A new expansion for the Pokemon TCG recently launched, and to celebrate, there's a new video of a Pikachu horde fighting in a battle. A dance battle.
In the video, a group of life-size Pikachu dance their way to victory against Team Skull, the antagonists of Pokemon Sun and Moon. Watch it below.
The Sun and Moon Burning Shadows expansion includes a Guzma supporter card, which was popular at last weekend's Pokemon World Championships. The leader of Team Skull allows you to switch one of your opponent's benched Pokemon with the Pokemon they currently have active in play--and in turn, you switch your own Pokemon as well.
Burning Shadows was released on August 4. The next TCG expansion, Shining Legends, is coming October 6 and will add over 75 cards to the Sun and Moon set.
Quake Champions launched this week into paid Early Access, and today Amazon revealed that there's an easy way to get some free stuff for the game. The newest Amazon/Twitch Prime promotion gives subscribers loot, a weapon skin, and a name plate for use in Quake.
Subscribers can grab a Twitch-branded rocket launcher skin, Twitch name plate and player icon, and three loot chests. These chests include two cosmetic items each, such as shaders and weapon skins.
As with other Prime freebies, this one's only available if you link your Amazon Prime and Twitch Accounts. You can do that by going to Twitch, logging in, and connecting to your Prime account. The Quake freebies are available from today until September 23. Right now, Twitch Prime members can also get a bunch of loot in other games, such as Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, LawBreakers, Madden NFL 18, and Warframe.
As for Quake Champions, the game is playable in Early Access right now if you purchase the $30 Champions Pack. Although it'll eventually have a free-to-play version, the game is currently locked to those who buy the pack. However, those who played the game during its closed beta will still be able to play a restricted version for free.
More new games are now available in the Nintendo Switch Eshop. Today, three titles have been added to the hybrid console's digital store, with one major release following early next week.
Headlining today's batch of new games is Forma.8, a stylish, Metroidvania-style adventure. The game puts players in the role of the eponymous exploration probe and tasks them with exploring a labyrinthine, alien world teeming with power-ups and enemies. Switch owners can pick up Forma.8 for $10/£9.
Forma.8
Today's batch of releases also includes the requisite Neo Geo game. This time, it's Puzzled, a falling-block puzzler reminiscent of Tetris. The object here is to clear a vertical path in the tower of blocks to allow an airship to travel to the top of the screen. Like other ACA NeoGeo titles, Puzzled costs $8/£6.29.
Rounding out today's releases is another puzzle game, Piczle Lines DX. This title challenges players with completing hidden pictures by drawing lines between pairs of numbers. The game features 100 levels in its Story mode and over 200 puzzles in Puzzle mode, with more content set to come as free updates. Piczle Lines DX retails for $15/£14.
These three games join Minecraft: Story Mode - The Complete First Adventure, which made its Switch debut earlier this week. That title includes all five episodes of Story Mode's first season, as well as all three episodes from its Adventure Pass. Next week, August's marquee Switch game, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, arrives for the console. We recently learned the title will have a season pass, which will give players access to exclusive weapons and additional story content down the line. Mario + Rabbids releases on August 29.
Bandai Namco has announced a release date for Tekken 7's first major piece of downloadable content. The fittingly titled DLC 1 pack launches next week, on August 31.
The biggest feature of the upcoming DLC pack is Ultimate Tekken Bowl, the bowling mini-game that debuted in Tekken Tag Tournament for PlayStation 2. As you can probably gather from its name, Ultimate Tekken Bowl allows players to hit the lanes with their favorite characters for a 10-pin game of bowling. You can watch new footage of the mode in the trailer below.
In addition to Ultimate Tekken Bowl, the DLC pack also includes an assortment of new character costumes. Players will get the following outfits as part of DLC 1:
Blood Vengeance school uniforms (Xiaoyu and Alisa)
Swimsuits (all female fighters)
Vintage 1920s bathing suits
Idol Master-themed costumes (all female fighters)
Traditional Japanese Fundoshi (all male fighters)
Tekken 7's DLC 1 pack is included in the game's $25 season pass. Players in the Americas also have the option to purchase it individually; we've reached out to Bandai Namco for pricing details. Tekken 7's most recent slew of DLC released last month and introduced one new paid fighter, Eliza, and an assortment of free items based on the Taiko Drum Master series.
Xbox One players have a generous selection of new games to play this week. Five new titles are available for the console now, with a number still to come throughout the rest of the week.
