It may not be the Virtual Console service that Nintendo Switch owners have been waiting for, but the first classic Nintendo game is now available for the console. Today, the arcade classic Mario Bros. arrives in the Switch Eshop, kicking off Nintendo's newly announced line of Arcade Archives titles.
Mario Bros. is one of Nintendo's earliest titles, originally releasing in arcades in 1983. Up to two players can compete or cooperate with each other as Mario and Luigi, guiding the plumbers around a single screen and defeating enemies as they emerge from pipes. Unlike later Mario games, however, players can't jump directly on enemies to dispatch them; rather, you need to punch the floor beneath them to turn them over, then kick them before they can regain their footing.
While Mario Bros. has been ported and remade for various consoles throughout the years, the Arcade Archives version reproduces the visuals as they appeared in arcades and allows two players to play together using a single Joy-Con each. The port is handled by Hamster, the studio responsible for the slate of ACA Neo Geo titles. Like those games, Mario Bros. retails for $8/£6.29.
After a long summer still playing last year's football games, you'll be pleased to hear FIFA 18 is almost here. With that in mind, we thought we'd round up everything you need to know about EA's soccer game here, including its release date, some gameplay, our review, and more.
FIFA 18 Release Date And How To Play Right Now
FIFA 18's release date for the UK, US, Europe, and Australia is set for Friday, September 29, 2017. However, some people already have their hands on this year's title, as it was released on EA Access last week and for some pre-order customers earlier this week. If you want to play early, you can buy the Ronaldo or Icon Edition from the PlayStation Store or Xbox Live. The Ronaldo Edition costs US $80 / £80 / AU $120, while the Icon Edition will set you back US $100 / £90 / AU $130. For reference, that's a little more expensive than the standard version, which is currently US $60 / £60 / AU $100.
FIFA 18 Review
In our FIFA 18 review, we awarded the game a 7/10. "It's off the pitch that EA excels," we said. "From the variety of game modes on offer and how everything's presented, to the constant updates in FUT's Team of the Week, Daily Objectives, and discussion of real-world happenings in commentary, FIFA 18 captures the world of football and confidently translates it into a video game. On the pitch, however, EA's soccer series is still lagging far behind PES 2018's more fluid, satisfying football. This year's improvements are welcome, but more needs to be done in the coming years if FIFA is to be a world-beater once again." For more critical opinion, check out our FIFA 18 review roundup.
FIFA 18 Gameplay
Check out some FIFA 18 gameplay at the links below.
FIFA 18's playable demo is out now on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live. It includes 12 teams--including top clubs Manchester United and Bayern Munich--and two modes: Kick Off and The Journey.
FIFA 18 Player Ratings
With the game out in the wild, all of FIFA 18's player ratings have been revealed. Top of the pile is Cristiano Ronaldo, who is 94 rated. Rounding out the top five highest-rated FIFA 18 players are Lionel Messi (93), Neymar (92), Luis Suarez (92), and Manuel Neuer (92).
FIFA 18 Web App
The FUT 18 Web App is EA's online portal for accessing FIFA 18 Ultimate Team. Check it out here--for a limited time you can even get free rewards just for logging in each day.
FIFA 18 Career Mode's New Features
Career Mode hasn't changed a huge amount since FIFA 17, though there are a few welcome new features in FIFA 18, including interactive transfer negotiations. 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 as part of an interactive cutscene. This involves first meeting with a representative of the selling club and agreeing to a fee for the player in question, before then negotiating personal terms with the star's agent.
The only other new features are "dynamic news clips," imitating those seen in real-world sports coverage when a player or manager gives a press conference. These clips are shown when a player wins a Player of the Month award or when you win a competition, among other events.
FIFA 18 Ultimate Team New Features
FUT 18 also has a number of new features. Squad Battles are new, weekly weekly single-player competitions where you compete against AI-controlled teams built by other human players, before being ranked against other real-world players for the amount of games you win. EA says these offer the best rewards for those who choose not to play online.
Elsewhere, Ultimate Team Legends are no longer exclusive to Xbox and have been renamed Icons. In addition, some Icons will receive Stories cards, in which the player in question actually has three versions available, each corresponding to a different stage in the player's career. As an example, Ronaldinho has one card for his time at PSG in 2002, one for when he played for AC Milan in 2010, and one "prime" card, which highlights his peak in 2004, when he won World Player of the Year while playing for Barcelona. Two of these three cards will be available to obtain in packs and Squad-Building Challenges, though prime Icons will only available on select Thursdays that EA is calling Throwback Thursdays. You'll only be able to get these in limited time packs and Squad-Building Challenges.
