In addition to this week's standard batch of deals, Sony is holding another impromptu flash sale on PSN this weekend for North America. Right now, PS4, PS3, and Vita owners can find a large selection of discounts on some great titles as part of the PAX West Sale.
PS4 owners in particular have quite a few titles to choose from this weekend, including some of the console's biggest releases. Both Bloodborne and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor - Game of the Year Edition can be downloaded for $8 apiece, while XCOM 2 and its Digital Deluxe Edition are available for $24 and $30, respectively. RPG fans, meanwhile, can pick up Final Fantasy Type-0 HD and Tales of Zestiria for $15 each. Other notable PS4 games on sale include:
The PAX West Sale runs until September 5 at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET. You can find the full list of discounts on the PlayStation Store. You also have until that day to pick up discounts on a number of Far Cry titles for PS4 and PS3.
If you're eagerly awaiting Total War: Warhammer II on PC, its developer The Creative Assembly has shared some key info. It has revealed the recommended and minimum system requirements for the game, which comes out September 28.
Creative Assembly is also revealing new graphical features it's rolling out for release. Those include improved Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO), a new volumetric fog system that thickens the air (producing god-ray effects), a new sharpening filter, and impressive wet-look surfaces.
"Continuing the series trend for optimization and performance improvement, the second game in CA's fantasy-strategy trilogy will be playable on a wide range of PC systems," the company said on its website. Alongside the minimum and recommended specs, Creative Assembly have outlined a recommendation for 60 FPS gameplay at 1080p.
PC Recommended Specifications
Expected around 45-55 FPS on campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units battle, default graphics preset set to High, running at 1920×1080:
Operating System: Windows 7/8.1/10 64 Bit
Processor: Intel Core i5-4570 3.20 Ghz
RAM: 8 GB
Install Size: 60 GB
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 2 GB/AMD Radeon R9 270X 2 GB at 1080P
PC Minimum Specifications
Expected around 25-35 FPS on campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units battle, default graphics preset set to Low, running at 1280×720:
Operating System: Windows 7 64 Bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 3.0 Ghz
RAM: 4 GB/5 GB
Install Size: 60 GB
Video Card: Nvidia GTX 460 1GB/AMD Radeon HD 5770 1 GB/Intel HD4000 at 720p
PC 60 FPS+ Specifications
Expected 60 FPS+ on campaign map and in a 1v1, 20 units vs. 20 units battle, default graphics preset set to Ultra, running at 1920×1080:
Pokemon Go players in all regions have a new Legendary to catch over the next month, with two more to come after that. Three Pokemon from the Johto region are now available, each in a specific part of the world for a limited time.
The Electric-type Raikou is now available in the Americas, the Fire-type Entei is in Europe and Africa, and the Water-type Suicune is in the Asia-Pacific region. They'll remain here until September 30, giving you a full month to ensure you get your hands on one. On that day, the three will rotate to a different region, and then again on October 31, giving everyone a chance to catch each of the three over the next three months.
The appearance of these Pokemon picks up as soon as the last batch of Legendaries made their way out. If developer Niantic's approach to those is repeated, you can expect to see another opportunity to catch all of these Legendaries at the same time at some point after November. But if you're intent on getting them, you probably shouldn't wait.
Pokemon Go's latest update launched just ahead of the Legendary announcement. It involved several Raid-related changes and fixes, including the resolution of a bug that caused Legendaries to always break out of your final Premier Ball. Additionally, you can now see the number of players who are preparing for a Raid before spending a Raid Pass.
Update: It turns out the reason that North America and Europe's PlayStation Plus lineups were so different is because the former list included the wrong games. All four games for PS3 and Vita were announced incorrectly; PS3 owners will actually get Truck Racer and Handball 16, while Vita owners receive We Are Doomed and Hatoful Boyfriend. Both Vita games support PS4 Cross-Buy. We've updated the list at the bottom of this post with the correct games. The original story follows.
With August drawing to a close, it's nearly time for the next batch of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers to arrive. Sony today announced what titles will be offered in North America next month, and it includes another six spread across PS4, PS3, and Vita.
On PS4, Plus members get Strike Vector EX and Infamous: Second Son. The former is a first-person air combat game, while Second Son is the third game in the Infamous series, and the first released on PS4. It stars a new character and isn't to be confused with its spin-off, First Light, which was free through Plus back in January 2015. Additionally, from September 5 through November 7, PSVR owners will get Rigs for free.
Both of Vita's games, Hue and Sky Force Anniversary support PS4 Cross-Buy, getting players on that platform a total of five games in September. PS3 gets three games: Monster Jam Battlegrounds and Hustle Kings, as well as Sky Force Anniversary (which also features PS3 Cross-Buy).