This week's batch of releases is headlined by Madden NFL 18. However, only the game's premium GOAT Edition is available right now; the standard release arrives on August 25. This entry introduces some rather big changes to the long-running sports series, one of which is the new Longshot mode. In this "cinematic" campaign, players take on the role of Devin Wade, a former standout high school quarterback struggling to make it to the NFL. Critics were certainly impressed by this year's installment; GameSpot scored the football title a 9/10 in our Madden NFL 18 review.
Also out now is The Escapists 2, the follow-up to the 2015 prison-escape game. This installment features improved visuals, 10 unique themed prisons, a new combat system, and many other features. GameSpot found the first title to be enjoyable, awarding it an 8/10 in our Escapists review and calling it "a gratifying game that provides dozens of hours of entertainment." The Escapists 2 retails for $20/£20.
Other games available right now include Super Comboman, a colorful side-scrolling beat-'em-up featuring fluid combos and upgradable moves; SwapQuest, a puzzle game with RPG elements; and Rivals of Aether 1.0, an indie fighting game that includes Ori from Ori and the Blind Forest as a free DLC character. Super Comboman and Rivals of Aether both retail for $15/£12 each, while SwapQuest costs $10/£8.
Blizzard is starting to feel more and more like Disney. While games like Warcraft and Overwatch have established a reputation for high-quality cinematic trailers, Hearthstone's animated offerings have tended to only serve as introductions to upcoming content releases. But that changed today; as part of its Gamescom presence, Blizzard revealed the first of it Heathstone-themed animated shorts.
In what Blizzard promises to be "the first in an upcoming series," the mini-movie above is a musical number that provides an even stronger frame story for the world of Hearthstone, which is itself just a game set within the world of Warcraft's Azeroth. Also, it looks like something straight out of Pixar.
The shorts will have a recurring cast, which Blizzard outlined in a press release below:
Harth Stonebrew: The Tavern's jolly dwarven proprietor is a welcoming and gracious host.
Ava: A curious teenage girl with an indomitable, resilient spirit and a knack for Hearthstone.
Malto: This kindly old mage is a source of wisdom and encouragement.
Sarge: Sarge is no ordinary mouse--Malto's magical companion is the heart of the Tavern.
Lou: A boisterous, happy-go-lucky paladin with a positive attitude. The life of the party.
Fewz and Wick: These goblin brothers provide thrilling commentary for the Tavern's most heated Hearthstone matches.
Velaris: This snooty blood elf's card collection is dwarfed only by the size of his ego.
Roberta "Bertie" Clickfizzle: A brilliant gnome whose curiosity knows no bounds.She's in her element when tinkering with unique deck ideas.
Urk: This orc loves playing aggressive decks, but watch out! He has anger issues and has even been known to flip a table or two.
You can see some more shots of the trailer below.
In addition to the new Hearthstone short, Blizzard also revealed a bittersweet cinematic for Overwatch today, which sheds light on Mei's journey from scientist to icicle-shooting hero.
With September approaching, it's nearly time for the next batch of free games for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. Microsoft today announced the four titles that will be available across Xbox One and Xbox 360 through Games With Gold, and there are some quality ones in there.
September starts off with Forza Motorsport 5: Game of the Year Edition, an Xbox One launch game, being free for Gold members. The timing is perhaps a bit odd, with Forza Motorsport 7 launching in early October, but this may be meant as a teaser for that game. The Game of the Year Edition comes with a Top Gear DLC car pack that introduces another 10 vehicles to the game.
Halfway through the month, on September 16, Xbox One owners will also be able to grab Oxenfree. The atmospheric, dialogue-driven adventure game first released early last year, making it the much newer of the two Xbox One games for the month.
On the Xbox 360 side, the first half of September brings Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the water-based racing game. It'll be followed by Battlefield 3 starting on September 16. Both of these games are playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
Most of August's free Games With Gold titles remain available for the next week. One of those games, Trials Fusion, will remain free through September 15.
September 2017 Games With Gold
Xbox One
Trials Fusion (August 16-September 15)
Forza Motorsport 5: Game of the Year Edition (September 1-30)
The abbreviated seventh season of Game of Thrones has just a single episode left. This Sunday's Episode 7 may be the last Game of Thrones we see for more than a year, and we now have some new images teasing what awaits. As you should expect, Game of Thrones spoilers follow below.
Many of the images only serve to provide us with a clearer look at moments from the teaser trailer for this episode. Cersei will spend more time with her giant beloved floor map in one scene, while another will have her looking annoyed by her visitors. Among them are Jon and Tyrion, who stand side by side. And Daenerys's massive army will make its way toward King's Landing, where Jaime and Bronn will get (another) good look at them. Sansa, Bran, and Theon will all have scenes, too, though it's difficult to glean much from the images.
