September 20 update 2:Xbox One X pre-orders have gone live at multiple retailers in the US. For as long as they remain in stock, you can pre-order through Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, Target, Microsoft Store, and Newegg. The previously announced GameStop bundles range in price from $570 to $800, although the system is also available on its own, too. Keep in mind these are the standard editions, not the Scorpio edition. They offer the same functionality; you'll simply be missing out on a special design and a free vertical base that allows you to stand your console upright.
September 20 update: GameStop's Xbox One X pre-orders go live today, and Microsoft has announced that a number of other retailers will also follow suit. These include the Microsoft Store and Amazon. We'll report back with more specifics as they're available.
September 19 update: GameStop has announced that it will offer pre-orders on the standard edition Xbox One X beginning on September 20 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET. Quantities are likely to be limited. The retailer will also offer optional layaway bundles, as well as up to $200 in credit for PowerUp Rewards members who trade in their existing console toward the new system.
August 25 update: If you've had trouble pre-ordering an Xbox One X, this might be why: Microsoft has announced it is the fastest pre-ordered Xbox console ever. The Scorpio Edition appears to be mostly sold out--although, again, you might have luck by continuing to check in at retailers that are currently out of stock. Microsoft says details on pre-orders of the standard edition will be shared at some point in September. We'll report back as we receive more information.
August 23 update: Retailers have sporadically been bringing pre-orders back online over the last day. As of this writing, Target has them back in stock again, although they may not last long. As with the SNES Classics, which have reappeared briefly, it may be worth periodically checking the retailer listings linked below to see if you can get lucky. Keep in mind, the Scorpio Edition will be available by pre-order only, though the system is functionally identical to the standard Xbox One X model.
Original Story: Microsoft's Gamescom livestream today brought with it the expected news: Xbox One X pre-orders are now live. Below, you'll find the basic details on how and where to pre-order the system. We'll continue to update this as more retailers bring their pre-orders online. The Xbox One X launches worldwide on November 7 for $500 / £449 / AU $649. Pre-orders are already available through a number of retailers, which you can visit through the links below.
There are at least two bundles available--GameStop is packaging the Elite controller with the Xbox One X for $600 in the US, a $50 discount over buying them separately. It also has another bundle with a second controller and more for $583.
Microsoft has also announced a Project Scorpio Edition of Xbox One X for the same price as the standard edition. This is available by pre-order only and features a unique design and an exclusive vertical stand. According to a tweet from Microsoft's Albert Penello, any Xbox One X pre-order listing you see is for the Scorpio Edition, whether or not the listing reflects that. There's no word yet on when or if you'll be able to pre-order the non-Scorpio Edition.
A new update for Rainbow Six Siege has been released, and players on PlayStation 4 are reporting a variety of problems with it. Some of these are potentially serious enough that you may want to avoid updating or refrain from playing with the update installed until a fix has been released.
There have been numerous reports of the Siege update causing PS4 systems to crash. This seems especially common when inviting players to your party, and Ubisoft has specifically recommended avoiding doing so for the time being. It stated, "We are cooperating with Sony on this issue and would advise you to not use this feature until a resolution is found."
But other players claim that the game is more seriously impacting their systems, yielding an error (CE-36329-3) related to the hard drive being corrupted. Users on Reddit claim that neither deleting the game nor initializing the system resolves the problem. Not everyone seems to be affected, but given the potential severity, it would be safer to avoid the game's update for the time being.
Ubisoft has not announced how soon a fix is coming, but we'll report back as more details are shared. The Xbox One and PC versions of the game appear to be unaffected.
Vampyr, the upcoming story-driven action game from Life Is Strange developer Dontnod, has been delayed into "spring 2018." The game was originally scheduled to come out in November 2017 but, in a press release, the studio said a "technical issue" has resulted in the need for extra time.
"Delaying the release of a project you hold dear is always a tough decision," said Oskar Guilbert, chief executive of the studio. "However, we believe that meeting a deadline should never compromise quality. We were still convinced just a few weeks ago that we would be able to release Vampyr this year. Unfortunately, a technical issue--now solved--has set our teams' schedule back at the end of the development.
"This delay allows us enough time for all the polishing and balancing phase, much needed for a game of Vampyr's scope, with its ambitious, semi-open world, its complex narrative and deep RPG mechanics that give players a real impact on the world."
In Vampyr, players take control of Dr. Jonathan Reid, a famous surgeon, known for his dedication to saving lives during the Spanish Flu epidemic. However, he returns home from the Great War cursed with vampirism and now must struggle to find his humanity. The game is set in the dark and gritty streets of 1918 London.
Like its predecessors The Lego Movie and The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie bursts on all sides with meta references, double entendres, and other self-referential in-jokes that make these movies as entertaining to adults as they are to kids. Obviously, that's no accident. Ninjago's producers, Chris McKay and Dan Lin, told GameSpot that they're happy to "get away with murder" when it comes to these films' humor.
"We want to try to get away with murder as much as we possibly can," McKay said during an interview at the Legoland Hotel in Carlsbad, Calif.
The Lego Ninjago Movie is unlike the previous two in that it's based on an existing Lego franchise that already has its own TV show (whereas The Lego Movie was an original story, and Lego Batman was--well, Batman). In this incarnation, the six ninjas at the story's center take on Lord Garmadon (The Leftovers' Justin Theroux), an evil-ish figure bent on domination. The twist: The Ninjas' leader, Lloyd (Dave Franco), is Garmadon's son. The drama as Lloyd's identity is revealed and he and Garmadon deal with their messy family life provides a poignant counter to the series' frenetic, over-the-top humor.
"We take that absurdity and that craziness and that humor, and then we want to surprise you at the end with real emotion," Lin said. "Our goal is to make you cry in these movies."
It's not easy to do both, but that's part of the reason these Lego films have been so successful with critics and fans. As unlikely as it seems, they feel like more than just extended advertisements to sell more Lego toys. According to the producers, that's because they have a vision.
"When I sat down with Dan and [co-directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord] on the first movie, we talked about, 'What if Henry Selick and Michael Bay were 10-year-old kids and they lived across the street from each other and they were best friends and they made movies together?" McKay said. "There's two different kinds of absurdities: One is taking yourself so crazy serious, and the other is not taking it seriously at all. And I think there's something fun about the combination of that kind of silliness. When you're a kid you play like that, you're not making jokes, but the stuff comes out hilarious because you're taking it so seriously."