As an added bonus on PS4, Plus members will be able to play Dead by Daylight for free from September 15-18. It will also be on sale for 30% from then until September 22. A free Neverwinter Plus pack will be available from September 16 through October 16.
Notably, this is the first month in a while that the PS Plus list for Europe differs from the one for North America; you can see Europe's free PS Plus games for September here.
The new batch of freebies arrives next Tuesday, September 5. August's free PS Plus games remain available until then; if you haven't already, you can still claim them. There are some really fun games included, such as Just Cause 3 and Downwell.
It's the beginning of September, which means Xbox Live Gold members can now pick up more free Xbox One and Xbox 360 games as part of the Games With Gold program. Two new games are now free, with another two coming soon.
Later in the month, Oxenfree will go free on Xbox One and Battlefield 3 for Xbox 360. Xbox 360 Games With Gold titles play on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
Microsoft has announced the latest lineup of weekly deals on Xbox Live, and there are quite a few good offers to be had across Xbox One and Xbox 360. Starting on Xbox One, some of the notable deals include:
The offers mentioned here represent just a small slice of all the available deals this week. Be sure to go to Major Nelson's blog to see a full rundown of the new weekly deals, some of which require an Xbox Live Gold membership.
Publisher 2K has pulled several of its games off Apple's App Store after announcing they won't be supported in the next version of iOS. Apple is set to release the next upgrade, iOS 11, soon, marking an end for support of 32-bit apps. Anyone who updates their operating system will no longer be able to open 32-bit apps on their device. As a result, 2K has announced that the following games will no longer be available for purchase on the App Store:
2K says you will still be able to make in-app purchases in the games if you already own them, however in-game purchases for Ace Patrol and Haunted Hollow will no longer be available. Many publishers are currently upgrading their games to 64-bit in order to work on iOS 11. But this is unlikely to happen with many games, which means they will also disappear from the App Store. For its part, 2K has pulled two other games from the App Store with the intention of upgrading them to 64-bit: Sid Meier's Civilization Revolution 2 and XCOM: Enemy Within.
Several other 2K games are already compatible with iOS 11 and won't be affected if you update your phone or iPad:
Apple is hosting a big conference on September 12, where it's expected it will unveil the iPhone 8 (along with iOS 11). We'll report back then with all of Apple's major announcements.
Update: After initially revealing the new PS4 controllers for Europe only, Sony has now announced the new range will also come to the US. The Crystal one is exclusive to GameStop in the region, Red Crystal exclusive to Best Buy, and Blue Crystal exclusive to Walmart. Each one costs $65 in the US and will arrive in the region in September, though Sony is still yet to reveal whether the set will come to Australia. Original story follows.
Sony has revealed a new set of translucent PS4 controllers, seemingly inspired by similar see-through pads released for the original PlayStation 20 years ago. The new DualShock 4s are all semi-transparent, and they come in three color variants: Crystal, Blue Crystal, or Red Crystal.
The trio boast the same features incorporated into the most recent DualShock 3 models, meaning they have a light bar on the top of the touch pad and are able to communicate with the PS4 directly using USB connectivity (bypassing Bluetooth, should you wish to do so). All three models launch in Europe on October 17.
So far, the new designs have only been announced for European markets, with no word on an American or Australian launch. The UK, meanwhile, will only receive the colorless Crystal model. Brits had previously received a Crystal DualShock 4 in June as part of a limited release, but that model was the old DulaShock that did not include wired communication or the new touch pad light bar. GameSpot has contacted Sony to confirm whether the controllers will come to the US and Australia.
Europe, along with Australia, will also receive a special Destiny-themed DualShock 4 very soon. That's not coming to the UK (or Russia or Poland) either, however. There's now quite a few versions of the DualShock 4 out there; if you want to know which is the best for you, check out our review roundup of the best PS4 controllers.
With Destiny 2's release coming up next week, Bungie has now answered more key details about the launch and more. Starting off, Bungie confirmed when the game's servers will go live: it'll be a rolling midnight release across the world. In other words, you can start playing at 12 AM on September 6 in your country. In the US, this means the servers will unlock at midnight ET. While Destiny 2 won't unlock until September 6, people on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can begin pre-loading now.
Bungie also confirmed when Destiny 2's first Nightfall Strikes, Raid, and Trials will launch. The Nightfall Strikes will be available right away, while the Raid kicks off at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on September 13 (3 AM AET on September 14 in Australia). Trials will become available at the same time on September 15 (16 in Australia).