A big update to Fortnite is on the way next week. With Epic's new game now available in early access, the cooperative shooter will introduce a new, limited-time mode, as well as a number of other things.
Fortnite's new mode is Survive the Storm. As the name suggests, it's a Survival mode that involves making it through a storm that brings with it various modifiers, including enraged husks and limited health. Players are tasked with collecting resources during the daytime when it's safe before facing waves of enemies when night rolls in.
Special loot is available for playing Survive the Storm, although few specifics were shared. We do know you earn tickets for doing so, which can then be used to acquire nine "high-impact" weapons from the new hydraulic set. You can get a glimpse of some of these in the trailer above, and see everything new in the image gallery.
Also coming in this update are new heroes and defenders, along with new art for the Canny Valley Outpost, which had until now been unfinished. Unspecified performance improvements arrive in this patch, too.
The Survive the Storm update launches on August 29, although we don't know at this point how long the titular mode will be available for. Fortnite itself is available now in paid early access on PC, PS4, and Xbox One ahead of its full free-to-play release in 2018. You can check out GameSpot's early access Fortnite review here.
DC's upcoming Justice League movie features many well-known and iconic heroes from comic book lore, but one of those characters isn't as familiar to the average moviegoer: Cyborg. However, Joe Morton--who plays the character's father, Dr. Silas Stone--says that while Cyborg may be unknown to some, there is enough in the film to introduce him and make people care about the character.
While promoting the theatrical re-release of Terminator 2: 3D, Morton--who played Cyberdyne Systems employee Miles Dyson--discussed his role in Justice League as the father of Cyborg. We were first introduced to Dr. Silas Stone in 2016's Batman v. Superman during a string of clips introducing the audience to Flash, Aquaman, Silas, and Victor Stone (AKA Cyborg).
Aside from the pages of DC Comics, the superhero has appeared in a few animated series, Smallville, and most recently, Injustice 2; however, the character still doesn't have the reach--nor the same time in the spotlight--as his Justice League counterparts. "Some characters you'll know better than others," Morton told GameSpot. "Flash, there's been a lot of stuff about Flash, either on TV or I think [he] even has a movie coming out. There are certain characters that the audience knows because they have a history. Batman and the rest of it. They all have history. I think the only folks that'll know about Silas Stone and Cyborg are the comic book geeks, the folks who really, really know the comic books.
"I suppose on that level they are relatively new characters to get to know and supposedly what will happen after Justice League, at some point, is there will be a movie that centers on Cyborg, so you'll get a better picture on who he is and what his life and what his whole thing is about."
While there have been many fans critical of DC and Warner Bros. for first introducing characters in a team movie, there are plenty of examples where this has worked in the past: Wonder Woman in BvS, Punisher in Daredevil, Black Widow in Iron Man 2, Hawkeye in Thor, and even Guardians of the Galaxy introduced the world to five lesser-known cosmic Marvel characters without any problem at all. However, this isn't the end-all, be-all for Cyborg, as he will get his own solo film in 2020: Justice League is just a taste.
That's not to say there won't be any insight into who Cyborg is in Justice League. According to Morton, the film will provide the audience with some of his backstory: "With Cyborg, and with Silas Stone, you're getting sort of the outside story. You'll get to know them vis-a-vis the death of Cyborg's mother. You'll get to know what Silas did in terms of reconstructing his son. You'll get to know the angst that's sort of created between Silas and Victor, his son. So I would imagine in the same sort of ways you're going to get to know the other characters.
"What I love about what they've done so far, to me--especially because the character is African American--is you get to, in a metaphorical sort of way, understand the difficulty of being 'the other.' Cyborg, unlike the other superheroes, has no alias to hide behind. He is who and what he is. So when he walks down the street, that's who you see, and people are obviously afraid of him."
Whether or not the audience is familiar with the character as they head into the theater doesn't matter, as it's the job of the filmmakers to sculpt, mold, and make the hero compelling as the movie progresses. From what it sounds like, there will be more than enough to make Cyborg just as interesting as the rest of the team.
Ahead of its release next month, Nintendo has shared a new trailer for Metroid: Samus Returns, the first new Metroid game in seven years. Despite being a remake of the series' lone Game Boy installment, Metroid II, Samus Returns introduces a number of new elements to the adventure, many of which were showcased in today's trailer.
In addition to the game's new melee counter, the biggest additions to Samus Returns are the Aeion abilities, four unique powers fueled by a special energy bar. One of the first Aeion abilities we got to see was the Scan Pulse. This power lets players scan their surroundings, revealing destructible blocks and hidden paths.