"We wanted to make it feel like the inmates are running the asylum, and that the filmmakers are kind of getting away with something," he continued. "That was a running theme through all of the Lego movies, that we always were trying to make it feel like this isn't something that you've seen. Sometimes we throw good taste out the window, and this wouldn't be something that other filmmakers might do; we can get away with things because we are trying to sort of imitate the mind of the way I used to play when I was a kid."
As the Ninjago crew--voiced alongside Franco by Abbi Jacobson, Michael Peña, Fred Armisen, Kumail Nanjiani, and Zach Woods--learn more about their powers, the audience gets glimpses of lightning-quick montages filled with flashes from classic martials arts movies. Jackie Chan's Master Wu guides them, while Theroux growls and grumbles hilariously as Garmadon. The animated action is impressive, but it's a live-action cat--named "Meowthra" by her terrified victims--who steals the show when she starts wreaking havoc on this miniature Lego city. The real world affecting the Lego fantasy is one of the most fun recurring gags in these movies.
"We're trying not to make a traditional animated movie," Lin said. "So there's always something crazy going on, whether it's the flashbacks to different martial arts films that you see in the movie, or even the live action cat showing up, there are just some things that we want people watching to go, 'Where'd that come from? That's weird!' The movies are always very funny, but they're always subversive."
"In a fun, family movie way," he added--naturally. The Lego Ninjago Movie hits theaters Sept. 22.
The latest installment in Arkane's acclaimed stealth-action series, Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. This smaller, standalone adventure takes place several months after the events of last year's Dishonored 2 and looks to tie up the remaining loose ends from its predecessors. This time, players assume the role of former assassin Billie Lurk, who embarks on a quest to reunite with her mentor Daud and ultimately assassinate the titular Outsider.
Reviews for the game are now available online, and critics seem to agree that Death of the Outsider is another well-made, if not particularly revolutionary, addition to the Dishonored series. We've collected a sample of reviews below; for a broader look at what critics are saying about Death of the Outsider, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
Game: Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
Developer: Arkane Studios
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release: September 15
Price: $30/£20
GameSpot -- 8/10
"Dishonored: Death Of The Outsider is a solid, inventive, yet somewhat subdued capper to the stories from the previous Dishonored games. While the smaller scope can be felt throughout, the approach to allowing players to express themselves as a master assassin is just as strong as ever. It's uncertain where the series can go from here, but this stand-alone release proves that Dishonored is still a remarkably designed stealth-action game with much potential, that offers players the chance to be creative in ways they'd least expect." -- Alessandro Fillari [Full review]
IGN -- 8.4/10
"In general, Death of the Outsider feels like an extension of Dishonored 2, which it pretty much is despite being sold as a standalone game instead of an expansion. It doesn't mess up what made its predecessor great, and thankfully ran significantly better on PC at launch for me (I maxed it out on a GTX 1070, and it still ran great on a GTX 970), but it also ends up being a flatter version of an incredible game." -- Tom Marks [Full review]
Polygon -- 8/10
"Death of the Outsider offers a standard take on the Dishonored formula, tracking closely to its admirable ethos of freedom and choice in a world of subtleties and illusions. It's a decent finale with a solid central character. But it makes little attempt to try anything new, a sign that all the best ideas are likely going into whatever comes next." -- Colin Campbell [Full review]
Eurogamer -- Recommended
"The trading of fixed upgrades for the flexibility of bone charms, streamlined energy system and dialing-back of Chaos/Order seem a foundation worthy of a grander tale, one that tugs a little harder on some of the dangling threads here--Billie's ability to listen to rats, for example, a promising rewrite of the Heart of Dunwall narrative mechanic that never really goes anywhere, or the mournful profundities of Dishonored's whales, which are referenced but not dwelt upon in the final area. There have been far, far worse finales, though, and erasing the god whose mystical gifts create the framework for a game of this sort is quite the way to drop the curtain. If only every series could meet its end so boldly, not simply raging against the dying of the light but taking a knife to its own shadow." -- Edwin Evans-Thirlwell [Full review]
Game Informer -- 8.5/10
"Death of the Outsider ultimately emerges as a strong chapter in one of the best modern action/RPG series thanks to gameplay refinements and dedication to its dark fiction. This standalone expansion doesn't revolutionize the series but instead does something more important, navigating the familiar to bring everything to a satisfying conclusion." -- Javy Gwaltney [Full review]
Those eager to get their hands on Microsoft's upcoming Xbox One X as soon as possible will have another opportunity to pre-order the system very soon. GameStop has announced the details of an upcoming wave of pre-orders. [Update: Other retailers are also bringing additional Xbox One X pre-orders online.]
Like other retailers, GameStop quickly sold out of its allotment of Xbox One X Scorpio Editions, which are available by pre-order only. You've missed your opportunity to secure one of those (at least without resorting to the secondhand market), but pre-orders for the standard edition of the console will be available through GameStop starting September 20, at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET.
Specifics regarding stock were not shared, but given the demand for the Scorpio Edition, you may want to act quickly tomorrow if you're interested. Xbox One X launches worldwide on November 7, and other retailers are expected to offer additional pre-orders this month. You can stay on top of the latest news in our Xbox One X pre-order guide.
GameStop has also announced the details of some other offers related to the Xbox One X. For a limited time, PowerUp Rewards members can get up to $200 toward the system when they pre-order and trade in their current system. Additionally, it will offer layaway bundles involving the new console and different accessories, which offer discounts (provided you're interested in everything that's included). The bundles and their savings are as follows; we've followed up with GameStop to find out exact pricing.
Gold: Save $120
Microsoft Xbox One Black/Silver Elite Wireless Controller
ASTRO A40 TR Headset with M80 Adapter for Xbox One
Xbox One SCUF Elite Pro Kit – Green
Microsoft Xbox Live Six-Month Subscription
Silver: Save $50
Xbox Wireless Black/Gold Recon Tech Controller (GameStop exclusive)
Microsoft Xbox Live Three-Month Gold Membership
Turtle Beach Xbox One XO Three Gaming Headset Black + Green
BD&A Xbox One Play & Charge Kit
CyberPower Six-Outlet & Two USB Surge Protector with White USB Charger
Bronze: Save $25
Microsoft Xbox One Red Wireless Controller
CyberPower Six-Outlet & Two USB Surge Protector with White USB Charger
The run of new releases continues this week with a bunch of new titles out for PlayStation consoles. While this week isn't as busy as it'll be next month and into the holiday season, there are quite a few notable big-name releases coming out this week.