Bungie is intentionally not sharing any details on Destiny 2's first Raid. "If you have witnessed the race to become the first to topple the final boss, you know we keep Raid info well under wraps," Bungie said. "These are your moments to discover--your mysteries to solve. We've given you the when. You will soon discover the who, the what, and the where. Together, as a team, you might even discover the how."
We also learned that Destiny 2's Guided Games system won't be available until September 12 at 10 AM PT. This will be rolled out as part of what Bungie is calling a "soft beta," in that only some players can get in at the start. Guided Games is a new feature coming to Destiny 2 that will help solo players link up with Clans to tackle the most profound challenges in the game as a Fireteam.
"This will allow us to slowly ramp up players over the course of September (and allow Clan populations to grow) so that everyone has a great experience," Bungie said. "During the Guided Games Beta period, we need your Clans to fully test the system at scale. All Clans will be able to guide solo players, so once you've mastered the Nightfall, Fireteam up and guide solo players to the highest heights."
Here is a breakdown of when the Guided Games feature will begin:
Nightfall Guided Games Beta: September 12th, 10AM PT
30-50% of players will be given seeker access, depending on clan participation in Destiny 2 during the first week.
Nightfall and Raid Guided Games: September 26th, 10AM PT
Target: 100% of players will be given seeker access.
Nintendo is continuing its weekly rollout of Splatoon 2 content. The game's next free DLC weapon arrives later today, and it comes with a brand-new special in tow.
Starting tonight, players will be able to purchase the Forge Splattershot Pro from the Ammo Knights shop. Like the recent string of DLC items, the Forge Splattershot Pro is a returning weapon from the first Splatoon. It's a high-powered shooter, but it burns through your ink supply quickly.
The Forge Splattershot Pro comes with Suction Bombs as its sub-weapon. Most notable, however, is its special: the Bubble Blower, a brand-new ability in Splatoon 2. Once activated, players can create up to three large bubbles that will explode when shot with your team's ink.
The Forge Splattershot Pro will roll out just ahead of Splatoon 2's next Splatfest. The competition kicks off tonight at 9 PM PT/12 AM ET and, as before, runs for a full 24 hours. This Splatfest asks players which superpower they'd rather have: flight or invisibility.
Splatoon 2's next Splatfest competition is set to begin soon. The event kicks off in the US tonight at 9 PM PT/12 AM ET and in the UK tomorrow, September 2, at 3 PM BST.
As before, the Splatfest runs for a full 24 hours. This time, the theme revolves around superpowers. Players must pick which ability they'd rather have: flight or invisibility.
To participate in the Splatfest, choose a side from the voting booth in Inkopolis Square and you'll be matched up with other players from your team, with each win going toward your team's overall score. All participants will be rewarded with Super Sea Snails depending on your rank by the end of the Splatfest, which can be used to add additional slots to your gear.
Stages take on a slightly different look during Splatfests. While Turf Wars are typically held during the day, each map is set at night for Splatfests. The game's newest stage, Manta Maria, will be one of the maps featured during this weekend's competition, as will the Splatfest-exclusive stage Shifty Station, which will have a different layout this time.
Also arriving tonight is Splatoon 2's next free DLC weapon, the Forge Splattershot Pro. This high-powered shooter is complemented by the Suction Bomb sub-weapon and a brand-new special, the Bubble Blower. Once activated, players can create up to three large bubble that can explode if shot with your team's ink.
The results for the competition will be revealed on September 3. So far, this is the second Splatfest in Splatoon 2 since the game launched earlier this summer. Last month's event saw Team Mayo narrowly defeat Team Ketchup in a battle of condiment preference. Prior to the game's release, Nintendo held a Splatfest World Premiere demo event that asked players to choose between ice cream or cake.
Capcom has announced that Dead Rising 4 will be available on PlayStation 4 on December 5. The open-world zombie game initially launched in December 2016 for Xbox One and March 2017 for PC. It has remained exclusive to those Microsoft platforms until now.
The PS4 version is called Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package and, as the name implies, includes the main game as well as all additional DLC released post-launch. It will also include a new game mode called "Capcom Heroes," which allows protagonist Frank West to "wear over a dozen outfits and perform outrageous special attacks inspired by classic Capcom characters."
Capcom Heroes mode for Dead Rising 4 will be available as a free update for the Xbox One and PC versions of the game when the PS4 edition launches on December 5.
The full list of content included in Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package can be found below, courtesy of Capcom.
Dead Rising 4: Latest version of the main game with all difficulty settings.
All downloadable content: Stocking Stuffer Holiday Pack, Frank Rising, and Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf.