The remaining three Aeion abilities were shown off in today's trailer. The Beam Burst ability greatly enhances the power and firing rate of Samus's arm cannon. Lightning Armor is more defensive, making Samus temporarily invulnerable to attacks and allowing her to pass through hazards. The final ability, Phase Drift, allows Samus to slow down time around her.
The trailer also gives fans a look at some of the power-ups Samus will acquire during the course of the game. Along with the Morph Ball, players will obtain the usual array of staple Metroid weapons, including the Ice Beam, Space Jump, Spider Ball, and Grapple Beam. The latter appears to have a new function this time around; in addition to allowing Samus to swing across chasms, the bounty hunter can be seen using it to pull and destroy a block at one point in the trailer.
Remember that weird, Bethesda-published first-person shooter, Brink? It's now free to download on Steam. In addition, although it still doesn't have a tonof players, it has enough to exceed two other, more recent FPSes.
Yes, it's 2017 and for some reason we're talking about Brink. The game originally launched way back in 2011, and it's pretty clear now that it was ahead of its time. Brink attempted to be both a class-based and high-mobility shooter, well before Overwatch and Titanfall kickstarted the recent renaissance in those genres. Brink was met with lukewarm response from critics, with GameSpot giving it a 6/10.
Now the game is completely free, and it seems that this transition has resurrected some player interest. According to Steamcharts, Brink has surged from a paltry 5-10 people playing per day to well over 2500 players as of today. At the time of this writing, Brink has five times as many players as LawBreakers and Battleborn combined. Although neither of those two games are free-to-play, they are much more recent; LawBreakers launched on August 8 and even garnered a positive critical response. However, LawBreakers sits at around 430 players, while Battleborn has fewer than 100.
If you're interested in trying out Brink, you can download it for free here. There are a few DLC packs that you can pick up for pretty cheap, ranging from $1 to $1.79.
Final Fantasy XV may not be getting a sequel, but Square Enix continues to support it through a combination of DLC and free updates. The latest example of the latter arrives in just a week's time in the form of an unexpected crossover event with Assassin's Creed.
With the release of an update next week, Lestallum will be home to the limited-time Assassin's Festival event. This will bring mini-games and exclusive items, as well as "gameplay elements from the Assassin's Creed game series," which appear to include the ability to perform a Leap of Faith right in the middle of the city.
The items include Medjay's Assassin's Robes that all four main characters can wear to resemble Assassins. Noctis can also get Master Assassin's Robes through the Dream Egg, which comes from the Moogle Chocobo Carnival that returned recently and runs through the end of September. As the trailer above shows, it's all a bit dissonant--there's something strange about seeing Noctis and company dressed like Assassins in Eos while Cindy sits around in her usual outfit.
The Assassin's Festival begins on August 31 and will run until January 31, 2018. A free update will arrive at the end of the month for both PS4 and Xbox One players. At this point, we don't know if there are plans to have it return again in the future, or if PC players will ever get to see it once Final Fantasy XV arrives on computers next year. There's also no word on if we might see this year's Assassin's Creed game, Origins, include some Final Fantasy-themed content.
Call of Duty: WWII's beta is now available for pre-load on PS4, so you won't have to wait around for the game to download when the beta goes live later this week.
The beta test begins on Friday, August 25 and runs through Monday, August 28, but for this first weekend, it's only available on PS4. You can get access to the test by pre-ordering the game; once you have a code, you can redeem it on the PlayStation Store and start downloading now. The beta unlocks at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on August 25.
There'll be an additional beta test held next weekend, from September 1-4. This one will be open to players who pre-order on either PS4 or Xbox One.
During the beta, you'll be able to try out several standard multiplayer maps in addition to one scenario for War Mode, Call of Duty: WWII's new, asymmetrical, stage-based multiplayer mode. The beta won't include the game's Headquarters social space, which was just recently detailed.
In spite of good sales and a positive reception, it seems that Final Fantasy XV is the last full game release for Noctis and his crew. Square Enix recently revealed that it's very unlikely that a sequel will be made; instead, the developer will be focusing on smaller expansions to the game.
Game director Hajime Tabata told Polygon that a full sequel to Final Fantasy XV doesn't make sense for what the studio wants to do with it. In his opinion, development on a full sequel leaves fans without anything new for an extended period of time.
"If you do that full sequel model of expanding on an IP or a series, it's good in certain ways," he stated. "The negative of that is there's a very large open period where you're not releasing anything. In that period, you get people to move away, and their attachment to the franchise dissipates a little bit."