Starting off, NBA 2K18 officially launched on September 19 following its release for pre-order shoppers last week. Another big-name title out this week is Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, while Minecraft: Story Mode Season 2 hits retail this week as well. Racing game sequel Project Cars 2 hits this week, as does the 4v1 shooter Raiders of the Broken Planet. Scroll down to see a full rundown of new PlayStation games out this week.
EA's next entry in the Need for Speed series releases fairly soon and will be available on both consoles and PC. Those looking to play Need for Speed Payback on their computer now have an idea of how well their rig will hold up, as EA and developer Ghost Games have announced the minimum requirements and recommended specs for the upcoming racing game.
The minimum specs are not especially demanding, calling for an Intel i3 6300 or AMD FX 8150, 6 GB of RAM, and a GTX 750 Ti or Radeon HD 7850. It's important to note, however, that this is what's outlined for those looking to achieve a 720p, 30 FPS experience at Low settings, which is obviously not what many PC owners are hoping for.
Similarly, the recommended specs are only for playing at 1080p and 60 FPS at High settings; those seeking a higher framerate or resolution will have to guess at what kind of hardware they'll need for now. The 1080p/60 FPS setup recommends an i5 4690K or AMD FX 8350, 8 GB of RAM, and a GTX 1060 or RX 480. If you have even better hardware, you may be able to run the game at 4K, as seen in the new gameplay video above.
The first trailer for The Punisher is here. Netflix's latest Marvel show sees Jon Bernthal reprise his role from Daredevil as vigilante anti-hero Frank Castle, and this first trailer suggests that the show is going to be every bit as violent as fans of the character have been hoping for. Netflix is still holding back on a release date, but fans of Metallica will enjoy the trailer's clever use of their classic song One. Check it out above.
Bernthal is joined by his Daredevil co-star Deborah Ann Woll, playing Karen Page. The Punisher also stars Curtis Hoyle, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, David Lieberman, Michael Nathanson, Sam Stein, and Jaime Ray Newman.
Bernthal is the fourth actor to play the Punisher, following Dolph Lungren, Thomas Jane, and Ray Stevenson in the three previous movie versions. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bernthal confirmed that the new show would be the darkest Marvel series so far.
"This season is much darker as it goes, it gets darker and darker and more visceral," he said. "The show takes you on this journey of Frank becoming more and more human again and then shutting off and shutting off and going back to what works for him, and the place where he kind of belongs, and I think that's a place of solitude and of darkness and destruction. It's going to get into as dark and as brutal a place as you've ever seen in the Marvel world, I can promise you that."
Bernthal also spoke about playing a character that is both a ruthless killer and a hero that the audience is supposed to side with. "I think there's a bit of Frank in all of us," he revealed. "We all go through bouts of darkness and regret and shame, and we mess up and we make mistakes, so I think to really zero in on that and to dig into that wound is what makes him interesting."
Pokemon Go developer Niantic has announced the next in-game event for the popular mobile title. On September 22, the developer is kicking off the Equinox event, which will run for a little over a week and give players the chance to net extra items and other bonuses.
Beginning this Friday at 1 PM PT/4 PM ET, Pokemon Go players will be able to earn double Stardust for catching Pokemon and hatching eggs. You'll also earn triple the amount of XP as normal by registering a new Pokemon in your Pokedex, and PokeStops and Gyms will dole out special 2 km eggs that may hatch into Chansey, Mareep, Larvitar, and other rare Pokemon. To help players, Niantic is also offering "special boxes" from Pokemon Go's in-game shop that contain items like Lucky Eggs, Lure Modules, and new Super Incubators, which hatch eggs 1.5 times faster than a regular Incubator.
The Equinox event runs until 1 PM PT/4 PM ET on October 2. Players also have until September 30 to catch one of the three Legendary dogs--Entei, Raikou, and Suicune--before they move on to a different part of the world. Each Legendary Pokemon is available in a certain region until the end of the month: the Electric-type Raikou is in the Americas; the Fire-type Entei is in Europe and Africa; and the Water-type Suicune is in the Asia-Pacific region. Players across Europe also still have a chance to attend the live Safari Zone events that take place at select Unibail-Rodamco shopping centers.
Pokemon Go's latest update rolled out earlier this week, though it it was a fairly minor one, primarily addressing certain bugs. It also included a free, in-game t-shirt for players' avatars to promote the Global Goals initiative.
No further details about the Watchmen TV show have been revealed, and there has been no official HBO statement. It isn't even clear at what stage the development of the show is at, although the scripts on the table in the background of the image imply that a read-through is about to take place.
Lindelof's acclaimed drama The Leftovers was also screened on HBO, and it concluded its third and final season this past summer. His other writing credits include Prometheus and Star Trek Into Darkness, and he was the co-creator and joint-showrunner of Lost.
Watchmen was first published by DC in 1986 as a 12-part limited series. It was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons and is widely considered to be one of the greatest comic books ever released. It helped usher in a new, more mature approach to mainstream superhero comics, and in 2005, it was featured on Time's list of 100 greatest novels of the 20th century.
A film version was in the works for many years, and 12 Monkeys director Terry Gilliam was attached at one stage. In 2009, Zack Snyder directed a Watchmen movie, which was a modest success, making $185 million at the worldwide box office.
Final Fantasy XV's multiplayer expansion will be available to play from October 31, Square Enix has announced. Titled Comrades, the update will allow players to "create their own avatar and join up with three friends to take on epic quests and battles."
In order to play Comrades, you'll need to own Final Fantasy XV and purchase the expansion. For those that own the season pass, Comrades will be available at no additional cost. Of course, an Xbox Live Gold or PlayStation Plus subscription is required to play the multiplayer component of the game.
Comrades casts players as members of the Kingsglaive. If you haven't finished Final Fantasy XV you may want to skip reading this next bit. It is set after chapter 13, during which Noctis disappears for a period of time. The Kingsglaive are tasked with finding out more about his mysterious vanishing act.
This mode was tested via a closed beta in early August. It allowed players to create and customize their own avatar and take on quests with up to three others. The full version will have a greater variety of new weapons, attack patterns, sigils, quests, and more.
If you're a hardcore fan of early Mario games, Super Mario Odyssey has a variety of 2D platforming challenges to complete; and if you loved Super Mario Galaxy or even Sunshine, this new adventures' mechanics and concepts represent those games' most iconic elements. In short, Nintendo's upcoming Odyssey has something for everybody. In many ways, it feels like a collection of Mario's best offerings, but it's also a fundamentally new experience that welcomes you to explore and experiment with the new tools and adventures it provides.
