Paragon, Epic Games' PS4 and PC MOBA, is getting a new Hero next week, and this one's a ranged character. Called Wraith, he'll be patched into the game on June 27.
According to Epic, Wraith's specialty is reconnaissance. In the game's lore, Wraith graduated from the Echelon special operations program, where he was taught by another Hero, Kallari. But while Kallari is an assassin, Wraith's abilities focus more on surveilling the battlefield and opposing Heroes. You can see his trailer below.
Two of his abilities are designed to help him reveal the map and see enemies. The first, called "Knock, Knock," is a scope that sees through level geometry. If you kill an enemy Hero or minion, it'll refill the mana cost and reduce the cooldown. The second is "Who's There?" which is a sonar ward that reveals enemy locations.
Wraith also has the "Back it Up" ability, which lets him mark an enemy Hero and transport them back to where they were a few seconds before. Finally, "Surprise, Surprise" lets Wraith "send himself and nearby allies into the Shadow Plane and grant a movement speed boost," according to Epic's blog post.
Wraith is free to all players. His release is in keeping with Epic's promise to add a new Hero every three weeks. The most recent Heroes to be added are Wukong and Phase; Phase came to the game alongside a big update last month.
Dynasty Warriors 9 will add new combat mechanics to familiar hack-and-slash gameplay inside the series' first open world. Koei Tecmo unveiled details on the game today, along with more screenshots and the new trailer above.
The trailer shows the expansive world, filled with mountains and palaces, along with big open plains where players will single-handedly battle hordes of enemies--the hallmark of the series. This time, Dynasty Warriors 9 will add a new combo system to the action; starting with a Trigger Attack, players will follow up with Flow Attacks and finally a Finish Attack that "eradicates any foes caught in its path." Koei Tecmo says the combos will create a thrilling experience that separates the game from its predecessors.
Dynasty Warriors 9 will also have an Interactive Action system, where players interact with the open world around them. You can climb buildings and mountains, use grappling hooks on walls, and make use of objects like oil barrels in battle. Check out some new screenshots showing off the gameplay below.
Release details are still slim for Dynasty Warriors 9. We know a PlayStation 4 version is coming, but Koei Tecmo has yet to say what other systems we can expect the game on. It says we can expect more details on gameplay and a release date sometime in the coming months, so follow our full coverage here on GameSpot for the latest updates.
Star Trek: Bridge Crew aims to let you live out a fantasy of captaining the USS Enterprise, and today that dream just got a bit closer to reality. Ubisoft has announced that the game now has experimental support for the IBM Watson question-answering system. In essence, this means that you're able to order around your crewmates with your voice.
In a press release, Ubisoft announced that the game will support Watson's speech-to-text and Conversation functionality. This support will be in an "experimental beta period" for a currently unspecified amount of time. It's also unclear if this will work on all platforms or just on PC.
Bridge Crew already has full-body avatars and real-time lip-syncing. According to Ubisoft, Watson works with these features to make playing with AI crewmates better and more natural. As the press release explains, "IBM Watson services can be used to operate crews consisting of only AI characters or a mix of AI characters and human teammates without breaking immersion."
Now, the press release states, the game "let[s] players use their voice and natural-language commands to interact with their virtual Starfleet crew members for the ultimate authentic voyage into the final frontier." You can see a trailer for the new functionality above.
After several delays, Bridge Crew released last month on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive. In our 6/10 review, GameSpot critic Justin Clark wrote, "When the game is at its best, the spirit of cooperation between various asymmetrical elements is encouraging--even special. In every other regard, however, Bridge Crew is forgettable the second you pull out of VR."
Disclosure: GameSpot's parent company, CBS, owns the rights to Star Trek.
With June comes E3 and tons of new game announcements, but those games won't be coming out for a while. Thankfully, there's still plenty to play in the coming weeks, from Tekken 7 to Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Below, you can see the biggest June releases as well as a list of some of the most notable games coming out this month. You can also see some recent major releases in the video above.
Tekken 7 is the latest installment in the popular fighting game series. The game sees the Mishima Clan's 20-year blood feud come to its climactic conclusion (complete with military-grade weaponry and big explosions).
Arms is a quirky fighting game from Nintendo. Equip your own combination of extendable arms and start punching--you'll need fast hands or some serious button combo skills to reach the top.
Crash Bandicoot is back with the N. Sane Trilogy, remastered and ready for PS4. They're the same classic games you remember with upgraded graphics and a few small tweaks.
Right on schedule, Valve has launched the annual Summer sale on Steam. It brings discounts on a huge variety of PC games and introduces a new sticker book.
As with the most recent big Steam sales, this doesn't consist of deals that are rotated out on a regular basis. If you're interested in something, you can go ahead and pick it up now without having to worry about a better deal popping up at some other point during the sale.
As per usual, there are far too many games to list here. As the sale has only just come online, you might have trouble seeing the discounted prices right away--assuming you're able to actually get Steam to load, as it's struggling under the inevitable traffic load that accompanies the start of a big sale. Among the many highlights are:
Running alongside the sale is a series of "quests" that allow you to fill in a sticker book each day. Quests task you with doing relatively mundane things on Steam, such as checking out your store preferences, viewing your friend activity page, and going through your Discovery queue. New quests will be introduced each day throughout the sale, but you don't necessarily need to log in every day in order to complete them all. The reward is purely cosmetic and allows you to craft a badge. Summer sale trading cards are not a part of this and are obtained by crafting badges, buying games, or a few other methods. You can check out an FAQ about how this all works here.
The Steam Summer sale runs from now until July 5. HTC is piggybacking off the promotion by launching a sale of its own, offering the Vive for $750 with a bonus $50 Steam gift card, which can be used immediately upon purchase.
King's Knight may not carry the name recognition of Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, but the game nevertheless has an important place in Square Enix's history. The unusual scrolling shooter/RPG hybrid was actually the first title Squaresoft released as an independent company, arriving for the NES and MSX in Japan in 1986 (with a US release following in 1989). It also has a reputation for not being very good, a fact Square Enix would knowingly poke fun at in Final Fantasy XV. In that title, King's Knight isn't a forgotten curio but a worldwide success, and Noctis and his friends are often heard referencing the game and seen playing it on their phones in their downtime.
Wrath of the Dark Dragon, Square Enix's new real-world King's Knight game for mobile, is heavily inspired by the original, though it isn't a remake. According to producer Daisuke Motohashi, Wrath of the Dark Dragon is an original adventure that builds upon the first King's Knight. The game takes places approximately 50 years after the previous title and features revamped visuals and a number of new characters, including the four heroes from the original. Along with the new story quests, the game places a heavier emphasis on RPG elements, with different gear to equip across five different job classes. It also includes a multiplayer mode that allows up to four players to tackle stages together.
One of the unique gameplay hooks in the first King's Knight was its "formation" mechanic; toward the end of the game, players could control all four characters simultaneously in a diamond formation. Wrath of the Dark Dragon retains this element and expands it to play a more crucial role. This time around, players will unlock different kinds of formations after completing quests in the game's multiplayer mode; when each player fits into these formations, you'll perform summons and unleash special attacks.
