a separate set of save data slots, according to Nintendo's official website for the game. The site indicates that Master Mode save slots will be distinct from the other difficulties, but notes that "you can only make use of two save data slots compared to six save data slots available in Normal Mode."
Master Mode is being released as part of the game's Master Trials DLC. Along with the new hard mode, the DLC will include Trial of the Sword and the Heroes Path Mode. The former is a survival-like gameplay mode where players start without any armour or weapons but must defeat the enemies in each room to progress. The reward is to "awaken the power of the Master Sword, and it will always be in its glowing powered-up state while usable."
The latter, meanwhile, tracks every step you make across Hyrule, allowing players to get a better understanding of where they have explored and haven't.
Other additions coming as part of the Master Trials include the Travel Medallion, which lets you create a single temporary gate to "travel gate anywhere that you can stand on the map." New Armour inspired by Majora's Mask, Midna's Helmet, Phantom Armor, and Tingle's outfit will also be included.
Finally, and perhaps most excitingly, is the Korok Mask, which will help players find the 900 Koroks hiding around Hyrule. When close to a Korok, the mask will shake to let you know it's nearby.
The Master Trials comes out June 30 and is the first of two DLCs announced (the other will be called The Champion's Ballad, but doesn't have a release date yet). For all the details on the upcoming expansion, check out the links below:
Episode Prompto, the next DLC chapter for Final Fantasy XV, will be available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from June 27, Square Enix has announced. In the new story-focused chapter Prompto, one of the main game's primary protagonists, becomes "separated from the group and [finds himself] alone in an arctic environment."
Players will "experience an untold story as Prompto fights to discover the truth behind his origins and to take control of his own fate," according to Square Enix.
A trailer for Episode Prompto shows that gameplay is focused on third-person shooting, which makes sense given Prompto's expertise with firearms. Across the episode players will have access to handguns, rifles, and rocket launchers. The trailer also reveals there will be a bike-riding segment and cameos from a few characters that are also featured in the main game.
At E3 2017, a VR fishing game set in the Final Fantasy XV universe was revealed. It is called "Monsters of the Deep," and is set to launch September 2017 for PlayStation VR. For more PlayStation news from E3, check out our roundup of Sony's E3 press conference news. Other announcements included a new Monster Hunter game and Skyrim VR for PS4.
Today, the NPD Group released monthly sales figures for video games in the US along with vital information on the state of the industry. For the month of May, the Warner Bros. Interactive fighter based on DC Comics all-stars Injustice 2 took the top spot. The previous month's top seller, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, took second place while the four-year-old Grand Theft Auto V took third.
Zelda: Breath of the Wild hit fourth place despite the limited availability of Switch consoles and relatively small Wii U player base. Prey reached the top five in its release month, but digital sales weren't factored into its placement (Zelda and Mario Kart as well).
Injustice 2, the best-selling game of May 2017.
Compared to May of last year, game sales are down 20% to $271 million, which is largely due to high profile 2016 releases like Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Overwatch, and Doom. However, overall year-to-date sales remain flat at $1.9 billion. Portable game sales shot up 10% compared to May 2016, which can be attributed to the launch of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia.
Take note that NPD's data is incomplete since digital sales are left out in many cases; figures for Prey, Overwatch, and games on Nintendo platforms are all affected.
As for the top selling games so far in 2017, Grand Theft Auto V overtook both Mass Effect: Andromeda and Resident Evil 7 to reach fifth. Injustice 2 also slid into the ninth spot with MLB 17: The Show dropping out of the top 10. And in the 12-month rolling period to May 2017, GTA V went up one spot by switching places with Overwatch.
NPD's video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella stated, "Total video game spending in May 2017, which includes hardware, software and accessories, fell 11% versus year ago to $542 million. Spending growth in hardware and accessories was offset by a decline in software spending driven by a lighter new release slate when compared to May 2016."
For more information on the state of gaming hardware, check out our story on NPD's data for US hardware sales in May 2017.