During a recent Odyssey demo, I got to play two levels: the Luncheon Kingdom and the Seaside Kingdom. Both were visually distinct, exuding a vibrant and charming aesthetic. From the hard-candy surfaces that comprise the Luncheon Kingdom to the clear ocean waters of the Seaside Kingdom, it was difficult to not be enamored by the splendor of it all.
With Mario's diverse repertoire of jumps and maneuvers, navigating these areas was a joy. Wall jumps, long jumps, and rolls are simple to pull off, but like past 3D Mario games, they demand a high level of skill and precision in order to utilize to the fullest of their capability. The sense of control you have over Mario's moves and the way they empower you when correctly executed feels satisfying. Moving and jumping feels just as fine-tuned as in Odyssey's predecessors--if not more so.
Amidst the beautiful locales and the minutiae of Mario's acrobatic jumps, there are a variety of activities to get wrapped up in. Possessing enemies with Mario's Cap paves the way for a multitude of different adventures. One moment I'm darting across pink lava as a giant Fire collecting a string of music notes, the next I'm smashing up cheese rocks as a frying-pan-wielding Hammer Bro to reveal Moon shards. This variety is commonplace; I'd often run towards an area expecting to do one thing, but end up doing something completely different. Odyssey's unexpected adventures keep me guessing, even in platforming sections that feel familiar or reminiscent of past games.
Like Breath of the Wild, there's a deep emphasis in Odyssey on charting your own unique experiences. While you're not given the same level of freedom as in Zelda, the sense of awe and wonder you feel as you explore remains the same. The open areas you traverse and the colorful characters you meet drive this feeling forward; the residents include a pompous Octoguy sitting atop an ornate glass tower, a mustachioed snail with a seashell necklace, and a living fork wearing a chef hat cooking stew. In every new activity or personality, there is always something to latch onto. And with the game's photo mode, there are an abundance of moments worth documenting.
In the two stages I played, Odyssey's fine-tuned mechanics and vibrant aesthetic already make it an enjoyable Mario experience. But to find out whether or not the full game can maintain that sense of wonder, I'll have to wait until October 27th when it launches on Switch.
Voltron: Legendary Defender is Netflix's update of the classic animated sci-fi showVoltron, and the fourth season hits the streaming service next month. A first trailer has been released, and it shows our five heroes gathering more allies to the Voltron Coalition to fight against Prince Lotor and the evil Galra empire. Check the trailer out at Entertainment Weekly.
Voltron: Legendary Defender Season 4 premieres in its entirety on October 13. Ahead of that it will feature at New York Comic-Con, which runs from October 7-11. The show's cast once again includes former Walking Dead star Steven Yuen, alongside Josh Keaton, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Tyler Labine, and Kimberly Brooks.
In an interview with EW, joint-showrunner Joaquim Dos Santos spoke about the raised stakes for the characters in Season 4. "At the beginning, it was literally just the five paladins and Allura and Coran soloing this entire thing, [but] we've been building outwards," he said. "Now, it's growing and it's kind of getting to this fever pitch. This whole time Lotor is forwarding his plans. So, we're sort of seeing the next evolution of the series where the legend of Voltron has gone out into the universe now and it's amassing an army, a coalition against Lotor."
Voltron: Legendary Defender was the first show released following the deal struck between Netflix and DreamWorks Animation late in 2015. The original Voltron was a Japanese and American co-production that ran for three seasons between 1984 and 1986. The show was created from two Japanese shows--Beast King GoLion and Armored Fleet Dairugger XV--with new dialogue and storylines created for the American market. It proved hugely popular, spawning spinoff shows, comic books, and video games.
In Destiny 2, Mods provide useful effects and modifiers to your weapons and armor. For example, you can install Mods that allow you to reload your kinetic weapons faster, absorb more damage, change a gun's elemental properties, or even recharge grenades faster. These effects can positively impact your ability to survive in a tense firefight. To help familiarize you with Mods, we've detailed below how to get Mods and the best practices of using them. Be wary, there are slight spoilers below.
For more guides for the game, including breakdowns of the three classes, along with our skill and ability galleries for the various subclasses, be sure to visit our Destiny 2 guides and walkthroughs page for more information on what's happening in the online world of the Guardians.
Why Are Mods Useful?
Aside from enhancing your equipment, Mods allow you to tailor your weapons or armor to better suit a specific playstyle. With Mods, you can craft multiple sets to use for different gameplay situations. For example, you might create one that emphasizes on enhancing mobility, one that improves your subclass, or even one made specifically for Raids. Mods are useful modifiers that can heavily increase your chances of survival.
How Do I Get Mods?
During the main campaign, you can acquire Mods out in the field or by turning in Bright Engrams to the Eververse. You can equip them by entering the Details screen of a weapon or armor piece in the character screen. Like weapons, Mods come in Epic (Blue) and Legendary (Purple) categories.
After you beat the game, you're also able to buy Mods by turning in Gunsmith Materials to Banshee-44. In order to get Gunsmith Materials, simply dismantle any unwanted weapons or armor in your inventory.
It's ideal to try to find the weapons and armor pieces that you enjoy using before installing any Mods as once you put them in you won't be able to get them back unless you buy/trade/craft them.
Which Mods Should I Use?
As mentioned in our glimmer guide, it's useful to buy Epic Mods from Banshee-44 because once your power level hits 280, you can then trade in three of them for a Legendary Mod. The benefit to using Legendary mods is that you can gain five points of power towards kinetic weapons, energy weapons, and power weapons. In addition, you can gain five additional points of power towards your armor pieces alongside any special effects they might have. This helps you push your power level over the 280 mark.
It's important to note that despite using Mods to enhance your power level, your weapon and armor drops will scale accordingly to your base power level stats. Don't expect to get powerful equipment just because you've artificially upgraded your power level; though, it's possible to get lucky and get higher powered equipment.
How Do I Create Powerful Mods?
You can trade in two Mod Components and 1,000 glimmer to Banshee-44 to create a random new Legendary weapon or armor Mod. To get a Mod Component, you need to dismantle other Legendary mods. For example, you can do this to get a Legendary Kinetic mod that gives 5 more power to kinetic weapons.
Nintendo held its latest Nintendo Direct briefing today--and it was stacked with news. Among other things, we learned that Doom and Wolfenstein II are coming to Nintendo Switch, while the release date for Skyrim on Switch was finally locked down.
Additionally, Nintendo announced a new, Pokemon-themed New 2DS XL (and a nice-looking orange-and-white model), while the company also revealed when the Zelda: Breath of the Wild Champions Amiibo release and what they do.