King's Knight: Wrath of the Dark Dragon is coming to iOS and Android devices later this year. Like other mobile releases, the game will be free to download and includes optional microtransactions such as new characters and equipment. Wrath of the Dark Dragon is one of two games from the Final Fantasy XV universe releasing this year; the other, Monster of the Deep, is a VR fishing game set to launch in September.
Nintendo has made sure that the Switch dock is seen as a fundamental part of the console--in most pictures, the Switch is seen paired with its TV dock. However, as third-party peripheral manufacturer Nyko has shown, the dock does not need to be nearly as bulky as the official Nintendo one.
Nyko has announced an ultra-portable, stripped-down dock for the Switch, and, if the pictures are to be believed, it can fit in your pocket. It's a lot smaller than the official dock, but according to a report from Ars Technica, it still holds the console securely.
In addition, since you place the console on top of this dock, instead of inside it, you won't have to worry that it'll scratch your Switch's screen. Earlier this year, some users were reporting that the official dock was scratching their Switch. Nyko's dock solves this problem.
It has one downside compared to the bigger dock. It requires a bit more concentration to use; you won't be able to slide the console directly and easily into it like you can with the official version. However, it'll feature everything else that you'd need in a dock, including at least two USB ports. It'll also ship with both USB-C and HDMI cables.
The Portable Docking Kit, as it's called by Nyko, launches in September. Currently, the company estimates the price at $45, although it told Ars Technica that it might drop to $40. An extra Nintendo dock costs $90.
Known for their background in fighting games like DiveKick and Killer Instinct Season 2 & 3, as well as the numerous PC and console ports they've worked on for other studios, Iron Galaxy is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades studio. And now, they're striking out into the character-action sub-genre with Extinction, an action-adventure game that's a bit of twist on the David and Goliath trope--except in this case, David is well-armed and is able to jump and glide across rooftops with ease. During E3, we had the opportunity to check out a pre-alpha build of the game with a walkthrough from the developers at Iron Galaxy.
Taking on the role of Avil, a sentinel trained in the ancient ways of combat, you're tasked with protecting one of the remaining kingdoms from the Ravenii--giant, hulking orcs that aim to topple over the last of the human settlements. Using your magical sword and whip, along with some high-flying parkour skills picked up from your sentinel training, You will have to take down countless Ravenii minions before moving up to the big targets themselves. By scaling the various buildings, you can then climb onto the large creatures themselves, he'll have to target their weak points open themselves up for the killing blow. But as he takes out more Ravenii, more seem to find their way to him, and he'll have to refine his skills as a sentinel to overcome the odds.
Just to get this out of the way, yes, there are many similarities with Extinction and the insanely popular Attack on Titan anime series--which in itself has seen numerous video game adaptations. While the giant-vs-human dynamic with emphasis on melee combat is by far the biggest parallel, the similarities pretty much end there. Extinction focuses much more on solo play, as Avil is largely on his own for much of his encounters. In the story mode, players will go through the campaign, learning more about the world and how Avil and the ancient order of Sentinels fit into it. It's an interesting premise, and I'm curious to see how much it will differentiate itself from AoT.
You will have to use you skills and gear to maneuver around the large, open environment while single-handedly saving citizens from minions and raging Ravenii looking for their next meal. While traversing, Avil will climb and leap across the rooftops around the kingdom in order to catch up to or evade the Ravenii. The giants come in many forms, and they'll charge through buildings and other obstacles--in fully-destructible detail--to take you down. In order to take out the giants, you'll have to charge up Avil's focus by whittling away at the giant's limbs and pieces of armor. By immobilizing the Ravenii, either going for their legs or arms, you will be able to climb your way up to the top of the giant and charge up an attack to deliver the killing blow, severing the giant's head. But you'll have to be quick, as your window of opportunity closes due to the giants' regenerative abilities, giving them their limbs back in moments.
While the objectives mostly boil down to killing a certain number of giants and minions, Extinction opens up more as you progress through the story and various settings. Eventually, the giants will come in more elite variants, such as the gold armor giants who can summon flying minions to distract you as you try to hack off armor pieces in order to get to the meat. Though combat with the giants looks fun, I was disappointed with how bland swordplay with minions looks. Given Iron Galaxy's experience on combat games, I do hope they'll be able to spice it up more. With that said, I really dug the focus on mobility and verticality. Avil has a whip that can grapple onto points scattered through the environment, which makes him come off more of a high-flying acrobat than a knight, but the game works these two play-styles together surprisingly well.
Extinction is looking to be quite the departure for Iron Galaxy. With a full story campaign and additional modes, like the titular Extinction mode--which is their take on horde mode--along with other other diversions in the campaign, I'm very much intrigued by what they've got in store. Though the build we got to see in person was very much in its early phase, I do think Extinction might have something going for it come release around Q1 2018. I look forward to trying out Iron Galaxy's new IP and seeing how far they can push it.
Skull and Bones was announced last week at E3 2017, and our first look at it focused only on its competitive multiplayer. We were able to go hands-on with a five vs. five mode, but it was unclear whether the game would be primarily multiplayer, or if it would also feature a single-player or story mode. Recently, Ubisoft confirmed that, in fact, Skull and Bones will have a narrative campaign.
A Ubisoft representative confirmed the news to PC Gamer but wouldn't give any specifics. "[Skull and Bones] will offer a narrative campaign which will be integrated into the game and will not be something aside of the multiplayer experience," they said. "In this campaign, players will encounter iconic characters and memorable rival pirates. More details will be shared at a later date."
The rep also said that the competitive mode shown off at the convention was just "the tip of the iceberg" for the game.
This is in line with what Ubisoft hinted at during its E3 press conference, when it said that the game would be playable either alone or in a group. Ubisoft has also said that the game will be open world, which makes me hopeful that its non-competitive mode turns out to be deep, robust, and more like Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag than the E3 demo made it seem.
Skull and Bones launches sometime next year for PS4, Xbox One, and PC. You can check out a full multiplayer match here and watch our impressions of the game at the top of the article.
The Jurassic World sequel will be released in exactly one year, and its title has been announced. The movie is called Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and the first poster has been released. Check it out below:
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. One of Goldbum's key lines from the original movie is referenced in the new tagline: "Life finds a way."
Fallen Kingdom is directed by J.A. Bayona, who previously made the horror movie The Orphanage and the recent drama A Monster Calls. Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow chose to helm Star Wars: Episode IX instead of this sequel, but he remains on board as a writer and producer.
Earlier this week, Trevorrow spoke about working with Bayona. "It is by far my favorite creative collaboration that I've ever been involved in," he said. "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."
Jurassic World currently stands as the fourth highest grossing 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.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Howard has signed on to finish the movie. Lord and Miller had been shooting since February, and the film was in the final weeks of production. Howard was one of the first names rumored when the shock news of their exit was announced, and THR states than an official Lucasfilm announcement will happen later today.