Remarking on the multiplayer expansion, Tabata stated, "What we're trying to do with that is to depict [the] missing 10 years of history right at the end of the story. If we had tried to do that as a traditional, full-scale sequel, that would have been very difficult, but it works really well in [keeping] that continued relationship with fans."
Telltale has ported its episodic adventure games to almost every modern platform--including mobile devices--so it was only a matter of time before it started bringing them to Nintendo Switch. Today, Nintendo confirmed that Switch versions of the first seasons of Telltale's Batman and Guardians of the Galaxy series are on the way.
On Twitter, Nintendo of America stated that the Telltale games are being ported to the console. "Get ready to defend the galaxy or become the Dark Knight when more [Telltale] adventures arrive on Nintendo Switch!" the company wrote.
The news was first teased by Job Stauffer, Telltale's head of creative communications, in an interview with Rocket Beans TV at Gamescom. Following the recent release of Minecraft: Story Mode on Switch, Stauffer commented, "I think you can expect to see other titles like Batman, Guardians of the Galaxy, maybe Minecraft Season 2 in the future." In addition, the Switch ports were leaked way back in March by listings from retailers.
There's been no official announcement of Minecraft Season 2 yet, although Nintendo's tweet seems vague enough to leave open the possibility of more Telltale ports later on. There's no release date yet for Batman or Guardians of the Galaxy.
In other Telltale news, the studio recently announced and released the first episode of Batman: The Enemy Within, the second season of its Batman series. In his 8/10 review of the episode, GameSpot's Tamoor Hussain wrote, "While gameplay is not markedly different, combat is tweaked just enough to make it an improvement over its previous iteration. Overall, The Enigma is a successful opening chapter to a Batman story that's shaping up to be more ambitious than anything Telltale attempted in the first season."
Life is Strange developer Dontnod Entertainment has partnered with Bandai Namco on a new IP. Playing to Dontnod's strengths, it will be a narrative adventure experience, reports MCV.
Details are still slim on the new IP, which has reportedly been in production since 2016, but it will be set in a fictional city in the US (pictured above) and includes "a fair dose of investigation." Hoerdt also said it's a completely new story with original characters, and will not affect the development of Life is Strange 2, the sequel to the original Life is Strange, which is being worked on by a separate team.
"Obviously, with a studio like Dontnod, you can expect triple-A quality; you can expect a very emotional experience, and this is what we were looking for, like with some kind of investigation and going deep into the psychology of the characters, and giving emotion to the player," he said.
More details about the new game, including will be released in 2018, and in the meantime you can check out the original game's prequel, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, due out at the end of August.
Alongside news of Grand Theft Auto V's next big expansion, Rockstar has also previewed some of the other new content on the way to GTA Online over the remainder of the year. Among those additions is a new type of race that includes the defining feature of Ubisoft's upcoming game The Crew 2.
Having already gone silly with over-the-top Stunt Racing events, Transform Races will be the next mode to defy the game's reality. When passing through "strategically placed" checkpoints along a given race's course, your vehicle's class will change depending on what the next area consists of. That doesn't just mean improving the performance of your vehicle or swapping one car out for another--you'll move between radically different modes of transportation. As the image below teases, one such transition moves you from a jet ski to a car.
If that concept sounds familiar, it might be because The Crew 2 offers something quite similar. The upcoming open-world racing game also allows you to seamlessly move between vehicle types--from boats to cars to aircraft--at the press of a button. That game will likely end up embracing the feature more than this single GTA V mode--and will allow you to do so whenever you wish, not just at pre-designated checkpoints. Still, it is striking to see a free update like this so closely resemble a marquee feature of an upcoming game.
Transform Races are just one of numerous features coming to GTA Online at some point in the fall. New customizable aircraft, four-wheeled vehicles, and Adversary modes are promised, along with holiday events for Halloween and various holidays in December. That all follows next week's big Smuggler's Run update.
As part of its outline for what's coming, Rockstar called for GTA V players to continue providing their thoughts through the official website regarding what they want to see. "The direct feedback we get from the GTA Online community is what helps us tweak, enhance, and improve the huge range of under-the-hood alterations we make with each and every title update," the studio said.
In a lot of ways, Destiny 2 is a fresh start. Very little from the first game carries over into its sequel, including the gear we all worked so hard to get. Luckily, Destiny 2 makes leveling up and finding loot in the early game more about exploration and less about grinding. There's a lot more to do on planets than just quick, low-reward Patrols, and that all starts in the European Dead Zone on Earth. We recently had a chance to check out the EDZ, and Destiny 2's take on free-roam exploration
In Destiny 1, the open-world activities you had access to at any given destination were limited. There were Patrols and Public Events--and maybe a few secrets to find--but things tended to get stale pretty quickly. Exploration has been greatly expanded in Destiny 2, and the first thing I noticed when I touched down in the EDZ was how many ways I had to level up and get new gear. The two most substantial additions are Adventures and Lost Sectors.