In terms of trailers, one of the best was for Nintendo's Super Mario Odyssey. The in-depth video showed off the game's various kingdoms, one of which was revealed for the first time: a frosty world with the appropriate name of Shiveria. You can see a roundup of all the big news and trailers below.
Kirby Star Allies, which was announced at E3 back in June and is the first Kirby game for Nintendo Switch, will launch for the console in Spring 2018.
Splatoon 2 is getting more updates, one piece of which is the returning map Kelp Dome. It arrives on September 15 as part of a free update. Additionally, another stage, Snapper Canal and a new Brella weapon called Tenta Brella, will launch in the future.
An update for the Switch fighting game Arms is out today, and it lets players remap the controls. Additionally, a new fighter named Lola Pop is out now.
Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, together! is a new version of the original puzzle game, featuring 30+ new stages and more. If you already bought the game digitally, you can get the new content via a $10 DLC purchase from the eShop. The full game launches on November 10, priced at $30.
NBA 2K18 for Switch launches in the eShop on September 15, with a physical release in stores to follow on October 17.
WWE 2K18 is on the way for Switch, too, but a release date hasn't been announced.
A new, intriguing-looking shooter called Morphies Law is coming to Switch this winter. The concept is that when you land a shot, it transfers the mass from your foe to the attacker, so that leads to some interesting scenarios.
Arena of Valor is a new free-to-play MOBA from Tencent where you can choose from 35 heroes, including roles like tank, mage, warrior, and assassin. A beta test version of the game will launch this winter.
Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions comes out on October 6, and it supports the new Goomba and Koopa Troopa Amiibo and the Boo Amiibo. Further details about Amiibo functionality will be announced later.
Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters, which is described as the "definitive" version of Yo-Kai Watch 2, will launch on September 29. People who own the base game already can download an update on September 14 that adds the Yo-kai Watch Psychic Blasters mode.
The RPG The Alliance Alive will launch in early 2018. It's described as an "old-school RPG."
If Destiny 2 is your first Destiny game, or you simply didn't play much of the original, one thing you may be unaware of is how certain parts of the game run on a schedule. By now, you may have noticed that certain things reset daily, but more significant are the those that happen on a weekly basis--the aptly named weekly reset.
A number of activities--and their corresponding rewards--are tied to the weekly reset. In other words, once you complete them, you'll have to wait for the following week in order to complete them again for a new set of rewards. (Among other things, that includes the Nightfall, a high-level Strike that offers some of the consistently best loot you can get your hands on.) It also means you always want to be sure those activities are finished before the weekly reset occurs.
The reset happens at a fixed time, not a week after you complete any given activity. As listed on Bungie's help site, the daily "Ritual" reset occurs at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 10 AM BST / 7 PM AEST during Daylight Saving Time (March to November) and an hour earlier when we're not in DST (November to March). The weekly reset happens at that same time each Tuesday.
Each Tuesday's reset therefore serves as the deadline to finish the Nightfall, Meditations, and the Raid. It's also when certain Milestones are refreshed, including weekly Challenges, the Flashpoint, Clan XP, and Crucible's Call to Arms, as well as Clan XP rewards. Additionally, the Eververse inventory of items that can be purchased with Bright Dust changes then.
Like in the original game, Exotics are the most desirable items for you to obtain in Destiny 2. While you're sure to get your hands on some through loot drops from enemies or chests, there are also those that you can obtain through a specific process.
There will likely be more uncovered in the days and weeks ahead, but to help kickstart your Exotic collection, we've rounded up the ways in which you can get your hands on several right now. You're guaranteed to get one piece of armor fairly early on by completing story missions, but these guides should give you some targets to aim for (or an idea of what's required if you want something specific). One word of caution: You may want to wait before completing quests that reward you with an Exotic, as your Power level will determine how strong it is. By waiting, you'll ensure you get a higher-level weapon without needing to infuse it.
We'll continue to update this guide with more walkthroughs in the days ahead. For more, check out our roundup of Destiny 2 guides, tips, and tricks.
Coldheart (Exotic Trace Rifle)
Coldheart is very straightforward to obtain: if you pre-ordered the game, you'll get it--eventually. As with the bonuses for purchasing Destiny 2's Deluxe edition, you first need to complete the campaign. Once you've done so, you can simply head to the Gunsmith (located at the Farm) to acquire it.
Sturm (Exotic Hand Cannon)
Once again, completing the campaign is a prerequisite for getting your hands on Sturm. With that out of the way, head to Nessus and start the mission O Captain (at Exodus Black, near Failsafe). Make your way through it and you'll receive the sidearm Drang, and then receive a request to talk to Rahool. You'll have to bring him a number of Engrams--five Legendaries and one Exotic--and kill 10 Fallen on Nessus using Drang. Rahool will then send you to Tyra Karn at the Farm, who will send you to Nessus to kill 10 Fallen without reloading (though it seems you can kill a few, reload, and then kill a few more to make progress). After that, you'll have to 10 powerful Fallen on Nessus using Drang. Head back to Tyra and she'll send you to the Exodus Crash Strike on Nessus where you have to kill the Servitor named Kendriks-7. Go back to Tyra, and Sturm is yours.
MIDA Multi-Tool (Scout Rifle)
Again, you'll need to complete the campaign to qualify for this. Work your way through the various missions available in the European Dead Zone, culminating in the mission titled Enhance, which will net you the MIDA Mini-Tool. (Take note that this step involving Enhance is currently bugged--make sure you have more than one Energy Weapon slot available when completing the quest.) With that in hand, head to Banshee-44 at the Farm to receive a new mission: using a scout rifle, land 50 precisions shots and then get 25 multi-kills without reloading. Go back to Banshee-44 for the next quest, which tasks you with dismantling five Rare (or better) scout rifles. Returning to Banshee-44 will give you another quest, this time to rack up 50 kills while in mid-air with the MIDA Mini-Tool. With that complete, see Banshee-44 for your new MIDA Multi-Tool.
One of Destiny 2's many additions to existing systems is the concept of Heroic Public Events. These are harder versions of the standard Public Events you run into throughout the world and, as such, provide an opportunity to earn better loot. Unlocking them, however, is not quite as simple as pressing a button to jack up the difficulty.
The process for activating a Heroic Public Event varies from one to the next. There is a specific set of steps you (or the other players around) have to follow; these need to be repeated within the time limit each time you want to attempt a Heroic. The video above provides a step-by-step breakdown of what you need to do for each Public Event, which should make it easy to identify exactly where to go and what to do. You'll also find the instructions for each Heroic below--be mindful to do everything before the event's time limit expires. For more, check out our roundup of all of our Destiny 2 guides, tips, and news.