Howard is no stranger to big Hollywood blockbusters, having made such hits as Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code. THR states that the director will meet with the cast and review the footage shot so far before a decision is made about what else needs to be filmed. The current schedule allows for another three weeks of principal photography, with five weeks of reshoots planned for later this summer. The movie is set for a May 2018 release.
Although the statement issued by Lucasfilm yesterday suggested that Lord and Miller's exit was an amicable departure based on "creative differences," several subsequent reports have stated that they were in fact fired due to clashes with Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy and co-writer and Star Wars veteran Lawrence Kasdan. Slashfilm reported that the loose, improvisational directing style they brought to their hit Jump Steet movies was at odds with the more structured approach preferred by Kennedy, and that she didn't think their footage "felt like a Star Wars movie."
The Han Solo film stars Alden Ehrenreich as the iconic space smuggler and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, with support from Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke and Thandie Newton. It hits theaters on May 25, 2018.
Is there life beyond Nathan Drake? It's more likely than you think. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy has evolved into a grander quest for treasure than initially envisioned as DLC for Uncharted 4. Chloe and Nadine--two of the toughest characters in the series--have paired up in their own adventure, evading military insurgents, breaking into ancient temples, and escaping assault vehicles that appear to have a life of their own. We sat down with The Lost Legacy game director Kurt Margenau to learn more about this pair as they trek in a post-Nathan Drake Uncharted.
Gamespot: How would you describe the dynamic between Nadine and Chloe and how they complement and contrast each other?
Kurt Margenau: The dynamic between Nadine and Chloe is the core of what brought us to make this game in the first place. We really love Chloe as a character and when we were thinking of making a game with her, we were like, "Who would be a great foil for her personality?" And we also love Nadine from Uncharted 4. She gets the last laugh in some ways as the villain of Uncharted 4. This E3 demo shows the way that Nadine is practical and pragmatic and feeds off everything, and Chloe is more of the treasure hunting, sneaky improvisational type of person. How it comes into gameplay is that Nadine is the big melee fighter just like the physical threat she was in Uncharted 4. Drake and Sam can't even beat her. Why Chloe brings her on board mostly because she kicks ass.
Part of the reason we picked Chloe is because we don't really know that much about her and she's a fun character. She has a fun side and she's in this underworld so it makes sense to fill in some of that. You're going to learn more about her and her past. She's this very self preservation type of person, as is Nadine. That's where they are aligned in a lot of ways. They may learn some things from each other, they may conflict.
And to confirm, you only play as Chloe, correct?
Yes, you play only as Chloe. It's her story and Nadine is her accomplice in some sorts of way, the way we tried before with Nate and Sam. It's that dynamic. But you are going to learn a lot about Nadine too. For us, it's easier to tell a story by just focusing on one character and to have an ally character. In this case, Nadine is filling in and bouncing off our main hero.
Does this take place before or after Uncharted 4?
It's after Uncharted 4. Nadine has fallen from grace as the leader of Shoreline at the end of Uncharted 4. So the events of Uncharted 4 directly influence where Nadine is at. There's some little fun callbacks too.
How did this evolve from an Uncharted 4 DLC to a stand alone game?
It just came out of wanting to tell a story with essentially a new character that we don't know that much about. We started putting a story together and we realized that we need more room. We need a bigger space to tell these arcs and really, Chloe deserves her own game. It just got bigger and we started putting it together and we realized, "Oh this is really epic."
Can you give an estimated breakdown on what the spread is on puzzles, exploration, and gunplay?
It's hard to know. We don't try to think about it like that. We know that if the player's doing one thing for too long, they get bored so when we're designing levels, we make sure we mix it up. We're pushing on exploration a little more and we're pushing on some of these things in more extreme ways. If there was one area where we tweaked a little higher it's puzzles. We just have more puzzles per pound in The Lost Legacy than we had in the past. Something like the setting of India and these ancient architectural ruins really allows for us to get back to some of those classic puzzle types.
There is a very almost Spielbergian vibe to the armored assault vehicle that chases Chloe and Nadine in the E3 demo. It's like the son of the vehicle from Uncharted 4.
Yeah, it's a coincidence. It's actually different than the military vehicle on Uncharted 4. We do our research on what types of vehicles would an insurgent leader have access to. We designed it as an awesome action moment.
What was poignant in this E3 demo was how clear it was that Chloe's still busy with action in the foreground while Nadine was busy fending off foes in the background. I assume this form of camera framing was already programmed to the point the you didn't need to swing the camera manually show the dynamism of these action scenes, right?
Yeah, it's totally deliberate. Their relationship is the core of this game. It's about how they work together, how they conflict together, and what are they learning from each other in this journey. Part of that is in combat; Nadine is useful and she's the reason that Chloe hired her for this job. We have a bunch of systems where she's going to see her kick some ass while you're doing your thing.
And can we expect them to interact with that Naughty Dog style of AI self-sufficiency
Yeah, there's a lot of work. We want our characters to feel like characters, not someone you have to babysit or something you give commands to. They're not necessarily a tool that you use as a gameplay element. They are ideally a person that's with you that's reacting to the situation as a person would and they have their own characteristics. We play up Chloe and Nadine's relationship in game play as much as possible.
Those in the market for a PlayStation 4 have a particularly low-priced option available to them right now.
Over on eBay, highly rated seller antonline has discounted the PS4 bundle that includes a copy of Uncharted 4 to just $210. This includes a 500 GB slim version of the system, which normally goes for at least $250. This is functionally identical to the original version of the PS4; it doesn't feature the enhanced horsepower of the PS4 Pro, which supports 4K games.
Free shipping is available, and while it originates in the US, this can be sent to many other countries around the globe. Only a limited number of systems are available, and there's no telling when this deal will expire. If you're interested, you should jump on this as soon as you can.
Following four other game releases in the past week, the Nintendo Switch eShop adds another two today.
First is Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas. This is an action-adventure game that has drawn frequent comparisons to the Zelda series, and indeed, that appears to be what Cornfox & Bros. was going for. Originally released for iOS in 2013, it has since been ported to PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Vita. It features a pleasant soundtrack by Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu, with this Switch version running at 1080p (in docked mode) and 60 FPS. Oceanhorn costs $15.
Today's other new release is the latest ACA Neo Geo game, Fatal Fury 2. Like so many other Neo Geo titles on Switch, it's a fighting game. This one dates back to 1992 and, like its predecessor, features a system where players can move between two planes, allowing them to fight in the foreground or background. It also introduces five new characters. It carries the standard Neo Geo game pricing of $8.
Update 2: Following a delay, Xbox One players also now have access to the new content, including the retro Jason skin that you can see in our recent Friday the 13th livestream. The double XP event begins on all platforms on Friday, June 23.