May 2017 Top 10 Games (All Platforms)
*Titles marked with an asterisk do not include digital sales*
As is the norm, we didn't get exact sales figures, so it's unclear exactly how much the PS4 topped Switch by; Switch had sold 280,000 units in the US during April. There was also no mention of the NES Classic Edition's performance. The system was the No. 2 seller in April behind Switch, but it was also discontinued that month.
Overall, hardware sales reached $147 million for the month, an increase of 7%. This is attributed to Switch, which NPD analyst Mat Piscatella described as the "primary catalyst for hardware spending gains." For the year overall, hardware spending is up 18% according to NPD data. Piscatella noted that spending on consoles has offset a decline in portable sales.
Total sales across the industry in the US were actually down 11% for the month, dropping to $542 million from $610 million a year ago. That's due to a big drop in software sales, which were down 20% year-over-year to $271 million from $339 million. PC software sales were down 48% to $23 million from $12 million, though keep in mind this--like much of NPD's data--is not a complete picture, as it doesn't include Battle.net sales, for one. The decline in software can be attributed at least in part to a difficult comparison with last year's releases, which included Overwatch and Uncharted 4.
On the accessories side, sales were roughly flat at $112 million (up from $111 million). Controller sales were up 6%, with the Switch Pro Controller being the month's top seller. In terms of software, the debuting Injustice 2 came out in the top spot, with two Switch games making the top five. You can check out the full May 2017 top 10 here.
The annual E3 gaming convention is now over, but we're still digging through our video footage for content we might have missed. One interesting find was the cosplay video featured above.
Long-time readers may remember when E3 prominently featured costumed booth attendants, sometimes with very little connection to the company's products (and even less clothing). But after 2006, when "booth babes" were banned from the convention, costumes overall also fell away. However, with the show now open to the public, a lot more people were willing to dress-up and show off their costume-making skills.
While there's nowhere near the number of costumed attendees that you'll find at a convention like Comic-Con or Blizzcon, the creations at E3 were nonetheless a lot of fun. You can see a sampling of some of the professional and personal cosplay in the gallery below. If the trend continues, you can be sure that there'll be even more next year.
The recent shutdown of Grand Theft Auto V tool OpenIV--which is used to power numerous PC mods--has not gone over well with players. Although Rockstar parent company Take-Two says it wasn't targeting single-player mods, players have lashed out via negative reviews on Steam, where the game's recent review average is now labeled as "overwhelmingly negative."
Of the 42,000 user reviews written in the past 30 days, only 13% have been positive--a staggeringly low number for what is a pretty widely acclaimed game. This has also brought the Overall rating (which encompasses all reviews dating back to launch) down to "mixed," with 67% of reviews being positive.
Looking at specific reviews, there have been a surge of those calling out Rockstar for its shutdown of OpenIV. Thousands of users have marked these reviews as helpful, ensuring they are the first to surface on the game's store page. The top review has seen more than 22,000 people (about 97%) mark it as helpful. It simply states, "On behalf of the OpenIV team, **** you," with hearts in place of the asterisks.
The Iron Man Mark V mod is among the many to use OpenIV
Since it was first published, the top review has been edited to add a link to a petition on Change.org, which calls for Rockstar to allow OpenIV to continue. It claims, "All modding used by OpenIV is for single-player use only to make the game more enjoyable, the software OpenIV was never used to mod multiplayer or Grand Theft Auto Online so it does not harm anyone."
"Take-Two's actions were not specifically targeting single-player mods," it said last week. "Unfortunately OpenIV enables recent malicious mods that allow harassment of players and interfere with the GTA Online experience for everybody. We are working to figure out how we can continue to support the creative community without negatively impacting our players."
It's unclear what effect, if any, the petition will have. It's garnered just over 55,000 signatures as of this writing, with a stated goal of 75,000. It's a sizable group of people, but also a fairly small number given GTA V has shipped more than 80 million units. Single-player mods, while popular, are a fairly small scene, and it seems likely that Take-Two will deem the integrity of GTA Online--which still represents a significant contributor to the company's earnings--more important. We'll report back as the situation develops.