FIFA 18 Soundtrack
The full FIFA 18 soundtrack has been revealed, featuring acts like alt-J, The Amazons, and Weezer. Check it out in the Spotify embed below.
On Facebook, Niantic announced that the in-game Equinox event will now run until October 3, giving players an additional day to take part in it. During the event, you'll earn double Stardust for catching Pokemon and hatching Pokemon eggs, while registering a new Pokemon in your Pokedex will net you triple the amount of XP as normal.
In addition to that, players have a chance to get special 2 km eggs from PokeStops and Gyms during the Equinox event, which may hatch into Chansey, Mareep, Larvitar, and other rare Pokemon. 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; the latter hatch eggs 1.5 times faster than a regular Incubator.
Beyond the Equniox event, Pokemon Go players still have a few more days to capture Entei, Raikou, or Suicune, the Legendary dogs from Pokemon Gold and Silver. Each of the three Pokemon is currently available in a certain region until September 29. Raikou can be found in the Americas; Entei is available in Europe and Africa; and Suicune is currently in the Asia-Pacific region. On September 30, the Legendary Pokemon will rotate to a different part of the world, where they will be available until October 31.
Spoilers for American Horror Story: Cult, Season 7, Episode 4, "11/9," below
In the first three episodes of American Horror Story: Cult, the FX horror show played around with the idea of showing extreme people on both sides of today's culture wars. In Season 7, Episode 4, "11/9," the show turned the clock back to Trump's election once more and took that central theme all the way to the finish line. It clawed past people's political differences and exposed the underlying force that, according to American Horror Story, motivates us all: fear. And it showed us exactly the kind of person who might use that fear to unite us.
Kudos to actor Evan Peters, who's been a main cast member for every season of American Horror Story so far, and a favorite among fans. He's been a charismatic but mysterious force in Cult, his full role and influence only hinted at until now. It was easy to assume he'd be the leader of the eponymous cult--that he dons a clown mask and murders people in between chucking lattes at lesbians and running for city council. Viewers hoping for a twist may have been disappointed by that well-telegraphed development, but Peters' Kai Anderson is so fun and terrifying to watch that it doesn't really matter.
And it reveals exactly what role our real-world politics play in this fantasy: In the world of American Horror Story: Cult, Trump is not some Great Leader who galvanizes his followers into action. Or at least, that's not the part of Trump's persona and influence that's relevant to the show. Instead, Trump serves as a proof-of-concept for Kai.
"City council is just the beginning," he tells Beverly Hope (Adina Porter). "Then it's state Senate. Then Congress. Followers in the millions--tens of millions--and then, as we have seen, anything is possible."
"As we have seen," as in, as Trump's rise has demonstrated.
Kai is intensely empathetic, a trait you don't normally see in a villain. He's incredibly good at sensing people's pain, whether he's observing a trainer at the gym or a newscaster on TV. He sees that pain, and he exploits it to make people loyal to him.
Dr. Alexandra Stein, a former cult member who now studies and writes about cults, outlined her five-point definition of what constitutes a cult in an interview with Vice's Broadly:
"One: The leader is charismatic and authoritarian. Two: The structure of the group isolates people. The third thing is total ideology, like, 'You only need me and no other belief system has any relevance whatsoever." The fourth thing is the process of brainwashing." The fifth point, she says, is the result: "creating deployable followers who will do what you say regardless of their own self survival interests."
Yup, that all describes Kai pretty well. Clearly AHS mastermind Ryan Murphy and the show's other writers did their homework.
It's safe to posit at this point that nearly every character on American Horror Story: Cult besides Sarah Paulson's Ally is under Kai's spell, including the neighbors, the reporter, the detective, the grocery store clerk, Billie Lourd's Winter, and yes, even Ally's wife, Alison Pill's Ivy. The paranoia that everyone is against you is playing out on the screen. But the really fascinating thing about "11/9" was seeing how Kai attracted these disciples in the first place, different as they are.
Trump's victory empowered Kai Anderson. It taught him that anything is possible, because fear motivates all people. Fear can explain why liberals afraid of Hillary's establishment ties, like Ally, cast their ballot for Jill Stein, and why people who voted for Obama in 2012 "switched sides" and cast for Trump. In that fear, Kai sees opportunity.
"The world has become tiny, which means the fear in a small town in Michigan can infect the country--the world--in a few days," he tells Beverly. "When fear finds more hosts, it gets stronger, scarier. The tiny fear in one woman turns into a beast that swallows the world by the time it spreads across the country. Great men and women have been weaponizing fear forever, but what all those men had was a great messenger. Someone with a pulpit and a microphone--someone to give that fear a name. Believe me, Beverly Hope, if you get the world scared enough, they will set the world on fire for us."