Update: The free Friday the 13th: The Game update has been released on PS4 and PC, but Xbox One players will have to continue to wait. As explained in a post on the game's Facebook page, the patch did not pass Microsoft's certification process, meaning it will need to be amended and resubmitted. Studio head Wes Keltner explained, "This was due in part to some instability of the new content and the memory leak issue mentioned below."
He then goes on to describe the memory issue that's been plaguing the Xbox One version of the game and apologize for the situation. He also noted, "We're getting some outside help, from other colleagues in the industry that have had this identical problem. This in an effort to speed it up, or at least avoid some hurdles getting to the root of the problem."
Original Story: Friday the 13th: The Game encountered no shortage of server issues following its launch last month, the effects of which are still being felt to some extent. To make up for this, publisher Gun Media has announced it will make the game's first content update available for free.
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."
Like Spider-Man and the X-Men, the Fantastic Four is one of Marvel's key superhero properties whose movie rights are owned by a different studio--in this case, Fox. To date, the studio has made two different film versions of the classic team, but following the failure of 2015's Fantastic Four, it has been unclear what the future holds for the property. It has now been reported that it might be rebooted as a family-friendly film.
According to Bleeding Cool, the studio is looking to move away from the classic line-up to focus instead on Franklin and Valeria, the children of original team members Reed Richards and Susan Storm. The site's sources also state that the Human Torch and The Thing would still be part of the team, and the movie would be much more "kid-centric."
Seth Grahame-Smith is reported to be working on a new script for the movie. Grahame-Smith is best known for the novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, but has also written comics for Marvel and was an uncredited script doctor on the 2015 Fantastic Four. He was also hired to direct DC's The Flash, but left the project last year.
Fox has not commented on this story and no further details are known. However, it is not surprising that the studio might be looking to do something different for its next Fantastic Four reboot. The 2015 movie, which was directed by Josh Trank, took a darker, more serious approach, and flopped both critically and commercially. Trank distanced himself the finished movie, and plans for a sequel were abandoned.
More recently, producer Simon Kinberg admitted mistakes were made in the way the material was approached. "We made many mistakes when we made that movie--mistakes that we learned from and we wouldn't repeat," he said. "I think we tried to make a darker Fantastic Four movie, which seemed like a radical idea, but we were kind of messing with the DNA of the actual comic instead of trusting the DNA of the comic."
Motion posters are becoming an increasingly popular way to promote movies and TV shows online. A set of posters for the upcoming Netflix Marvel superhero team-up The Defenderswas released back in May, and now some new ones have been released. As before, they focus on each of the show's main heroes--Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist--this time set to the sounds of Nirvana's classic 'Come As you Are.' Check them out below:
There is also a stylish new poster featuring all four heroes--check it out at the end of this story.
The Defenders stars Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones), Mike Colter (Luke Cage), and Finn Jones (Iron Fist). They will be joined by a variety of characters from the individual Netflix shows, including Daredevil's Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson) and Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Jessica Jones's Jeri Hogarth (Carrie-Anne Moss), and Luke Cage's Misty Knight, played by Simone Missick.
Sigourney Weaver plays the shows main villain Alexandra, while Elodie Young returns as Daredevil's nemesis Elektra. The first season hits Netflix on August 18. A new trailer is expected soon--in the meantime, watch the first one here.
In terms of other Marvel Netflix shows, The Punisher is also expected later this year. Beyond that, a third season of Daredevil and second for both Jessica Jones and Luke Cage are also in the works.
Gearbox Software, the studio behind Borderlands, and Koch Media are partnering to publish Epic's sandbox survival game Fortnite on disc. The game will be available at retail in Europe from July 21 for Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4.
"Buyers of the retail version will receive the Founder's Pack of loot, weapons, and heroes as well as a four-day head start in playing Epic Games' Action Building game ahead of its July 25, 2017 digital release," reads a press release.
Those who want to play it digitally can download it from July 25. Those who pre-ordered or purchase the Deluxe, Super Deluxe, or Limited Editions, however, can access the game starting July 21. Epic previously confirmed that Fortnite will go free-to-play in 2018.
When GameSpot's Peter Brown played Fortnite he found himself won over by the game.
"Epic seems to have done the impossible: it's managed to make a game about gathering and crafting appealing to me, someone who typically avoids games built on similar foundations," he said in his Fortnite preview.
"Giving players agency over their environment and fortifications makes the tower defense side of the game immensely intriguing, and I actually enjoy looking for resources because the world is both good looking and varied. There's a mysterious quality to Fortnite's abandoned locations, and I like the idea of repurposing humanity's leftovers to build giant forts and craft weapons for battle. Were Fortnite just about building or combat, it wouldn't be anything special. As it turns out, it's more exciting than I ever imagined it would be."
The latest movie in the hugely successful Saw series has a new title. The upcoming horror sequel was filmed under the the title Saw: Legacy, but it has now been retitled Jigsaw by Lionsgate. The studio has also revealed a new logo for the movie, which is the eighth in the franchise and arrives in October. Check it out below:
Jigsaw takes its title from the movies' psychotic, trap-setting villain, who is played by Tobin Bell. Bell is set to return for the new film--his character technically died in the third movie, but filmmakers has found a way to include him in every subsequent entry.
It is directed by Peter and Michael Spierig, and executively produced by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, who created the series. Wan has since become one of Hollywood's hottest directors, following the success of Furious 7 and The Conjuring, and is currently making Aquaman for DC.
The Saw series stands as one of the most profitable horror franchises ever made. The original movie was released in 2004, and made more than $103 million worldwide from a budget of just $1.3 million. In total, the series has grossed more than $870 million. The last movie to date was 2010's Saw 3D.
Nintendo has apologised for ongoing Switch shortages and promised to increase the volume of shipments to meet demand. In a post on the official Japanese Nintendo website, as translated by Google, the platform holder acknowledged that the Switch has continued to be in short supply since its launch in March.
It went on to note that it has shipped new consoles out to retail every week, but is obviously still struggling to ensure the demand is met. Nintendo said it intends to increase the amount of Switch consoles available--at least in Japan--especially for the upcoming Splatoon 2 Switch bundle.
"For autumn and beyond, we will continue to work to ensure that as many products as possible can be delivered to our customers towards the end of the year," the statement continues.
In the month of its launch, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo will have 2 million Switch units in the wild, worldwide. At the time, the executive said this is a "huge amount" of volume, especially considering the Switch is not launching in a holiday month.
Last week at E3 2017, Nintendo and Microsoft surprised many fans by announcing that Rocket League and Minecraft would be cross-play compatible between Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC players. We've already heard a lot from Xbox boss Phil Spencer about why this functionality is possible, and today we got Nintendo's side of the story.
In an interview with GamesBeat, Nintendo of America corporate communications director Charlie Scibetta explained the thinking behind allowing Switch players to play with other consoles. According to him, the company views the situation as what is best for players--and that there's not much downside to it. Further, he stated that it's an example of a new effort on the part of Nintendo to be less rigid and restrictive.