Injection Rig Heroic Public Event
Start out by killing a Psion, and then shoot a vent at the top of the rig. Although you'll be taking damage, be sure to destroy it. Kill the next Psion and destroy another vent located in the middle of the rig. Kill a third Psion and then destroy the vent that becomes exposed at the bottom of the rig. You may need to run around the middle in order to see which part of it has opened up to take damage. This process will cause a boss, Infiltrator Valus, to spawn, whom you'll need to defeat.
Destroy The Arsenal Walker Heroic Public Event
The goal here is to obtain the three Scorch Cannons surrounding the area, each of which is encased in a dome. As usual when dealing with a walker, attack one of its legs until it collapses. This will cause it to drop three Arc Charges, which you'll then need to carry to one of the domes containing a Scorch Cannon. The dome will have a place to deposit the Arc Charge, and you'll need to bring a total of two to each dome to get your hands on the weapon. Eventually, a second walker will be deployed, and you'll have to defeat both of them to finish.
Glimmer Extraction Heroic Public Event
At each of the sites throughout the event, there is a device that is extracting Glimmer. Destroy each of these before eliminating all of the nearby enemies. Then, at the final site, you'll have to guard a pile of Glimmer while standing in a designated area to complete a transmat process. Stay in the area as much as possible, as the transmat has to finish before time runs out.
Cabal Excavation Heroic Public Event
Stand near the drill to make progress, and eventually a Cabal Thresher ship will fly in nearby. Do everything you can to quickly destroy it, as it only sticks around for a limited time. If you manage to do so, a Centurion boss will spawn who needs to be defeated to complete the Heroic.
Witches' Ritual Heroic Public Event
Start out by killing a pair of Wizards while standing on the designated circles on the ground. At this point, you'll need to stand on one of the circles and destroy two shards--one is above and to the left of the big portal that enemies are coming through, and the other is above and to the right. This will cause a Hive Knight boss to spawn in; defeat him, and you're all done.
Ether Resupply Heroic Public Event
Before taking out the giant Servitor, quickly kill all of the smaller ones around the area. Once they've been dealt with, the main enemy becomes more challenging. Defeat it and you're done.
Taken Blight Heroic Public Event
The initial goal here is to destroy the giant Blight ball, which is immune to regular damage. In order to hurt it, you'll need to obtain the Blight Receding buff by going into the nearby Blight-infested area. Step back outside with the buff and deal as much damage as you can to the big Blight ball. Once you've destroyed it, the Blightmaker boss spawns in, and you'll have to defeat it to complete the Heroic.
Spire Integration Heroic Public Event
In addition to protecting the main conduit, players have to go around and stand on nearby pads. There are three in total that need to be captured, and once that's done, a Hydra will spawn in that needs to be defeated.
Despite kicking off with two of the most acclaimed sci-fi movies of all time, the Terminator franchise hasn't always had an easy ride. Terminator 3 and Terminator: Salvation weren't exactly loved by fans, and the most recent example, 2015's Terminator: Genisys, was a flop that killed plans for a new trilogy. However, original director James Cameron is now involved with the franchise once more, and has spoken about his plans for the next movie.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cameron has revealed that he plans to bring Linda Hamilton, who starred in The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, back for the sixth movie. "As meaningful as she was to gender and action stars everywhere back then, it's going to make a huge statement to have that seasoned warrior that she's become return," he said.
Cameron then made reference to Hollywood's willingness to employ aging male action stars, but not female ones. "There are 50-year-old, 60-year-old guys out there killing bad guys," he said. "But there isn't an example of that for women."
The next Terminator film will be directed by Deadpool's Tim Miller, with a story overseen Cameron and Miller. Television-style writers' rooms are becoming increasingly popular on big franchise movies, and the new Terminator will follow this model. Writers who will work on the story include DC veteran David Goyer, Cameron's Dark Angel collaborator Charles Eglee, and Josh Friedman, who created the Terminator TV spinoff The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
There had been some confusion about whether a new Terminator would actually happen. Terminator: Genisys was originally intended to be the first part of a new trilogy, but its box office failure ended this plan. Subsequent reports suggested that Paramount had abandoned the idea of any more movies; however Cameron's renewed involvement has now ensured that the series does have a future.
Bungie's highly anticipated shooter Destiny 2 is finally here, and we'll have continuing coverage in the days and weeks ahead. For now, we're collecting all the big details to know about, including our review in progress, recent news stories, and other key particulars. You can keep checking back with this story as we learn more about the shooter.
Editor Kallie Plagge shared her thoughts on the first 20 hours and came away feeling generally impressed and eager to keep playing. She has now started over with the game having launched and will document her progress in a Destiny 2 review diary (now updated for the final time) over the next few days as she plays more. You can look for Kallie's full review in the days ahead.
Destiny 2 Review
"I haven't finished the main story yet, but so far it's a clear improvement over Destiny's much-maligned storytelling," Kallie said. "Like the beta, Destiny 2 begins with an attack on The Tower by a Cabal faction called the Red Legion. But rather than being thrust into situations with little to no context, as was so often the case in Destiny, each mission of the Red War arc has objectives that make sense within both the mission itself and the grand scheme. Locating a missing Cayde-6, for example, is important to the fight against the Red Legion, since he's a powerful Hunter. But fighting waves of Vex to get to him also makes sense, as he's trapped in a Vex teleporter, and that small bit of context makes that moment feel distinct from others where you're killing the same enemies."
For Destiny veterans, a lot has changed in Destiny 2, while the game will also see many newcomers to the series. Whichever boat you fall in, we'll have plenty of guides to help you succeed in the days and weeks ahead.
Yes, the mysterious figure is back as a limited-time, weekly merchant who will sell you a rotating selection of Exotic items. While that basic conceit is the same as in the first game, there have actually been some major changes to the way he operates and where he's found.
Unlike the first Destiny, Destiny 2 is available only for new-generation consoles, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. It's also coming to PC, but not until October 24. Returning players will get rewards and a nice little memorial.
Destiny is available in Standard, Digital Deluxe, and a Game + Expansion Pass Bundle. The Digital Deluxe edition comes with a Legendary emote and the Cabal Empire-themed emblem. It also includes the Expansion Pass, which comes with two expansions to be released later. The Game + Expansion Pass Bundle is pretty self-explanatory.
Here are the prices:
Standard -- $60/£55/$100 AU
Game + Expansion Pass Bundle --$90/£80/$140 AU
Digital Deluxe -- $100/£90/$150 AU
People who pre-ordered Destiny 2 will receive the Coldheart Exotic rifle, the Kill-Tracker Ghost, and the Salute emote.