All bonus content: Street Fighter Outfit Pack, My Bloody Valentine Pack, Candy Cane Crossbow, Slicecycle, Sir-Ice-A-Lot, Ugly Winter Sweater, and X-Fists.
In GameSpot's Dead Rising 4 review the game earned a 7/10, with critic Scott Butterworth saying the "zombie-slaughtering formula has started to wear a bit thin after all these years."
He continued: "The surprisingly well-crafted story, wild new combo weapons, and expansive open world elements, however, turn Dead Rising 4 into an over-the-top piece of popcorn entertainment that captures the series' best elements."
Entry is open to US residents only. Giveaway ends on Friday, September 1 at 12:00 PM PT. Three (3) winners will be contacted via email.
Enter below (the additional entries are optional to increase your chances of winning):
About this game:
As a man or woman stranded naked, freezing and starving on the shores of a mysterious island called ARK, you must hunt, harvest resources, craft items, grow crops, research technologies, and build shelters to withstand the elements. Use your cunning and resources to kill or tame & breed the leviathan dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the land, and team up with or prey on hundreds of other players to survive, dominate... and escape!
Nintendo's recent Switch games Showcase event brought news on the final Shovel Knight campaign, King of Cards. Developer Yacht Club Games has now revealed several new Amiibo figures are on the way based on the game's expansions.
As pictured below, Nintendo will release a three-pack featuring the protagonists from the Shovel Knight's three campaign expansions: Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight. These join the existing, standalone Amiibo of Shovel Knight himself, which was originally released in 2016.
Aside from adorning your shelf with these characters, they also serve an in-game purpose for the Switch, 3DS, and Wii U versions. By scanning a figure, the character gains a new, exclusive set of armor. These are purely cosmetic and be can mixed and matched with the armor effects from existing sets. They can also be scanned to unlock new Challenge Stages, as well as summon fairy companions that resemble each character. As with the Shovel Knight fairy, these fly along with you as you play but don't impact gameplay--they try to pick up treasure but aren't able to actually do so.
More details on these Amiibo features will be announced soon. There's no word on a release date for the figures yet, but Yacht Club said that will also be shared in the near future. The King of Cards expansion is due out in 2018.
The classic cop show Starsky & Hutch is returning to TV screens. It has been confirmed that Amazon has acquired the reboot of the much-loved '70s show, which will be produced by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn.
As reported by Variety, Amazon will partner with Sony Pictures to produce the new Starsky& Hutch. Sony's involvement in the show's development was first announced last week, but the Amazon deal includes a script-to-series commitment, ensuring that it will screen on the streaming service.
Gunn is set to produce the show alongside his brother Brian and cousin Mark, who will also write the series. In a statement, Gunn said, "When I was a kid, Starsky & Hutch was the first 'adult' show I ever saw, and I fell in love. It instilled in me a lifelong love of gritty street shows, of killer '70s threads, and muscle cars. So when Neal Mortiz asked me if I wanted to be a part of an all new Starsky & Hutch on TV, I was instantly intrigued.
"I teamed up with the two writers I trusted most in the world to work with us, my brother Brian Gunn and my cousin Mark Gunn, and together we came up with a show that I'm really proud of. At Amazon I believed we would have the most freedom to create something that is different, challenges the audience, and that strays outside the parameters of genre from time to time."
The original Starsky & Hutch aired for 93 episodes between 1975 and 1979. It starred David Soul and Paul Michael Glaser as the two Southern California cops of the title, and was also known for characters such as the streetwise informant Huggy Bear and no-nonsense boss Captain Dobey. There was a movie reboot in 2004, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, plus a tie-in video game released the previous year.
Destiny 2 is still the better part of a week away, and it might be even longer before you've played enough to get your hands on an Exotic. Despite that, a full list of Exotic items has now leaked in advance of the game's launch, seemingly thanks to the early release of a game guide by GameStop.
As posted on Reddit, a full list of Exotic weapons, armor, and other pieces of gear have surfaced online thanks to users NFSgaming, supadhalster, and SleeperWho. You can head over to that thread to see them all for yourself; we've avoided posting them here because, for many of us, discovering Exotics for the first time is one of the game's major sources of excitement.
One thing that we will note is the apparent absence of one particularly well-known Exotic from the original Destiny. While there are a number of returning Exotics, the Gjallarhorn rocket launcher--among the most coveted weapons in Destiny--is not among them. Of course, it's possible the leaks simply missed them or that it will be added in a later update or expansion.