As the trailer above notes, Gun wants to "make up for [the issues] and thank you for your patience" by giving away "cool free s***." The main component of this DLC is a retro version of Jason that comes with new chiptune music created by Mitch Murder. You can get a glimpse of him (and hear some of the music) toward the end of the video.
Also in the DLC is new clothing for every counselor, as well as 13,000 free customization points for all players. Everyone will also be able to partake in a double XP scheduled for this weekend, running from June 23-25. The DLC itself launches tomorrow, June 20.
"Overall, Gun Media is very thankful to our fans, supporters, and those interested in the game," it said in a press release. "We were completely overwhelmed by the amount of users that tried to play at launch, enough to break our servers and force us to upgrade. That process has evened out since then, however we are still working to smooth out the experience even more across all three platforms."
In our Friday the 13th review, Peter Brown wrote, "As of now, a week after launch, it's short on content and performs poorly all around, especially on consoles. The story goes that the developers weren't prepared for amount of people who wanted to jump on day one, but that does little to assuage players who were convinced that they were paying for a finished product. Despite showing potential that may one day be realized, Friday the 13th comes across as an unfinished game that shouldn't have been released in its current state."
The recent launch of early access for Final Fantasy XIV's newest expansion, Stormblood, has seemingly brought a huge influx of players to the game. This has resulted in extremely long queues to log in and play, and Square Enix is continuing to encourage players to transfer away from high-population servers.
FFXIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida has published a post on the game's official website which attempts to explain and apologize for the issues. In short, Worlds (FFXIV's parlance for servers or realms) are reaching their capacity and forcing players to endure log-in queues, which sometimes move very slowly. Despite some speculation that the queues themselves are bugged, they're actually functioning correctly, only allowing more players online once someone else logs off.
"When the number of characters logged into a World has reached its limit, a player can only log in when another player has logged out, in order to avoid Worlds crashing," Yoshida explained. "As a result, it may seem that the queue to log in does not move very quickly. We apologize for the inconvenience, but as the queue to log in is functioning steadily, you will be able to login more quickly if you continue to wait instead of cancelling your queue."
Yoshida noted that, during peak times, these queues can range from 1,000 to 5,000 players. Square Enix is exploring ways to resolve the situation but is encouraging players to consider transferring to a different World.
"We are continuing to assess and work on ways we can increase the number of players that are able to log in without the World crashing," he said. "However, as this requires extremely precise adjustments, we currently need a bit more time. "I am terribly sorry, but since we also have New World and World Population Balancing Incentives at the moment, we would also appreciate if you could please consider using the World Transfer service."
These transfers are offered for free on certain Worlds, with bonuses being offered for both transferring and creating new characters on lower population Worlds. These are detailed in full here.
Square Enix has been updating players on its progress addressing issues over the past few days. An early-access period for Stormblood began on June 16 for anyone who pre-ordered the game, but the floodgates open completely tomorrow, June 20, with the official launch of the expansion. A big patch for the game was recently released, and we got the chance to talk with the company about reinventing the MMO for beginners.
Level-5 rose to prominence as a video game publisher thanks largely to the popularity of its Professor Layton and Yo-Kai Watch franchises, but the company's highest-profile release is arguably Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, a touching and visually stunning collaboration with legendary animators Studio Ghibli. Despite its pedigree, however, the title was ultimately mired by its uneven pacing and clunky battle system. Whether or not Level-5 has addressed the former with its follow-up, Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, remains to be seen, but the developer has certainly revamped the latter, taking a more action-oriented approach to combat for this installment.
Set hundreds of years after the events of the first game, Ni no Kuni II follows the story of Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, the boy-king of Ding Dong Dell. After his throne is usurped in a coup, Evan embarks on a journey to unite the different peoples of Ni no Kuni and build a new kingdom. With the aid of Tani (the daughter of the head of the Sky Pirates) and a mysterious visitor from another world named Roland, he undergoes trials to prove himself worthy to be a king and drive back the darkness that has been engulfing the land.