"I'm really happy just as a gamer, let alone working for the company, that [cross play is] going to be possible," he said. "We're trying to be more flexible as a company. We're reaching out to try and get people to interact with our IP. In this case Rocket League is [developer Psyonix's] IP on our system, but we're trying to get people involved with us in any way we can."
"We want people to have a good time," he continued. "In the case of Rocket League... we said, let's make that happen. It's really not more complex than that. Every game is different. Some games are great for multiplayer, some are better as a single-player experience, some are better in all kinds of situations for all kinds of games. Rocket League works best with cross platform play. Let's make it happen."
While it was a no-show at EA's E3 event EA Play, NHL 18 is now getting its time in the spotlight. Today, the company unveiled the first details about this year's hockey game, including the release of its first trailer and screenshots.
You can check out the trailer below, which debuted tonight during the 2017 NHL Awards. It offers an overview of what to expect from this year's game. And, as has become customary, the NHL Awards also brought word about the game's cover star. NHL 18's cover will feature 20-year-old Oilers center Connor McDavid, who won the Art Ross Trophy this past season.
Among the new features in NHL 18 are Creative Attack controls, letting you pull off highlight reel moves like one-handed dekes and between-the-legs maneuvers. On the other side of the puck is the new Defensive Skill Stick, providing you with poke-check targeting and controlled stick sweeps.
NHL 18 adds a new NHL Threes mode that's described in a press release as an "arcade-inspired experience with fast-paced, over-the-top action that features faster gameplay, bigger hits, and high-scoring action." This can be played in local co-op or online against other players, while there's also a campaign mode where you work through a circuit and unlock unspecified, "objective-based" rewards. 3-on-3 gameplay is also introduced to EA Sports Hockey League mode.
Franchise mode meanwhile adds an expansion draft option, and Ultimate Team introduces solo challenges. Additionally, a new Hockey Training Camp mode will help you to improve at the game.
Ahead of NHL 18's release, a beta will be available that consists of the NHL Threes, Hockey League, and Online Versus modes. This kicks off on July 25, but you can sign up for beta access now at the EA Sports website.
NHL releases for PS4 and Xbox One on September 15, although EA Access members will be able to play for up to 10 hours on Xbox One beginning September 7. Alternatively, preordering the Young Star or Young Stars Deluxe editions will provide unlimited access to the full game starting on September 12. These special editions come with a McDavid-themed celebration and Ultimate Team content, among other bonuses.
Hulu has announced all the new arrivals coming next month, and Star Trek fans are in for a treat. Tons of classic Star Trek movies are hitting the streaming service, from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan all the way to Star Trek VII: First Contact.
Of course, if some (action-packed) history is more your thing, Mel Gibson's Braveheart is on its way starting July 1, and the animated feature film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV will also hit Hulu on the same day. For something a little lighter, you can relive the 90s with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3, all on Hulu on the first of the month.
Of course, some films are leaving too. It's your last chance to catch a few classic comedies, like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, Coming to America, and The Addams Family. Check out the full list of what's coming and what's leaving Hulu below.
Hulu July 2017 Arrivals
July 1
48 Hours (1982)
8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997)
Altered States (1980)
Another 48 Hours (1990)
Area 51 (2015)
As I Am: The Life and Times of DJ AM (2015)
Bandits (2001)
Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
The Blob (1988)
Boomerang (1992)
Braveheart (1995)
Bull Durham (1988)
Cat O'Nine Tails (1974)
Clear and Present Danger (1994)
Click (2006)
Coma (1978)
Dark City (1998)
Dead Calm (1989)
Death Wish IV: The Crackdown (1987)
The Devil's Advocate (1997)
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Dream a Little Dream (1988)
Drunk Wedding (2015)
The Eagle and the Hawk (1950)
Eight Men Out (1988)
Encino Man (1992)
The Fan (1996)
The First Wives Club (1996)
A Fistful of Dynamite (1972)
Flashdance (1983)
Fly Me to the Moon (2008)
Free Money (1998)
The Furies (1950)
Get Well Soon (2002)
Godsend (2004)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1967)
House of the Dead (2003)
House of the Dead 2 (2006)
Hudson Hawk (1991)
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
John Carpenter's Vampires (1998)
John Grisham's The Rainmaker (1997)
Johnny Guitar (1954)
The Juror (1996)
Killing Zoe (1994)
Kingpin (1996)
Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016)
Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008)
La Bamba (1987)
Les Miserables (1998)
The Letter (2012)
Lost Souls (2000)
The Lucky Ones (2008)
A Man Alone (1955)
The Mangler (1995)
Manhattan (1979)
Married to the Mob (1988)
The Mask (1994)
The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
Misery (1990)
My Dog Skip (2000)
Needful Things (1993)
Nerve (2016)
Payback (1999)
The Peacemaker (1997)
A Perfect Murder (1998)
Pootie Tang (2001)
The Presidio (1988)
The Professional (1994)
Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Rescue Dawn (2007)
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)
Road House (1989)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Rustler's Rhapsody (1985)
Sacred Ground (1983)
Santee (1975)
School Daze (1988)
Scrooged (1988)
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Sniper (1993)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek IX: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Star Trek VIII: First Contact (1996)
Star Trek VII: Generations (1994)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
Suicide Kings (1997)
Syriana (2005)
The Tall Stranger (1957)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (1991)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3 (1993)
The Pursuit of Happiness (2006)
The Water Horse (2007)
To the Arctic (2012)
Top Dog (1995)
Top of the Food Chain (2000)
Up in the Air (2009)
Walking Tall (2004)
The Witches (1990)
Wolfen (1981)
July 4
Jonah: A Veggie Tales Movie (2002)
July 5
The Eric Andre Show: Complete Season 4 (Adult Swim)
Prince Avalanche (2013)
The Sorcerer and the White Snake (2011)
July 6
Under the Gun (2016)
July 7
Pure: Complete Season 1 (Cineflix)
July 8
Our Kind of Traitor (2016)
July 9
Sliding Doors (1998)
July 10
Blood, Sand & Gold (2017)
July 12
The Bold Type: Series Premiere (Freeform)
Humpday (2009)
Melancholia (2011)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
July 14
Uncle Grandpa: Complete Season 4 (Cartoon Network)
The fact that upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming also features Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark might not seem unusual given how many characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe appear in each other's movies. However, because it is co-production with Sony, a deal had to be struck to allow Iron Man into the film, and it has now been reported that another Marvel hero will feature in the Homecoming sequel.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the second of the three Spider-Man movies that we can expect over the next few years will feature another notable hero from the MCU. This character is not yet known, but the site notes that it won't be Stark next time.
THR also reports that Sony is working on a variety of Spider-Man spinoffs. Although the deal allows Marvel to use the character in its universe, the rights to Spidey and all the associated characters remain with Sony.
Venom is expected in 2018, and a movie focusing on Silver Sable and Black Cat--currently titled Silver and Black--is set to start production later this year. The site also states that, while films based on such iconic villains as Kraven and Mysterio are in the works, the Sinister Six movie is no longer in development.