According to Destiny 2's store pages, the game weighs in at 30.9 GB on PS4 and 34.98 GB on Xbox One. The PC version's file size may end up being larger, but we don't know yet.
What Is And Isn't Available In Destiny 2 Now?
While Destiny 2's first Raid, Trials, Guided Games, and in-game Clan features are not available, you can play the full campaign and the Crucible multiplayer mode. Additionally, Destiny 2's first Nightfall Strike is available now.
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). The in-game Clan features will go live in the next several days, Bungie said, but for now you can access Clan-management systems through Bungie's website.
If you're willing to take a break from leveling up, the Farm social space holds an intriguing secret that you might have overlooked. [More details and mild spoilers here]
How To Kill Those Annoying Phalanx Enemies
In the original Destiny, defeating Phalanxes usually involved either chucking a grenade behind them, or shooting the tiny bit of arm visible sticking outside their shields. In Destiny 2, they've been granted a brand new weak spot, smack in the middle of those shields. Ping that glowing spot with a few shots and the shields retract, stunning the jerks in the process. [Lots more details here]
Known Issues, Technical Problems, And Server Queues
Destiny 2's release is poised to be massive, likely straining the game's servers. To allow for a better experience, Bungie is using a system MMO players are familiar with: server queues. Bungie has warned that players may not be able to immediately access the game. In order to "regulate player population to provide stable conditions for Destiny gameplay," server queues can pop up in Destiny 2 just as they could in the previous game. In other words, you may have to wait in line before you can play. Additionally, there are a number of issues to be aware of.
One of the shortcomings of Destiny 1 was that content was not released fast enough to meet players' expectations. For the sequel, Bungie is working with outside studios like High Moon and Vicarious Visions to create and release content faster. We know there are two paid expansions coming, and recently, a leak suggested the first expansion is called The Curse of Osiris and will be out in December. It'll supposedly add a patrol zone on Mercury, a social space, and a storyline centered around Osiris.
Keep checking back with GameSpot in the days and weeks ahead for lots more on Destiny 2.
While Marvel's upcoming Netflix show The Punisher is expected this year, it still does not have a confirmed release date and very few details are known about the story. Netflix has released a series of cryptic tweets and teasers, the latest of which is a found-footage style video of star Jon Bernthal delivering some brutal justice. Check it out below:
This promo follows a motion poster that was released last week. We've also seen a first teaser and a list of potential episode titles, plus a synopsis for the show, which reads, "After exacting revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife and children, Frank Castle uncovers a conspiracy that runs far deeper than New York's criminal underworld. Now known throughout the city as The Punisher, he must discover the truth about injustices that affect more than his family alone."
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bernthal explained that The Punisher would be the darkest, most violent Marvel show so far. "This season is much darker as it goes, it gets darker and darker and more visceral," he said. "The show takes you on this journey of Frank becoming more and more human again and then shutting off and shutting off and going back to what works for him, and the place where he kind of belongs, and I think that's a place of solitude and of darkness and destruction. It's going to get into as dark and as brutal a place as you've ever seen in the Marvel world, I can promise you that."
Bernthal also spoke about playing a character that is both a ruthless killer and a hero that the audience is supposed to side with. "I think there's a bit of Frank in all of us," he revealed. "We all go through bouts of darkness and regret and shame, and we mess up and we make mistakes, so I think to really zero in on that and to dig into that wound is what makes him interesting.
"But if there's one thing I want to get right for this show, it's that I want to be completely respectful of the military community and the people that this character means so much to. I just really want to get that right. More than anything, Frank is a soldier."
We are now less than three months away from the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, but to date, only one short trailer has appeared. A second trailer is much anticipated by fans, and now Luke Skywalker actor Mark Hamill may have revealed when they can see it.
Hamill took to Twitter to reply to a fan who asked when he could see the new Last Jedi trailer. The actor initially responded, "It's coming eventually!" But he then added, "Watch Monday Night Football on Monday October 9th--for no reason in particular." Hamill has since deleted the tweet, but you can check out a screenshot of it over at Star Wars News.
Of course, this might not be the trailer that Hamill is referring to--or he could be deliberately trying to throw fans off the scent of when it will really be released. However, Monday Night Football screens on ESPN, which is co-owned by Disney. In addition, the second Force Awakens trailer also debuted on MNF in 2015.
The Last Jedi arrives in theaters on December 15, 2017. It is directed by Rian Johnson and stars Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, and Andy Serkis. While we are yet to see any new footage from the film, there have been a number of vehicles and characters revealed, including these cool First Order vehicles, and this new droid, which resembles an evil BB-8.
Original star Eddie Murphy and producer Jerry Bruckheimer are overseeing Beverly Hills Cop 4, and last year selected rising Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to helm the movie. El Arbi and Fallah appeared recently on a Dutch TV show and confirmed that things were moving forward with its development.
As reported by JoBlo, the pair stated that they are still working on the script, and that it would be shot in Detroit on a relatively modest $50 million budget. They also revealed the plot would center upon the relationship between Murphy's Axel Foley, who is now a veteran LA cop, and a tough, younger officer from Detroit. Although the movie is not at the casting stage yet, El Arbi and Fallah mentioned Tom Hardy and Channing Tatum as possible names to play the younger cop.
Beverly Hills Cop 4 was originally announced in the mid-90s, and then again a decade later, with Rush Hour's Brett Ratner initially lined up to direct. The most recent attempt to revitalise the action comedy franchise was for television. A pilot focusing on Murphy's character's son was produced for CBS in 2013, but the network chose not to pick up the show.
The original Beverly Hills Cop was released in 1984, and it was the most successful movie of that year. It was followed by two sequels in 1987 and 1994.
If you've been wanting a PlayStation VR but the price has kept you from buying, Amazon has a deal for you. For a limited time, you can get nearly $100 off the price of a PS VR + Camera bundle with a special discount code.
The regular cost of buying the bundle at Amazon is $398.09, but if you type in the code PSVRSAVE you can get it for just $300. The code was tweeted by Wario64.
Most other retailers are selling the bundle for $400, so the Amazon offer does look like a good deal. It's not clear when the code will expire, so you better act fast if you're interested. Last month, Sony effectively cut the cost of the PS VR when it started selling the system exclusively with the required camera. The bundle cost the same as the previous price for the PS VR standalone headset, which you could purchase without the camera. As Sony put it, players now effectively get the camera for free.