Today's leak follows another that dumped large amounts of Destiny 2's story. We've similarly avoided publishing any of those details here, but you should be cautious of online discussions surrounding the game's story if you're hoping to avoid spoiling the narrative.
Bungie has provided an official look at a handful of Exotics in Destiny 2 so far. We rounded up the Legendary and Exotic gear we found earlier this year, and we know about another weapon, Coldheart, that is available as a pre-order bonus (seen in the video above). Expect to hear plenty more with the game's PS4 and Xbox One release coming next Wednesday, September 6 (October 24 on PC).
Amazon has announced all of the movies and TV shows coming for Prime subscribers in September, and there are quite a few notable additions. That includes the comedy Wedding Crashers (out now), while Season 2 of Amazon's original series One Mississippi premieres on September 8.
The Amazon original movie The Lost City of Z, starring Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Robert Pattinson (Twilight), and Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Homecoming), debuts on Amazon a week later, on September 15. Additionally, Season 4 of Amazon's drama Transparent starring Jeffrey Tambor arrives on September 22.
Outside of the movies and TV shows, Amazon will air the NFL's first Thursday Night Football game on September 28, which is a matchup between the Packers and the Bears. You can see the full rundown of all the movies and TV shows coming to Amazon Prime in September below, as well as links to the other major streaming services' lists.
Following the release of Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle, another handful of games has been added to the Nintendo Switch Eshop. This week sees three retro-style action games arrive in the console's digital store.
Headlining the batch of releases is the Gunvolt series compilation, Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack. This game combines the original Azure Striker Gunvolt and its sequel into one package, both of which now run at 60 FPS and have higher resolution visuals. In addition to those improvements, Striker Pack includes all of the DLC that was released for the two games and features HD Rumble and Switch Pro Controller support. The game is currently only available for Switch digitally for $40/£31.49, but players will have a chance to pick up a physical copy of Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack this October.
Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack
Also available is the requisite ACA Neo Geo game. This week, it's the 2D arcade shoot-'em-up Zed Blade. Players select an aircraft and blast their way through horizontally-scrolling stages on a quest to stop the rogue space fortress Yggdrasil. Like previous ACA Neo Geo titles, Zed Blade retails for $8/£6.29.
The final new Eshop game available now is League of Evil, an 8-bit platformer originally released for mobile devices. The game challenges players with jumping and punching their way through over 140 levels spread into four chapters. New to the Switch release is a level editor, allowing players to create their own stages and share them with others online. League of Evil runs for $8/£7.19.
Hulu has announced what's coming to and leaving the streaming service for September 2017. Starting with what's arriving, some of the movies available now include well-known ones like The Silence of the Lambs, Contact, Robocop, and Hitch.
Other high-profile movies and shows due out in September include the eighth season of Adventure Time, 1977's Freaky Friday, and 2003's version of Freaky Friday on September 2. The Emperor's New Groove arrives on September 5, while Best Picture winner Crash hits on September 6. Season 6 of the Hulu show The Mindy Project arrives on September 12, while Season 21 of South Park comes to Hulu on September 14.
As for what's leaving, now is your last chance to watch Almost Famous, Click, House of the Dead, and Kingpin, as they all will be removed from Hulu on September 30. You can see the full list of what's coming to and leaving Hulu below, along with links to the other major streaming services' new additions and removals.
A bunch of new games are now available for PlayStation 4. This week sees some notable titles arrive on Sony's console, including Yakuza Kiwami, the fighting game Absolver, and many others.
Yakuza Kiwami is arguably the highest-profile release this week. The game is a remake of the first Yakuza title, which debuted on PS2 back in 2005. It features many improvements over the original, including upgraded visuals, re-recorded dialogue, and a hilarious new "Majima Everywhere" system that has the character pop up in unexpected moments throughout the game to challenge players. Critics have had good things to say about the remake; GameSpot reviewer Peter Brown called it the "perfect starting point for newcomers" in our Yakuza Kiwami review. It retails for $30/£30.
Yakuza Kiwami
Also out is Absolver, a unique fighting game that mixes elements of brawlers, RPGs, and even deck-building. The game puts players in the role of a Prospect, a fledgling warrior who must defeated the Marked Ones in combat in order to gain access to the Tower of Adal. What sets Absolver apart from other brawlers is its customizable battle system; players can learn new moves by battling enemies and use those to expand their fighting style. Critic Richard Wakeling said the game's "deep, nuanced combat always finds ways of enticing you back for one more fight" in GameSpot's Absolver review. The game runs for $30/£25.
August is officially over, which means it's time for a new slate of content to arrive on Netflix. The streaming service recently announced all of the new titles coming to the service in September, as well as everything that's on its way out.