E3 is often where we get to see or hear about major games for the first time (this year featured Metroid Prime 4 and Anthem, for instance) or where we see more of a previously announced big-name game (like Super Mario Odyssey or God of War). But there's far more at E3 than just those huge games with major franchise or developer names attached to them. Many other games fly under the radar but are nonetheless well worth your attention. We've rounded up a small handful of these games for you below.
Semblance (PC)
Alex Newhouse | News Reporter
I'm always on board with a platformer that manages to find an innovative mechanic, since the platformer genre is so saturated with games. Semblance, a game that started as a South African developer's final university project, creates a world that's essentially made out of Play-Doh, and it lets you deform it to achieve your objectives.
Slamming into certain walls or floors compresses or warps them to allow you to reach higher places or avoid spikes and other obstacles. Further, even in my short E3 2017 demo, I was progressively introduced to more mechanics that involved this terrain deformation. At one point, using a certain device that resets deformation, I was able to create catapults to launch my character to high, hard-to-reach places. It also helps that it's a beautiful game, with a colorful, cartoony aesthetic that goes well with the Play-Doh world.
I hope that the final game makes good on the promise of this mechanic, because I had a great time with my short demo. It launches next year on PC; console releases have not been announced yet.
Kingsway (PC)
Chris Pereira | News Editor
The moment Kingsway begins, its novelty is apparent: It's an RPG in the mold of FTL that's played entirely through the guise of a classic, Windows 95-esque operating system. Quests are accessed through a desktop icon for your email, the overworld is navigated by clicking on the browser, your inventory is merely a folder, and so on. But what could have been a merely surface-level wrinkle to the traditional RPG formula is in fact a concept that pervades all aspects of the game. This includes more minor things: There is no music--that is, not without first opening a Winamp-esque program and hitting Play--and you can go into the system's settings to tweak your desktop wallpaper or an enable a mouse-trail effect.
But all of this also extends to the gameplay itself. Selecting a destination on the world map sends you on your journey, where you may randomly encounter enemies. These manifest themselves as pop-up windows that then move around the screen, making it challenging to select the button you want for Attacking, Defending, or other commands. The window's movement is dictated by the type of enemy you're facing, and other windows occasionally pop in and move across the screen (sometimes hiding under other windows) and have to be closed before they can poison or otherwise harm you. This all adds up to an experience that feels distinct in a sea of roguelikes, though your enjoyment to some extent may hinge on being old enough to remember the days of the spartan, utilitarian operating systems from the '90s.
Gorogoa (PC, mobile)
Miguel Concepcion | Editor
Gorogoa zeroes in on what makes visually intensive puzzle games so appealing. With every new batch of clues you're presented, you're temporarily left to ponder how these hints are connected. Yes, you'll be stumped, close to the edge of frustration, but the solutions are almost always a couple steps away. And it's these eureka moments that kept me going for as long as the demo allowed me at E3 2017.
Gorogoa's playing field is a 2-by-2 set of gorgeously illustrated tiles, constantly evolving as you solve each puzzle. It often feels like an evolution of hidden-object games where the screen changes as you slowly make progress. Deciphering the clues is a two-step process: you search for solutions hiding in plain sight in both the drawings' foregrounds and backgrounds while also figuring out how the characters and objects in the tiles might hint at possible answers and how they relate to their surroundings. Gorogoa's depth shines during the myriad moments when you have to do more than click on objects to advance through the game. Sometimes you have to zoom in on a tile or slide tiles on top of each another to make progress.
Along with the dopamine-hitting satisfaction of solving puzzles, Gorogoa's story--told through the visuals that morph as tile images change--is both intriguing and thought-provoking. One section plays out innocently enough: by sliding specific tiles on top of other tiles, you're helping a boy traverse his urban surroundings while he holds a bowl intended to carry objects. Yet it doesn't take long to discover that the setting isn't as idyllic as it seems. With the movement of each tile, Gorogoa's visual exposition reveals a darker side to its story, a side that I am eager to learn more about.
Seven: The Days Long Gone (PC)
Aiden Strawhun | Weekend News Editor
I'm generally not a fan of isometric titles. They just don't grab me in the way that really intense RPGs or obscenely weird Japanese games do. Seven: The Days Long Gone changed that just a bit. It's set in the post-apocalyptic world of the Vetrall Empire. You'll play as a thief who is possessed by an ancient daemon and trying to escape the prison island of Peh. Around you are two warring factions, the biomancers and the technomagi, and plenty of corruption to be stopped. As with many RPGs, the fate of the world is in your hands.
Where it separates itself is in its gameplay: take the free-running movement of Assassin's Creed and throw it into an isometric RPG like Diablo. It feels both familiar and new with this kind of gameplay, as it provides expertly designed layered level designs that coax you into exploring more. The art, the universe, and the music set the scene incredibly well, and it's definitely a game to get lost in. It's also by a handful of former Witcher developers, so if there's one thing you can count on, it's a phenomenally cohesive world.
The Artful Escape (Xbox One, PC)
Alex Newhouse
My personal award for the game with the most style goes to The Artful Escape, which was unveiled at the Microsoft press conference. It's an utterly gorgeous game, with a beautiful art style suffused with neon accents. Oh, your character is also a badass guitarist who shreds his way through levels.
It has the most novel double-jump mechanic I've seen in quite some time; you can tap the A button to shred on your guitar, which slows your descent and lets you float, thus covering more distance than otherwise. And the one "enemy" I encountered tasked me with matching colors in a Simon Says-like way. But, in keeping with the aesthetic, every button press sends the character into an incredible guitar solo. It's awesome, and I'm completely enraptured by the style of it all.
I'm not completely convinced that the game will be deep enough to be fun to play; I'll have to see a lot more than just the 15-minute demo I played. But not much is cooler than a game with a guitar-wielding adventurer who rocks his way through levels. The Artful Escape an Xbox One and Windows 10 exclusive, and there's no release date yet.
Songbringer (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Chris Pereira
Songbringer mixes the classic isometric Zelda formula with procedural generation. While I can't speak to what other possible world configurations might play like, the one I did check out provided me with a glimpse of an interesting, sci-fi world that felt more open-ended than I anticipated. Songbringer provides you with freedom to (mostly) go wherever you want, and the way in which any playthrough might unfold can be radically different, as items are obtainable in any order and dungeons can be tackled in the sequence you choose.
And while the world is procedurally generated, this is done by first inputting a six-letter seed. This means you can share the seed you use with a friend, allowing you to share the same experience or compete to finish the game first. Much of the game's appeal appears to lie in repeated playthroughs to see how differently things can go. But even my brief time with the game showed that a single run may take you through a visually impressive world filled with exploration, puzzles, and secrets.