The demo we got to play on the E3 show floor revolved around two boss battles, showcasing the radical changes Level-5 has made to the series' combat system. In the first Ni no Kuni, players battled foes primarily with the aid of their Familiars--Pokemon-like monsters that could be tamed and evolved when sufficiently leveled. Ni no Kuni II eschews Familiars completely, and in their place are tiny elemental sprites known as Higgledies. Higgledies have a more passive role in battle than Familiars; when a group of them congregate on the battlefield, you can stand in their circle to cast a spell. These spells vary depending upon the type of Higgledies that have gathered together and typically provide buffs and other beneficial attributes to your party for a brief period of time. Fire Higgledies, for instance, grant the party a temporary fire shield, allowing you to withstand flame attacks for the spell's duration.
The lack of Familiars isn't the only difference in Ni no Kuni II's combat system; this time around, battles unfold entirely in real-time. There were traces of real-time elements in the first title; you could maneuver your Familiars freely around the battlefield, but the action would pause while you cycled through menus and issued commands. In Ni no Kuni II, however, Level-5 has done away with battle menus and mapped your attacks to different buttons instead. Evan can unleash weak and strong attacks with his sword by pressing either Square or Triangle, while holding the right trigger brings up four additional (and more powerful) skills to use during combat. There's also a dodge button, allowing you to roll out of the way of enemy attacks. As a result, the game feels much closer to an action-RPG than before. Battles are more immediate and satisfying thanks to their heavier emphasis on action, and each confrontation plays out more briskly without the need to pause the battle and sift through menus.
Of the two battles available in the demo, the more difficult was against a dragon named Longfang. In addition to being the first major boss encounter in Ni no Kuni II, Longfang is one of the "kingmakers" in the game's world--guardian beasts that are assigned to protect the different kingdoms throughout the land. For some mysterious reason, Longfang has begun attacking the kingdom he is charged with protecting, and it falls to Evan and friends to stop his rampage. As the first major obstacle you face in the game, Longfang poses a considerable challenge thanks to his high HP, but the battle with him also illustrates how vital the Higgledies are to your success on the battlefield. Like a typical dragon, Longfang's most powerful attack is spewing fire at your party, and you'll need to cast a fire shield at the right moment to protect yourself from the screen-consuming flames.
It's difficult to tell whether or not Ni no Kuni II will address the other pacing issues that plagued the original when it launches for PlayStation 4 and PC later this year on November 10, but based on the small sampling we got of it at E3, adopting a more action-oriented, real-time battle system is a promising step. You can get a closer look at the revamped battle system in GameSpot's E3 2017 stage show segment with Bandai Namco's Dennis Lee, who showed off the game's E3 demo and discussed some of the other Western influences Level-5 looked to while developing its new Ni no Kuni title.
Among the features on the way to Diablo III in the upcoming patch 2.6.0 are Challenge Rifts. Blizzard has provided new details explaining exactly how they work, and they sound like a good change in pace from the usual style of play.
Challenge Rifts do away with the normal randomization of Diablo in favor of a set experience. A Challenge Rift challenges you to beat another player's Greater Rift run time. The game takes a snapshot of a Greater Rift run--complete with that Rift's layout and the character's gear and skills--and then tasks other players with finishing it more quickly than the original player.
A new Challenge Rift will be released every Monday, and a selection of crafting materials and Blood Shards are available to anyone who can beat the target time. This reward is available only once per week, but you're free to replay the Rift as much as you want, as you'll be able to compete with friends on weekly leaderboards.
As shown in the video above, choosing to take part in a Challenge Rift won't immediately launch you into one. You can first reassign the keys that your skills are assigned to (but not change which skills you have access to) and test the setup out on two groups of enemies: one comprised of a single tough enemy, and one consisting of a bunch of weak enemies.
In addition to patch 2.6.0, the Necromancer Pack is also on the way to Diablo III. This is positioned as a "content pack" rather than an "expansion pack" along the line of Reaper of Souls. Its primary addition is the Necromancer class, which returns from Diablo II. Blizzard recently revealed the Necromancer-specific Legendary effects and Set items that are on the way. You can see the sets in this video or read the details about all of this on Blizzard's website.