Most notable for video game fans is Final Fantasy XIV: Dad of Light. The original series was announced earlier this year (when it carried the much funnier subtitle Daddy of Light) and is set both inside and outside of the MMO. It tells the story of a father and son who play the game together without the father knowing who his in-game companion is. Season 1 is out now.
Also available now are some quality films: Gangs of New York, Jaws (and its three sequels), and Pulp Fiction. Other notable additions throughout the month include Season 4 of BoJack Horseman and Season 7 of The Walking Dead (September 8); Season 7 of Portlandia (September 9); Beauty and the Beast (September 19); and Season 3 of Gotham (September 21).
On the departures side, the first two seasons of Wilfred, The Batman Seasons 1-5, and A Nightmare on Elm Street are all gone. CSI: Miami and all 10 seasons of its incredible one-liners go away on September 26.
The full lists follow at the bottom of the post, and you can hit the links below to see the other video streaming services' September updates.
It's another packed week of releases for Xbox One. A total of 18 new games arrive on the console this week, with a number of them already available at retail and in the Xbox Store.
Tuesday's batch of releases contains some especially noteworthy titles. Among them is ReCore: Definitive Edition, an enhanced version of last year's action game. Along with improved visuals, the title features new content in the form of new Core bots, dungeons, and more. The most signification addition, however, is Eye of Obsidian, a new adventure that takes players to the Starving Sea, a previously unexplored area of the planet. You can pick up Definitive Edition for $20/£15; those who already own the original ReCore can download an update that adds all of the new content to the title for free.
Ark: Survival Evolved
Also released on Tuesday is the popular Jurassic survival game, Ark: Survival Evolved. The game has been out in Xbox Game Preview for almost two years, but this marks its full release at retail and in the Xbox Store. Ark is available in standard and Explorer's Editions, the latter of which includes all current and future expansions. The base game retails for $60/£50, while the Explorer's Edition runs for $100/£75.
Less than a month until the game comes out, EA has finally detailed FIFA 18's Career Mode and how it iterates on FIFA 17's. The biggest improvements to the mode revolve around transfers, though there are some other nice touches too.
Rather than submitting an offer for a player and then waiting for an email response, FIFA 18 allows you to conduct transfer negotiations in real-time, seemingly as part of an interactive cutscene. This involves first meeting with a representative of the selling club and agreeing a fee for the player in question, before then negotiating personal terms with the star's agent.
Once a transfer is completed, you'll be treated to a "dynamic news clip," imitating those seen in real-world sports coverage when a player or manager gives a press conference. These types of clips will also be seen when a player wins a Player of the Month award or when you win a competition.
Training has also been expanded with "15+" new skill games with which to improve your players. You can create drills and assign them to specific players or groups of players, which EA says will allow you to develop young players or manage a player's return from injury.
Elsewhere, Career Mode benefits from the features FIFA 18 boasts as a whole, including more realistic and diverse atmospheres, more authentic playing styles, and the ability to make quick subs during the match, without having to pause.
EA revealed FIFA 18's Ultimate Team portion last month. The popular multiplayer mode will include a new feature called Stories, in which classic players will receive three rare cards for different stages in their career. Lots more is coming to FUT this year--check out all the new features here.
FIFA 18 was first revealed in June, and it launches for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on September 29. Customers who preorder the Ronaldo Edition or Icon Edition will get to play it three days early, while EA Access and Origin Access members can enjoy a 10-hour trial on Xbox One/PC starting September 21. We've played an early version of FIFA 18--check out what we thought here.
Apple has confirmed it will hold its next big conference on September 12 in Cupertino, California, where it is expected to reveal its new iPhone 8. In an invite (via CNET), the company announced the event will happen at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST (3 AM AET on September 13 in Australia).
Although the iPhone is not specifically mentioned in the invite, Apple traditionally unveils its new phone models in September of each year, before releasing them later in the same month. The company is expected to reveal both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s, as well as an iPhone 7s Plus and other products such as a new Apple Watch model and potentially a new Apple TV.
The iPhone 8 is rumored to feature face-scanning technology and reportedly won't have a home button. This next lineup of iPhones--alongside the release of iOS 11--could be particularly good for gamers, as well. Earlier this year, Apple announced several gaming-related projects, such as ARKit for augmented-reality games on iOS, as well as support for Unity, Unreal Engine, and VR headsets on MacOS. Although most of these announcements have been focused on Apple's desktops, it's not inconceivable that we see greater attention paid to mobile gaming at the iPhone reveal event.