At first, Adventures seem a lot like the standard Patrols. You find them at beacons around the map and opt into them, and then a voice crackles in through your Ghost and gives you an objective. But Adventures are far more robust, closer to the length of a story mission than a Patrol, and they feature a variety of tasks that build upon each other as you approach your goal. They also take you to different areas of the map and often include a healthy bit of backstory. Because of that, it feels like you're doing something of substance, rather than a series of menial tasks.
One Adventure had me clearing out enemies and destroying signal jammers throughout an area. The jammers were preventing a message from going out to any refugees from the Last City who needed to find other survivors. Though it wasn't part of the story, it felt more important than just killing a Fallen Leader in some random area of the map with no purpose other than to get XP and a bit of loot. (But, to sweeten the deal, you'll probably get some good loot for your effort in completing Adventures.)
Lost Sectors are more free-form activities that require a sharper eye to find. They're marked by symbols in odd spots around the map, and they have you work your way through a mini-dungeon filled with enemies to reach a boss. Beating the boss gets you loot. It's simple, but it's enough of an incentive to drive exploration, and some of the Lost Sectors are surprisingly difficult to find. You could wander around the general vicinity of a Lost Sector for a while before finding the entrance tucked away in a gap between rocks, concealing an extensive cave network below.
The EDZ isn't necessarily bustling with life--there's one NPC here, Devrim Kay, who exchanges loot and tokens you find around the area for weapons and gear. But Adventures and Lost Sectors add enough context, like more detail about the Fallen or what humanity is doing to survive, to make it an interesting world to explore.
Patrols and Public Events are still available in Destiny 2, but variety is really the key to revitalizing the Destiny formula. When the full game launches for Xbox One and PS4 on September 6, we'll be able to see the full scope of Destiny 2's changes.
GTA Online's next update is called Smuggler's Run--a reference to the great open-world driving games Rockstar developed long ago--and it deals with, well, smuggling. You'll work with Nervous Ron and a new mechanic named Charlie as you take advantage of "new business opportunities" for delivering illegal merchandise around Los Santos and Blaine County.
In addition to new missions, there will be a variety of new planes, helicopter, and ultralights (which look downright silly in the world of GTA). Without going into specifics, Rockstar teases all of this will provide "some creative new methods of dispatching any rival gangs." If the trailer is any indication, Smuggler's Run promises to have some of the most intense aerial action the game has seen to date.
Alongside the other new vehicles, Rockstar is introducing a "massive range of new, customizable aircraft." These can be stored in new aircraft hangars where the aforementioned Charlie will look after your collection. Hangars also serve as the headquarters for smuggling operations.
We teamed up with Activision to give away 44xDestiny 2 Early Access Beta Codes to redeem on PC. To enter for a chance to win, scroll down below.
This is not an instant win. Competition ends Sunday, August 27 at 12:00 PM Pacific. Forty-four (44) winners will be contacted via email with their early-access code. Entry is open worldwide. Codes are for the Early Access Open Beta only and do not give access to the full game when it launches officially.
Destiny 2's early-access to the PC Open Beta begins on Monday, August 28th at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Netflix-style subscription based services for games aren't an uncommon occurrence, with services such as EA Access and Xbox Game Pass already offering unlimited access to a selection of games for a monthly fee. But now, retail chain EB Games, a subsidiary of GameStop, is trialling a brick-and-mortar version of the service in one Australian state.
"Swap 'n' Play is a new service we're trialling in South Australia that allows customers to grab any preowned game they want, and to swap it over as much as they like instore," an EB Games spokesperson told GameSpot.
For $19.95 AUD a month, the service allows customers to borrow one game at a time, and EB Games states that the Swap 'n' Play program will give customers "access to the entire library of preowned games. As long as we have the game--they can play it."
"Whether they finish it in a day or decide they don't like it, they can grab something new whenever they want. There's no limit to how many times they can swap. We created Swap 'n' Play to add value for our regular customers, especially parents. Over school holidays it's not unusual for families to be in and out our doors finding new games to play. Swap 'n' Play allows for a hassle-free and more affordable shop."
The program operates in tandem with the chain's EB World membership program, and after signing up customers can cancel at any time after the 2 months.