Over the past decade, consumers have been moving away from physical copies of movies like DVDs and Blu-rays and embracing a digital market. However, whether you only buy your movies digitally or you use digital codes included with physical copies, there are still a lot of different services to stream movies.
Because of this, it can be hard to find the service that is right for you. Are you an Android or iOS user? Do you prefer to watch on your gaming console? Do you use Apple TV, Roku, or Chromecast? There is no end-all, be-all answer for the best streaming service for new movies. It all depends on your preferences, but some of these services are better than others. Here are some of the most popular services currently available.
Amazon
Amazon Unbox launched in 2006, and the service's name has changed a few times, as well as what it offers. Because its current focus is primarily on streaming on-demand content, including original series, the company's section to purchase and watch movies has fallen a bit by the wayside when compared to its competitors.
Amazon is one of the few companies that supports 4K; however, using the service can be a hassle. It will be easy for Xbox One S users to stream 4K, but it can be complicated with other devices.
Chromecasting is possible but because Amazon does not use Google's Play Store, you have to download the app from a third party, which can open up your device to attack, malware, viruses, etc. It seems the only reason the company is still using the service is to incorporate the Amazon storefront.
Works with:
Xbox One
PS4
iOS
Roku
Apple TV (coming late 2017)
Certain SmartTvs
Cable/Satellite Provider
After allowing its subscribers to rent movies for years, finally cable and satellite providers are offering its users the ability to purchase movies that can be watched at any time. In addition, some companies are allowing you to watch your purchased movies on the go.
4K support is rolling out for for man cable and satellite providers. However, Comcast does not offer 4K through its set-top boxes, and the only way to get it is to use its app on LG and Samsung smart TVs. Regardless, buying movies through cable and satellite is incredibly easy, as the purchase gets charged to your monthly bill. That being said, at times, rental and purchase costs can exceed those through other services, like Google Play and Vudu.
In addition, depending on your service's terms, you can lose your purchases if you leave the provider, like with DirectTv. However, the biggest advantage purchasing your movies this way has over everything else is that it doesn't eat up your bandwidth, so you'll never have to worry about hitting your internet data cap.
Works with:
Cable/Satellite set-top boxes
iOS (Depending on provider)
Android (Depending on provider)
CinemaNow
Originally founded in 1999 as one of the original streaming platforms, which also had on-demand viewing, CinemaNow was notably purchased in 2010 by Best Buy and Sonic Solutions. Currently, CinemaNow is owned by FilmOn, a UK-based company.
CinemaNow's app and service has been surpassed by every other service available on the market. The only real positive about the service is that you can link your Ultraviolet account, which is the primary way to redeem digital codes included with physical copies of movies.
Aside from that, the CinemaNow app is a disaster. It's clunky and unresponsive. Streaming movies seems to be an impossibility on both iOS and Android, as we spent two minutes waiting for a movie to load before deciding to back out. It can be watched easily if downloaded to your device though. While the app boasts that it has integration with Chromecast, we could not find out how to cast the movies to a TV from phones, tablets, or the PC.
The biggest blow comes to PlayStation users as CinemaNow is not available for any Sony products.
Works with:
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Android
iOS
Roku
Certain SmartTvs
Consoles
Whether you are on PS4 or Xbox One, you can purchase and rent movies through your system. Both systems have their own storefronts that come with both pluses and minuses.
PlayStation's store has an app available on both Android and iOS, and overall, it offers quick access to your purchased content within an easy-to-use app. Xbox, on the other hand, is not only behind the times but also lacks simple functionality if you want to access your content outside of your console. The only way to watch your content purchased is either on your console, through your PC, or on your Windows phone. It is possible to cast the movies on certain smart TVs, but there are numerous problems with trying to playback movies. Simply put, it's clunky and doesn't perform the most basic of tasks at times.
The biggest upside to purchasing movies this was is that there are great deals every week on movies and collections. However, you can get these same deals through other, more reliable services.