We finally know when Battlefield 1's new expansion is coming out. In the Name of the Tsar's release date has been revealed as September 19, though Premium Pass members will get two weeks' early access starting September 5.
Publisher EA is calling In the Name of the Tsar Battlefield 1's "most extensive expansion yet." It costs US $15 / £12 / AU $25 (or US $50 / £40 / AU $70 as part of the Premium Pass) and includes six maps, a new mode, and more.
One of the maps, Lupkow Pass, is already out for people who own the Premium Pass. The others are: Albion, Galicia, Brusilov Keep, Tsaritsyn (which you can see the first gameplay of in the video above), and Volga River. Developer DICE's descriptions, courtesy of the PlayStation Blog, can be found at the bottom of this article.
The new mode, meanwhile, is called Supply Drop. It's set on the Eastern Front and sees teams compete to recover airdrops that provide them with additional weaponry. New Operations are also included with the expansion, such as the Brusilov Offensive, while more medals, dog tags, and service stars will be added, too.
Following In the Name of the Tsar's release, an Operations update will follow in October, with a standard update coming after that in November. December brings the third expansion, the "amphibious warfare"-centric Turning Tides. The fourth DLC pack, Apocalypse, focuses on "the most infamous battles" of World War I and launches in early 2018. If you haven't already purchased the game, EA recently announced and released Battlefield 1's Revolution edition, which packages the game together with its Premium Pass for US $60 / £55 / AU $90. Alternatively, the shooter is now available for free with EA/Origin Access on Xbox One/PC.
Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar Maps
Lupkow Pass: The vertical fights are as bitter as the cold as you fight amid snow-covered ravines and treacherous mountains. The first map of Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar, Lupkow Pass pits the Austro-Hungarian forces against the dug-in troops of the Russian Imperial Army. With narrow passes and gorges constantly limiting your sightlines, adapting your tactics is key. You'll want to gain altitude and get a vantage point on the enemy to help secure the win – but an Armored Train may just change the outcome of the battle.
Albion: Partake in the skirmishes of the Albion assault in this massive invasion of the Baltic peninsula, as the German Empire enacts a brutal coastal bombardment against the heavy gun batteries of the Russian forces. While expert vehicle and artillery use is crucial, sharp-eyed infantry that are able to stay ahead of the mayhem can make a serious impact with each capture point.
Galicia: Set during the epic Brusilov Offensive, you'll find the Russian Empire committed to pushing back the Austro-Hungarian forces from within the Russian countryside. It's an open map focused on infantry, cavalry, and light vehicles. With plenty of open space to traverse, it's a great opportunity to make use of the cavalry charge as both lightning-fast transport and a serious threat to enemies on foot.
Brusilov Keep: The Russians have pushed the Austro-Hungarians back into a secluded mountain town along a critical trade route of the Eastern Front, but the opposition is making a strong stand on this infantry-focused map. Set in the shadow of the Carpathian Mountains, there's a big emphasis on close-range soldier combat here. Your best bet? Top-notch teamwork with your squad.
Tsaritsyn: The Bolsheviks and the Imperials enter the fray among barricaded streets as the old and new regimes fight for the soul of Russia. This up-close and personal infantry fight is as ruthless as they come. Use the house-to-house fighting to your advantage by setting up ambushes for overextending enemies.
Volga River: A ruined rural battleground sets the stage for a tank fight between the Bolsheviks in red and the Imperial Army in white. Makeshift shelters provide cover from the freezing cold and the constant exchange of heavy firepower. As you trade salvos with enemy tanks, remember to keep yourself from being outnumbered. A strategic retreat can give you time to regroup and prevent losing vehicle resources.
Call of Duty: WWII's second beta weekend kicks off on Friday, and we now know the exact start and end times. In a blog post, developer Sledgehammer Games stated the trial will begin on September 1 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST (3 AM AET on September 2 in Australia). It will then end on Monday, September 4 at the same time.
The trial period follows an initial private beta that was held last weekend. The upcoming second phase is coming to both PS4 and Xbox One, and will include a new map, Aachen. In addition, Sledgehammer is adding a new mode and new weapons, and has tweaked a number of details according to fan feedback. Team Deathmatch will now have a kill cap of 100, while kills in Domination will grant players 100 points. The studio has also fixed some loading and hit marker issues. You can read about more of the changes in the works here.
While there are no new Lord of the Rings movies in the works, fans of J.R.R. Tolkien may be happy to know a biopic about the author is on the way. Nicholas Hoult (About A Boy, X-Men, Mad Max: Fury Road) is playing Tolkien, and now we know the actress who will play Edith Bratt, Tolkien's love and the inspiration for Lord of the Rings characters such as Luthien and Arwen.