Sony's PlayStation VR aims to be cheaper than its PC competitors, but it's still an expensive purchase, especially given you already need a PlayStation 4 in order to play. During Sony's press conference at the Tokyo Game Show earlier today, the company unveiled several of the new PS VR games coming to the system. You can watch the press conference in full here, and check out a full list of all the games and their trailers here.
Battlegrounds continues to set records. The uber-popular Hunger Games-like PC shooter recently reached more concurrent users than another other game in Steam history. The title reached 1,348,374 users on September 16, pushing past the 1,291,328 record that Valve's DOTA 2 reached back in March 2016.
Battlegrounds, which is still in development and is sold through Steam Early Access, is priced at $30. DOTA 2, meanwhile, is a free-to-play game that Valve heavily promotes, making Battlegrounds' success all the more notable.
In other news about Battlegrounds, creator Brendan Greene recently spoke about how he envisions the game potentially reaching 100 million players someday. He also said he does not plan to raise the price of the game when it exits Early Access, as some games have done.
Bungie is not completely satisfied with the state of Destiny 2's PvP. In Bungie's latest weekly blog post, the developer said while the Quickly Crucible playlist is "working as we had hoped," the Competitive playlist is running into some issues.
Specifically, it's a matter of unfair matches happening too often. "Too many players are getting stomped by opponents who grossly outmatch them," Bungie said. Indeed, in my own sessions, I've been on both sides of the equation--and neither is very fun. So it's nice to hear Bungie is making a change to help even out the playing field.
In Competitive, matchmaking times are longer. But the tradeoff is that the matches are supposed to be hosted on a better connection and with opponents who more closely match your own skill level. Right now, however, there is a bug that is leading to uneven matches. Bungie said it is "applying that fix right now," so this shouldn't be an issue for much longer.
"If you've been having fun in Quickplay, nothing has changed. Game on. If you've been getting your ass kicked in Competitive, you'll have more of a fighting chance," Bungie said. "If you've been kicking ass in Competitive, we're sending some worthier opponents your way."
Bungie added that the Crucible will always be changing in response to feedback and data. "It adapts to the way you play, so this won't be the last update we apply to the state of combat," the developer explained.
In other Destiny 2 news, Bungie has released a brief teaser trailer for the game's Trials of the Nine Crucible event, which kicks off later this week--watch it here.
Review bombing is a problem, Valve said, because people are criticizing the game for reasons outside of the game itself. "It might be that they're unhappy with something the developer has said online, or about choices the developer has made in the Steam version of their game relative to other platforms, or simply that they don't like the developer's political convictions," Valve said. "Many of these out-of-game issues aren't very relevant when it comes to the value of the game itself, but some of them are real reasons why a player may be unhappy with their purchase."
Valve notes that an overall review score for a game that has been review-bombed generally returns to where it was before. In the case of Firewatch, the game overall rating is Very Positive, though its recent review score is labeled as Mixed, reflecting the review bombing.
"This implies that, while the review bombers were unhappy with a decision the developer made, the purchasers of the product afterwards were often as happy with the game as the players before them," Valve said. "In the cases where the Review Score didn't return fully to its prior level, we believe the issue behind the review bomb genuinely did affect the happiness of future purchasers of the game, and ended up being accurately reflected in the regular ongoing reviews submitted by new purchasers. In some review bomb cases, the developers made changes in response to the community dissatisfaction, and in others they didn't--but there didn't seem to be much correlation between whether they did and what happened to their Review Score afterwards."
Review bombing is problematic, Valve continued, because it makes it more difficult for the overall review score to accurately reflect whether or not you'd be interested in a game. Valve wants to "fix that" and in such a way that it won't stop players from voicing their genuine opinions.
In terms of solutions, Valve said one option would be to remove the Review Score altogether, so that players would need to read the actual user reviews. They could then make the call for themselves about whether or not issues outside the game are relevant. However, Valve is not going to pursue this avenue. "Scores were added in response to player demand in the past, and that demand for a summary of some kind is likely to still be there, even if players know it isn't always accurate," Valve said.
Valve also considered temporarily locking reviews, not unlike the way in which real-world stock markets can block some stocks from being traded when issues are detected. But Valve isn't pursuing this either because, "We're confident it would still result in the Review Score moving down after the lock period ended." Valve also considered changes to the way it calculates review scores, with a focus on more recent information.
But Valve is not going forward with any of these ideas. Instead, Valve is now going to focus more on how users can peruse review data to make an informed decision.
"Starting today, each game page now contains a histogram of the positive to negative ratio of reviews over the entire lifetime of the game, and by clicking on any part of the histogram you're able to read a sample of the reviews from that time period," Valve said. "As a potential purchaser, it's easy to spot temporary distortions in the reviews, to investigate why that distortion occurred, and decide for yourself whether it's something you care about. This approach has the advantage of never preventing anyone from submitting a review, but does require slightly more effort on the part of potential purchasers."
Valve ended its post by saying nothing is set in stone. It could be that Valve revisits its approach to deliver a better solution. You can read the full blog post here.
Players who have bad reputations on Xbox Live, those designated as "Avoid Me," will have their in-game voice chat disabled. However, these players will stay in the same matchmaking groups as everyone else. Blizzard didn't say if it's employing a similar approach on PS4.
"Players whose Xbox Live reputation has been downgraded to 'Avoid Me' will remain in the same matchmaking pool as other Overwatch players," Blizzard said. "However, they will no longer be able to use the in-game voice communication."
Presumably, this change is a result of Blizzard's attempts to stem the "rising tide of toxicity" in Overwatch. Last week, Overwatch game director spoke frankly about the toxicity issues with Overwatch and how it's a problem that Blizzard and players alike need to respond to. One of the things he said in the video--which has racked up more than 1.2 million views--is that Blizzard won't create "naughty pools" for offending players, and the patch notes for Xbox One released today bear that out. You can watch the full video here.
A new trailer for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has arrived--and it's pretty intense. The video shows a horrible future where Nazis have taken over America, and in this video we see the devastation in Manhattan and New Orleans, specifically. Of course, series hero B.J. Blazkowicz is not OK with this, and, together with a crew of unlikely resistance fighters, he's on a warpath to rid America of the Nazi forces. This video shows BJ blowing Nazis to bits with all manner of firepower, as you'd expect from a Wolfenstein game.
In other news about The New Colossus, Bethesda recently announced that the game is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018. It arrives for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in October this year, so Nintendo fans have to wait a bit. Still, it is notable that we're seeing some mature, big-name shooters make their way to Nintendo's platform.
For lots more on The New Colossus, you can check out all of GameSpot's previous written and video coverage right here.
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