As to whether the retailer plans on expanding this service nationally in Australia, or other to other GameStop-related outlets around the world, the EB Games spokesperson said: "We've had positive feedback from the community overnight, however at this time we're only running Swap 'n' Play in South Australia."
Earlier this week, Nintendo announced a free demo for the upcoming Pokemon fighting game, Pokken Tournament DX, which the company said would be available to download from the Switch Eshop "soon." It appears Nintendo wasn't exaggerating, as the company has confirmed the demo will go live in the US tonight, August 23.
US Switch owners can download the free trial beginning at 9 PM PT/12 AM ET; it's scheduled to go live in the European Eshop on August 24. Those who can't wait that long and happen to have a Japanese Nintendo account can already download it from the Japanese Eshop.
Pokken Tournament DX is an expanded version of Wii U's Pokken Tournament, which itself was a home console port of the Japanese arcade game. The title is developed by Bandai Namco. In addition to all 16 monsters from the Wii U game, DX features Pokemon that were previously only available in the arcade version, such as Darkrai, as well as one exclusive fighter, Decidueye.
Pokken Tournament DX releases for Switch on September 22. That same day, 3DS Pokemon fans will be able to revisit the Johto region, as Pokemon Gold and Silver arrive in the handheld's Eshop. Nintendo is releasing releasing boxed versions of the two classic titles in Europe and Japan, though there's currently no word if they'll also be available in the US.
In just over a month, the SNES Classic Edition will be out. GameSpot recently had a chance to play the highly anticipated mini retro console, and we've put together a video that shows off the system's UI, menu features, and a lot of its games.
Check out the video embedded above. Be sure to come back later for a follow-up video dedicated to the previously unreleased Star Fox 2, which is included in the package. In other video news, Nintendo itself put out a '90s-inspired video for the console that shows off the games and the Rewind feature--watch it here.
Pre-orders for SNES Classic opened this week at some stores, including Amazon and Best Buy, but they sold out quickly. GameStop, Walmart, Target, and Toys R Us are all slated to offer pre-orders for the system, but haven't starting offering them yet. Nintendo has promised it will offer far more units than it did last year, when it launched the frustratingly-hard-to-find NES Classic.
The SNES Classic will cost $80, and it officially launches on September 29. It includes 21 games, including the above-mentioned Star Fox 2, along with classics like Donkey Kong Country, EarthBound, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Kart. You can check out GameSpot's roundup of all 21 games right here.
In honor of Rick And Morty Season 3 Episode 5, we're giving away a Squanchy Funko Pop! One (1) winner will be chosen after the giveaway closes on Sunday, August 27th at 12:00PM PT.
Open to US residents only, void where prohibited. If you do not win this time, you'll be automatically entered in the next giveaway.
[UPDATE] Martin told Entertainment Weekly that something might have been lost in translation in the interview where he supposedly said he doesn't watch Game of Thrones. When he was traveling, including to Russia where he gave the interview, he didn't watch any TV and is not caught up on the current seventh season of Game of Thrones. But he does indeed watch the show, even if he's not completely caught up.
The original story is below.
Game of Thrones is one of the biggest television shows in the world, but George R.R. Martin himself doesn't actually watch it. The author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the series upon which the show is based, revealed recently that he just doesn't have the time to sit down and consume Game of Thrones.
In an interview with Metro, Martin explained that writing and touring require too much time to allow for watching the show. This is in spite of the fact that he was, in early seasons, involved in writing episodes for the show, although he hasn't in recent years. In addition, he reiterated that the show has diverged significantly from the in-progress sixth book, to the point that the novel will feature a number of characters who have already been killed off in Game of Thrones.
Martin also stated that he was approached many years ago by film studios looking to adapt A Song of Ice and Fire into movies. They were apparently looking for another fantasy series to make into a new blockbuster film following the success of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies.
It may be rare to see discounts in the Nintendo Switch Eshop, but fans can still regularly find deals in 3DS and Wii U's digital stores. This time, a number of great Capcom games are on sale in each console's respective Eshop.
Wii U's selection is much slimmer; a total of four games are on sale. Like its 3DS counterpart, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is available for $8, and unlike the handheld title, it supports online play, making it a worthy addition to any Wii U owner's library. The Wii U version of Resident Evil: Revelations also runs for $10, while DuckTales: Remastered and Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara cost $3.74 apiece.
The Capcom sale ends at 9 AM PT/12 PM ET on September 4. 3DS owners in Europe have a different sale to potentially take advantage of; from now until September 4, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are available for 20% off, or 36% off if you've linked your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account.