Starlink: Battle For Atlus (PS4, Xbox One, Switch)
Oscar Dayus | Staff Writer
If I were eight years old again, I think I would love Starlink. Its swapping and changing of spaceship parts and guns and shields and heroes would've thrilled young me, a boy who grew up playing with toy rockets and cars whenever he wasn't playing video games.
As a toys-to-life game, its hook is simple. Plugged into your controller is a physical space fighter vehicle, on which you can attach modifications like different weapons, wing types, and playable character figurines. Switching these in and out is reflected immediately in-game, where you'll see your gatling gun disappear and your flamethrower appear in its place, for example. The tactile nature and immediate feedback this offers is satisfying--so it's a shame the game it's wrapped in is so generic. Then again, if eight-year-old me was ploughing a fighter ship into space, I don't think I'd care whether or not the stars looked distinct.
Strange Brigade (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Eddie Makuch | Associate Editor, Australia
The next game from Sniper Elite and Zombie Army Trilogy developer Rebellion Developments, Strange Brigade is weird and wonderful. Set in the 1930s around Egypt, the shooter supports 1-4 players working together to fight off hordes of enemies, including fantastical ones like mummies. You start by choosing one of four characters, and each has its own unique set of weapons and attributes. Putting a team together that makes the most of each player's abilities adds an element of strategy.
You progress through areas of bright, colorful, and varied environments as you take down minion enemies before the big bosses come out. Even with a team of four, you will be greatly outnumbered by enemies, so you need to make use of environmental elements such as traps. You trigger the traps by shooting orbs near them, and some of the traps include Indiana Jones-style spikes that shoot out of the floor and flames that cook your foes to a crisp.
Key to Strange Brigade's combat is your super-ability, which comes in the form of an amulet. You can activate this by filling up a meter, which only rises when you're attacking enemies. So you must continually engage in combat, so hanging back and taking it easy won't work. This makes for fast and frenetic gameplay. I played local co-op with another GameSpot editor and teamwork was absolutely a part of our success.
We only played a couple of matches, but we tried all the characters, and also got a glimpse of Strange Brigade's light puzzle-solving elements, too. Also of note is the game's delightful over-the-top tone that reminds you Strange Brigade never takes itself too seriously--and that's great. Strange Brigade is "coming soon" to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Ashen (Xbox One, PC)
Kevin Knezevic | News Reporter
Microsoft showcased a number of intriguing indie titles during its E3 2017 press conference, but the one that caught my attention was Ashen. Billed as an open-world survival RPG, the game has players exploring a world devoid of sunlight, and its stylish visuals and high-risk combat system help imbue its setting with a genuine sense of mystery and danger.
What was most interesting about the game, however, was the element Aurora 44 didn't show off during the press conference: its passive multiplayer. Like Journey, multiplayer is handled a little differently in Ashen than in a typical title. You'll encounter other players while exploring the world, but you don't always directly interact with them: they can appear in your game as NPCs.
This adds an interesting cooperative aspect to the game. You're free to ignore any other travelers you encounter and go about exploring on your own if you so choose, but it would be much more prudent to band together. Not only does this make exploring the game's enemy-infested dungeons easier (there is strength in numbers, after all), it feels strangely comforting to come across another player while venturing out in the hostile wilderness, even if you can't communicate with them. Ashen doesn't have a release date yet, but it's certainly one to keep an eye on.
Last Day of June (PS4, PC)
Kevin Knezevic
I've never played Murasaki Baby, the previous game from developer Ovosonico, but its newest project, Last Day of June, certainly left an impression on me at E3. For one, the game is visually stunning, featuring an art style that's inspired equal parts by Impressionist paintings and Tim Burton.
More intriguing, however, is the game's premise. Last Day of June is the heartrending tale of Carl and June, a couple deeply in love. Early on in the story, the couple experience a heartbreaking tragedy: June is killed in a car crash. Following her loss, the game sees Carl going back in time and reliving the days leading up to the accident, making incremental changes each time in an attempt to avert the tragedy and save June.
We didn't get much hands-on time with Last Day of June at the expo, but that doesn't matter much; it's not exactly the kind of game you need to play to get a feel for. And based on what we've seen so far, it looks like it'll be a touching and memorable experience when it launches later this year for PS4 and PC.
Donut County (iOS)
Kevin Knezevic
The easiest way to describe Donut County is as an anti-Katamari. Whereas Bandai Namco's colorful series has you expanding a ball by rolling over everything in your path, Donut County is about clearing areas by sucking up objects in a hole.
The premise is exceedingly simple yet surprisingly satisfying: a hole appears in the ground, and you need to maneuver it beneath every object you see in order to make them fall in. There's a degree of puzzle-solving involved; the hole starts out small and gradually grows in size as you swallow more objects, so you need to figure out the right order to suck up plants, chairs, buildings, and all other manner of scenery.
Despite its simple gameplay hook, Donut County was one of the more compelling titles I got to try at E3. It certainly helps that the game is set in a bizarre rendition of Los Angeles populated by anthropomorphic animals, who sit around a campfire between chapters trying to figure out the mystery of the hole and why they got sucked in. It's strange and surprisingly cathartic, making it one of the most memorable games of the show. Donut County is coming to iOS later this year.
Netflix has announced its lineup of additions and removals for July, and it's a list headlined by the release of Rogue One. The Star Wars spinoff debuted last December and saw a home video release earlier this year, but you'll be able to able to stream it through Netflix in the US beginning on July 18.
Also coming to Netflix in July are Titanic, Free Willy, ET the Extra-Terrestrial, Spawn: The Movie, and Best in Show, all of which arrive on July 1. Later in the month, you'll be able to watch Bad Santa 2 (July 8) and the Oscar-nominated Lion (July 9).
As for what's leaving, you only have until July 1 to watch Blazing Saddles, the complete MacGyver series, and Season 6 of Futurama. The complete list of removals and additions can be seen below.
New on Netflix in July
Available July 1
Titanic
The Originals: Season 4
Free Willy
Disney's The Mighty Ducks
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Capo "El amo del tunel" Season 1
El Barco: Season 1
The Truth Is in the Stars
Deep Water: Season 1
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Hostages (Israel): Season 2
Zip & Zap and the Marble Gang
The Invisible Guest (Contratiempo)
Albion: The Enchanted Stallion
Liar's Dice
Offspring: Season 6
Boat Trip
Mixed Signals
Delicatessen
Caramel
Yours Fatefully: Season 1
The Ultimatum: Season 1
Unriddle II
Unriddle
Yes We Can!: Season 1
Spice Up: Season 1
World at Your Feet: Season 1
Emma
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
Last Night
Out of Thin Air
Witnesses: Season 2
The Longest Yard
Jackass: Number Two
Punch-Drunk Love
Are We There Yet?
Are We Done Yet?