PlayStation Video works with:
PS3
PS4
Android
iOS
Microsoft Movies works with:
Xbox 360
Xbox One
Windows PC
Windows phones
Flixster
Flixster, which was acquired by Fandango in 2016, has gone through a lot of changes in its 10 year history. Originally, the site was the go-to service to watch digital copies you received from purchasing DVDs or Blu-rays, but companies like Ultraviolet have moved towards Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu in the past few years.
It feels like this part of the service is on its way out. Many movies purchased through Vudu will no longer play through the Flixster Video app. In addition, you cannot purchase movies, and there is no console support, which is a huge disappointment considering that the service integrates Rotten Tomatoes--providing detailed movie info--exceptionally well.
Works with:
Android
iOS
Chromecast
Select Samsung SmartTvs
Google Play Movies & TV
One of the top ways to watch and purchase movies is Google Play Movies & TV. If you're an avid Android user, then this will most likely be your go-to service.
The service works on multiple platforms, even on Apple TV. However, the app on iOS can be a little shaky and unresponsive. The biggest problem comes from the fact there is no console support, so you would need a streaming or casting device to watch movies on your television.
As for purchasing movies, much like consoles and Vudu, there are a lot of great deals to purchase movies, which rotate out every week or so. Most importantly, Google Play connects with Disney Movies Anywhere, so you can watch your Marvel Cinematic Universe movies without having to open another app.
Works with:
Chromecast
Roku
Apple TV
iOS
Android
Certain SmartTVs
iTunes
iOS users will be very familiar with iTunes as a go-to service for purchasing and watching movies. The service is automatically integrated into all iOS products, so longtime Apple users will feel very comfortable with using the service.
The biggest problem with using iTunes is that there is no support for playback outside of iOS devices. Movies cannot be Chromecasted or played through Roku. At this time, 4K content is not available.
However, the apps and Apple TV have an easy to use system and the movie store has weekly deals. The pluses heavily outweigh the minuses, even though iTunes is an iOS-only service.
Works with:
iPhone
iPad
Apple TV
Vudu
Finally, there is Vudu, which is one of the best ways to watch and purchase new movies online. While Vudu originally started as a set-top-box service, the company, which was purchased by Walmart in 2010, has an expansive library of movies and television shows, updated weekly, and it was the first streaming service to offer HD movies.
To some people, Walmart being attached to this service may be a turn-off, but without a doubt, this is one of the best services currently available. It is the only one that connects to both Disney Movies Anywhere and Ultraviolet, and it is also the only company that offers free movies, as long as you don't mind ads. In addition, it offers the Vudu Stick, which is a lot like Amazon's Fire Stick. It will allow users to watch movies on the service if they don't have any other way of accessing Vudu.
Much like Google Play and iTunes, there are plenty of deals on movies and collections. Whether you want to watch on your console, Roku, your smart TV, or Chromecast, Vudu has you covered. However, the service is not available on Apple TV, but it will be coming to the device this fall. The iOS app is currently available, but it can be very shaky. That is expected to change this fall as well.
Nintendo Switch players looking for a more retro experience will be happy to know 8Bitdo is making a replica SNES controller built with the system in mind. The SNES30 Pro features Bluetooth, USB-C, rumble vibration, motion controls, and player indicator LEDs--of course, it looks just like a traditional SNES controller. Check it out below.
On the right, you'll also see the Super Famicom-style model, if you'd like to capture the classic Japanese design instead. Both are replacements for the Switch Pro Controller, but they will work on PCs and mobile devices as well. They're slated to be released this holiday season.
There are two other new ways to play Switch (and PC) coming from 8Bitdo too. You can get even more old school with the NES30 Arcade Stick (below).
The company is also releasing the set of speakers below called the Twin Cube Stereo Speakers, to boost the audio experience. They're wireless, but have an AUX input. Both the speakers and the NES Arcade Stick are due out sooner than the SNES-style controllers, coming this fall.
Last month, 8Bitdo updated the firmware on its full library of controllers to make them compatible with Nintendo Switch. Not all the controllers will work perfectly with every Switch game, but the company says the new SNES controllers by the end of the year will be perfect fits for Switch's full library of games.
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