Ahead of Pokemon Gold and Silver's re-release on Virtual Console, Pokemon fans in Europe have a chance to pick up the series' original titles at a discount. Nintendo of Europe has announced that Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow will be 20% off in the 3DS Eshop for a limited time.
Beginning today, all 3DS players can download the classic Game Boy games for £7.19, down from their normal price of £9. Those who have a Nintendo Account, meanwhile, will save even more on the games, netting a more substantial 36% off instead of 20%.
The classic games will only be on sale until September 4. To get the 36% discount, you'll need to have linked your Nintendo Network ID to your Nintendo Account. Those who've yet to create a Nintendo Account can do so here.
Pokemon Red and Blue originally released in the West in 1998. They were followed by Pokemon Yellow, a third version that featured the same general storyline as the original pair but with elements from the Pokemon anime. Most notably, in this version players begin the adventure with Pikachu, who follows them around in the overworld. They also battle Team Rocket members Jesse and James throughout the course of the game.
The series' proper sequels, Gold and Silver, debuted in 2000 and introduced a number of now-standard elements, including two new Pokemon types (Dark and Steel), Pokemon breeding, and a day/night system. The pair launch in the 3DS Eshop on September 22; Nintendo is also releasing boxed versions of the games in Europe and Japan. Players can transfer any Pokemon they capture in the games to the series' seventh generation titles, Sun/Moon and the upcoming Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, using the Pokemon Bank service.
Nintendo showcased more footage of Super Mario Odyssey today at Gamescom. In a special livestream demonstration, director Yoshiaki Koizumi gave fans their first substantial look at another one of the game's many levels, the Luncheon Kingdom.
As its name implies, the theme of the Luncheon Kingdom is food. Unlike some of the game's other levels, such as New Donk City, the Luncheon Kingdom boasts a more stylized art style, with colorful, polygonal environments littered with overgrown vegetables, prawns, and other food items. Koizumi says the world was inspired in part by Italy and other European countries that have a rich variety of food cultures.
Fittingly, Mario can purchase a chef's hat and outfit from this kingdom's Crazy Cap store, and many of the challenges he'll encounter revolve around food. Early on in the stream, Mario plucks a vegetable like in Super Mario Bros. 2 and throws it into a pot of stew, netting him coins.
Nintendo also showed off more of the game's capture mechanic. At one point in the demonstration, Mario uses his hat to inhabit a Lava Bubble, allowing him to swim freely through lava. Later, the plumber encounters Hammer Bros., though in keeping with the level's theme, the enemies throw frying pans in the Luncheon Kingdom instead of hammers. Mario must capture one of the Hammer Bros. and use its frying pans to destroy cheese rocks around the environment. You can watch the full gameplay demonstration at the top of this story.
Nintendo showcased a few more details about the Luncheon Kingdom in a second livestream, including the level's regional coins. In addition to the standard gold coins that Mario has collected throughout the series, each world in Super Mario Odyssey boasts its own unique currency, which takes the form of purple tomatoes in the Luncheon Kingdom. In another challenge, Mario is tasked with heating up pots of stew; in order to do so, he must possess a Lava Bubble and navigate the environment in order to jump into the pots.
Super Mario Odyssey releases for Switch on October 27. The game features a co-op mode that allows another player to control Mario's cap. Unlike other games in the series, however, it does not feature a central hub world, 1-Ups, or a Game Over screen.
Yesterday, the Celtics and the Cavs announced a blockbuster trade sending Kyrie Irving to Boston and Isaiah Thomas to Cleveland. This put NBA 2K18 in something of an awkward position, as Irving will be shown on the game's cover still in a Cavs jersey. Now, 2K has issued a statement on the matter and also confirmed that it will release a version of NBA 2K18 with Irving in a Celtics jersey "at a later date."
"We are excited to be part of one of the most memorable NBA offseasons in history with Kyrie, our 2K18 cover athlete, and Isaiah, one of the stars of our 2K roster, trading places," 2K's SVP of basketball operations, Jason Argent, said in a statement.
"This isn't an unprecedented event, a cover athlete being traded--but it's certainly interesting timing with 2K18 being released in less than a month. The good news is that as the most authentic and realistic basketball game on the market, we're used to being nimble and responding to changes in the NBA. Fans should be thrilled to know that we will issue a version of 2K18 featuring Kyrie in a Boston Celtics uniform at a later date."
This is technically 2K's second response to the trade, as the official NBA 2K Twitter account yesterday said "whoops" in a tweet about NBA 2K18's cover.
2K's marketing team might have had more time to prepare for this, as Irving had reportedly been asking for a trade for a while now. Though the move to the Celtics for Thomas (and Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and a draft pick) came as a surprise to many.
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