The Land Before Time
Dad
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving
Here Alone
Spawn: The Movie
Code Name: The Cleaner
The Astronaut Farmer
Best in Show
Proof of Life
Matchstick Men
Taking Lives
Police Academy
Available July 2
El Chema season 1
Available July 3
Diamond Cartel
Extraordinary: The Stan Romanek Story
Available July 4
The Standups season 1
Available July 5
iZombie season 3
Available July 6
Speech & Debate
The Void
Butter
Available July 7
Castlevania season 1
Dawn Of The Croods season 4
Degrassi: Next Class season 4
Luna Petunia season 2
1 Mile to You (Life At These Speeds)
Available July 8
Bad Santa 2
Horse Dancer
Available July 9
Lion
Available July 11
Gabriel Iglesias Presents The Gentleman Jerry Rocha
Cook, Serve, Delicious 2, described by the developer as "the most intense restaurant sim ever made," now has a release date and a price, and it's coming very soon. Developer Vertigo Gaming announced on the game's Steam page that it'll be released on August 24 for $13. Alongside the release details, Vertigo also published a new trailer, which you can see below.
In addition, the developer shared a lot of new information about the game's features. For instance, Cook, Serve, Delicious 2 will include restaurant customization that'll let you improve and personalize your business. You start out with a dark, gray room, but as you progress, you'll unlock new items to decorate the restaurant.
There'll also be a new local co-op mode that tasks two players with being chefs and dealing with the orders coming in. In addition to gamepad support, this mode will also support two players on mouse-and-keyboard--one player uses a mouse, while the other plays on the keyboard.
Despite its age, Valve has continued to support Team Fortress 2, which remains one of the most-played games on Steam. Oftentimes, the company doesn't provide much advance warning about balance changes that are coming, but in an unusual move, it's offered a preview of a number of big adjustments it has in development.
The next "major update" will include balance changes that target under-used items as well as those that have been deemed either too powerful or too obvious of a choice. We don't yet have a complete list of changes, as some classes and items are still being looked at, but some classes are being addressed more than others--Scout is receiving more attention than Demoman, for instance. The proposed changes, which are not yet final, are "based on online community discussions, emails, playtime data, conversations with players of all skill ranges, and play testing."
Among the major changes are those to some of the most popular Scout items. Bonk Atomic Punch, which renders you immune to damage for a brief period of time (and prevents you from attacking), now slows you after its effect wears off. The severity of the slow is dictated by the amount of damage mitigated while Bonk is active. The change was made because Bonk currently "doesn't require enough skill or carry much of a downside."
The Sandman--the baseball and bat combo--also sees what could be considered a nerf, as it no longer temporarily disarms players. It does still slow enemies, and it should generally be easier to use--the ball doesn't have to travel as far to inflict the slow, does more damage, and regenerates more quickly.
Yet another Scout change involves The Atomizer, which allows you to triple-jump. This is being tweaked so that the bat actively has to be out in order to triple-jump; taking it out will also take longer. To compensate, it no longer deals self-damage when triple-jumping or reduces your movement speed, and airborne melee hits now deal mini-crits.
Spy also sees some significant changes. The Dead Ringer, which is used to feign death, can be frustrating to deal with when it's used repeatedly in a short span of time. Valve says it likes the effect and doesn't want to make it less interesting but is instead hoping to make it more predictable. It's doing this by removing the ability to refill the cloak meter (used to activate the feign-death effect) by collecting ammo kits or visiting a dispenser.
The Eternal Reward is being reworked completely and no longer prevents you from choosing a disguise. However, it does drain your cloak more quickly and uses a full meter to disguise yourself, though you do still obtain a "free" disguise by backstabbing an enemy. Meanwhile, the Ambassador's first shot is now less accurate, making it more difficult to headshot enemies at long distance.
Other notable changes involve the Medic's Vita-Saw (you'll now have to work to retain Ubercharge on death) and Crusader's Crossbow (the Ubercharge gain rate has been adjusted); the Heavy's various miniguns (they become accurate more quickly); the Engineer's Rescue Ranger (repairing now costs metal); and the Sniper's Darwin's Danger Shield (it no longer helps against enemy Snipers) and Razorback (you can't be overhealed).
You can check out the full list of adjustments revealed so far on the Team Fortress 2 website. There's not yet any word on when this patch is coming or what other changes or content will be included. We do know a jungle-themed update is in the works that will include community-created content, but it's unclear if these are separate updates.
Television networks have been gaining interest in esports for the past couple of years, and today NBC Sports became the latest network to jump on the trend. It announced today that it'll broadcast a Rocket League tournament, marking the first time that Rocket League has been televised.
In a press release today, developer Psyonix detailed its new partnership with the NBC Sports Group. The network will broadcast a two vs. two tournament with a $100,000 prize pool this summer. The tournament will begin with regional online qualifying matches organized through the Faceit esports platform, then later rounds will be aired on the NBC Sports App.
The Grand Finals, which take place from August 26-27, will be broadcast on NBCSN, the network's TV channel, in the United States, and the Syfy channel in the UK, Germany, Australia, and Latin America.
According to Rob Simmelkjaer, senior vice president of NBC Sports Ventures, the network decided to make Rocket League its first foray into esports because it believed that the game is already close enough to sports to make it easy and entertaining for NBC Sports' current audience.
"We looked at lots of different games in lots of different genres," he told Mashable. "We ultimately landed on Rocket League for a number of reasons. Number one, it's growing at a nice clip. We see its audiences are growing."
"Number two, we thought that it had some sports DNA to it, which would be a good fit for us and for our audience--our sports-loving audience," he continued. "It's obviously got this sort of soccer mash-up with with motorsports, which are sports that we cover extensively on NBC Sports Network."
Psyonix's head of esports, Josh Watson, also said that the game's low barrier of entry makes it a good fit for the network. "Rocket League is an easy-to-understand game, which makes it the perfect introduction to esports for fans of all backgrounds and ages," he stated in a press release.
Pokemon Go developer Niantic has taken a hard-line approach to cheating in its popular AR game since the app launched last summer. Now the company has revealed another measure it is beginning to roll out in an effort to curb cheating.
In a post on Reddit, a representative from Niantic revealed that, beginning today, Pokemon caught using unofficial means will be denoted with a mark and "may not behave as expected." GameSpot reached out and verified the legitimacy of the post, which explained, "Pokemon caught using third-party services that circumvent normal gameplay will appear marked with a slash in the inventory." According to the representative, this new measure is "one small part of our continued commitment to maintaining the integrity of our community."
This is only the latest step Niantic has taken to discourage players from using unofficial third-party apps and services to locate Pokemon, which the developer does not permit. When the app first launched last summer, Niantic soft banned players who spoofed their GPS location. More recently, the game would reportedly "shadowban" certain users who were flagged for using third-party tracker apps by hiding rare spawns from them.
This new measure coincides with the latest--and to date biggest--update Niantic has begun rolling out for Pokemon Go. Among the new features the developer has introduced are Raid Battles, which will let players team up with other users to fight powerful Pokemon (potentially including Legendary Pokemon), as well as a new motivation system for Gyms. Additionally, Niantic announced a series of live and in-game events that will be held throughout the summer to commemorate Pokemon Go's first anniversary.
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