Lily Collins, who starred in the Netflix movies To The Bone and Okja (and is the daughter of singer Phil Collins), will play Bratt. She says on Twitter that she's been a fan of Tolkien's work for her entire life and is thus understandably excited to be playing such a big role in the movie, Tolkien.
As a lifelong fan of Tolkien's magic, I can't wait to start this epic adventure... https://t.co/Re5BLV7hOU
The story for Tolkien follows the author's school days before the start of World War I, which he served in from 1916 through 1920 (via Variety). After coming home, he wrote The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings before passing away in 1973, two years after Bratt.
Tolkien thought of Bratt as an Elvish princess, Luthien, giving himself the name Beren. The story is told in Tolkien's book, Beren and Luthien, and this relationship between an immortal woman and a mortal man is continued in a way in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies between Arwen and Aragorn.
When Bratt died, Tolkien had "Luthien" written on her tombstone. After he died, the name "Beren" was added.
After two years in Early Access, Ark: Survival Evolved finally launched this week across PC and console. To promote the release, the developers teamed up with effects studio Pixomondo, which did some amazing work on shows like Game of Thrones and Furious 7.
The brief teaser trailer shows a man washing up on the shore of a tropical world, greeted by a woman riding a dinosaur. The man quickly learns how unforgiving Ark can be.
This is just the first in a series, as the video's description says fans can stay turned for "more cinematic episodes" coming up soon.
Even excluding the delays, the run-up to launch hasn't been exactly smooth for Studio Wildcard. It sparked controversy among fans when it announced that the price of the game was doubling ahead of release; the Early Access version cost only $30. Further, it previously announced that it would wipe competitive multiplayer servers before the full release, although the developer reversed that decision in July.
The third season of HBO's True Detective has been greenlit. It has been confirmed that the network is officially moving forward with Season 3 of the acclaimed cop drama, with Oscar-winning Moonlight star Mahershala Ali in the lead role.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show's creator Nic Pizzolatto has written the entire season, with the exception of one episode, which will have a script by Deadwood's David Milch. It was first reported that Pizzolatto was working on a new season back in March, and Ali was announced as the show's new star in July, despite the fact that it was not yet greenlit. Ali is also known for House of Cards, Luke Cage, and the Hunger Games movies.
THR reports that True Detective Season 3 will tell the story of a "macabre crime in the heart of the Ozarks and a mystery that deepens over decades and plays out in three separate time periods." Ali is to play "Wayne Hays, a state police detective from Northwest Arkansas."
The new season will be directed by Jeremy Saulnier, who previously helmed the acclaimed thillers Green Room and Blue Ruin, and like Season 1 and 2, it will be a self-contained story. In a statement, Pizzolatto said "I'm tremendously thrilled to be working with artists at the level of Mahershala and Jeremy. I hope the material can do justice to their talents, and we're all very excited to tell this story." A premiere date for True Detective Season 3 is currently unknown.
While Season 1 of True Detective was one of 2014's most talked-about TV shows, Season 2 was a disappointment in terms of both viewing figures and critical reaction. Last year Michael Lombardo, HBO's former president of programming, spoke about the negative reaction to Season 2: "When we tell somebody to hit an air date as opposed to allowing the writing to find its own natural resting place--when it's ready, when it's baked--we've failed," he admitted. "And I think in this particular case, the first season of True Detective was something that Nic Pizzolatto had been thinking about, gestating, for a long period of time. He's a soulful writer.
"I think what we did was go, 'Great.' And I take the blame. I became too much of a network executive at that point. We had huge success. 'Gee, I'd love to repeat that next year.'
"Well, you know what? I set him up to deliver, in a very short time frame, something that became very challenging to deliver.. That's not what that show is. He had to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Find his muse. And so I think that's what I learned from it. Don't do that anymore."
Looking to play Titanfall 2 this weekend or in need of a reason to come back? If so, you may be happy to know you'll be doubly awarded. Respawn Entertainment has announced that the game will offer double XP through September 5.
The double XP event is being held to celebrate the recent release of Titanfall 2's latest expansion, Postcards from the Frontier.
Postcards from the Frontier adds new maps and an execution, as well a handful of paid cosmetic items. You can learn more about everything included in it here in GameSpot's previous coverage.
In other Titanfall 2 news, Respawn boss Vince Zampella recently talked about how he believes the game should have sold better. "The game was successful, it sold well, but it didn't quite sell as well as it should have," Zampella said. "Maybe because it was super-crowded, the pricing was aggressive--it was a rough window to launch our game."
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