Every character we saw Kai recruit in "11/9" was afraid--of losing their jobs and homes, of being crushed by an uncaring society, of their rights being stripped away, or of being humiliated. The one character who didn't seem scared was pre-election Ally, so confident in the polls and the good sense of her fellow citizens. Why bother leaving the comfort of the couch to join the crowds? Why not cast your protest vote, when your side's victory is a lock? It's hard to imagine the worst possible outcome when you're comfortable and unafraid.
Maybe that's why Kai's clown cult is doing all this to her--harassing her, stalking her, gaslighting her, isolating her, and making her feel insane. Ally is going to drown in her fear, and I'd bet that by the end she'll be Kai's most devoted follower.
Fear crosses party lines, breaks down walls, and reveals the basest nature in us all. That's American Horror Story: Cult's grim worldview, and I'm finding it difficult to argue with.
Chaz Bono's character, the p***y-grabbing store clerk Gary, put it best, his blood-spurting stump raised high in the polling place: "Welcome to Trump's American, motherf***ers!"
It's almost October, and that means we're getting a new selection of free PlayStation Plus games. Sony has announced the lineup for next month, and it's an impressive one thanks to the headliner, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.
Thanks to Cross-Buy, those on PS4 will get a total of four games: Both Vita titles, Hue and Sky Force Anniversary, can be played on the handheld or PS4. And even PS3 owners get a bonus, as Sky Force supports Cross-Buy with the older console as well. That joins Hustle Kings and Monster Jam Battlegrounds as the standard PS3 games for the month.
All six of these games will be available beginning on Tuesday, October 3. You'll have until November 7 to claim them, but time is running out to grab September's free PS Plus games, which return to their regular prices on October 3. Additionally, if you haven't already grabbed the bonus game That's You, it leaves PS Plus on October 24. PSVR game RIGS also remains free until November 7.
Another bonus offer will be introduced in October for Plus members, as they'll get closed beta access to Hand of the Gods, the spin-off of Smite. Until November 14, they're also entitled to a free Plus Pack that consists of a special Galactic Invader Leader skin for Ah Puch, a card back, a player icon, and five Core Packs.
Microsoft has announced the next batch of free Games With Gold titles that will be available for Xbox Live Gold subscribers. October brings with it another four games spread across Xbox One and Xbox 360, and they're just a few days away.
On Xbox One, Gold members can pick up the acclaimed adventure game Gone Home for the entire month. On October 16, it'll be joined by another notable first-person game, The Turing Test. Xbox 360 owners, meanwhile, get Rayman 3 HD for the first half of the month and Medal of Honor: Airborne during the second half. Both of these 360 games can also be playable on Xbox One through backwards compatibility.
We're just days away from the first of these being available, as October 1 is this coming Sunday. You have until then to grab a pair of September's free Games With Gold titles--Forza 5 and Battlefield 3--while another of them, Oxenfree, will stick around until October 15.
If you're looking for something else to pass the time, the latest batch of weekly Xbox One and 360 deals are now available. Among other things, a variety of Call of Duty games are discounted.
October 2017 Games With Gold
Xbox One
Gone Home (October 1-31)
The Turing Test (October 16-November 15)
Oxenfree (September GWG available through October 15)
Ubisoft has announced a new game mode for Assassins' Creed: Origins, and it might not be what you expect. "Discovery Tour," as it's called, is a casual mode coming in 2018 for free that removes all combat so players can freely explore the ancient Egypt setting.
While in Discovery Tour mode, you're apparently able to walk or ride through the entirety of the game, including locations such as Alexandria, Memphis, the Nile delta, the Giza plateau, the Faiyum Oasis, and the Great Sand Seas. There is no combat, no story, and no time limits.
The whole point, it seems, is to help players understand the history of ancient Egypt. Discovery Tour will include "dozens" of "guided tours" that were organised by actual historians and experts. They will focus on things like the Great Pyramids, the mummification process, and Cleopatra's life, among other things.
Ubisoft shared one image from Discovery Mode. As you can see above, it shows part of the mummification process--specifically evisceration--with information sourced to London's National Museum of Antiquities.
Discovery Tour comes to Origins in early 2018 through a free update. The game launches on October 27 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
Saints Row developer Volition has laid off "over 30 people," according to Kotaku, which names the studio's general manager, Dan Cermak, as one of the people among those affected. The studio's last major release, Agents of Mayhem, failed to make a big impact critically and, according to Kotaku's three sources, parent company Deep Silver "was unhappy" with sales.
As of yet, the circumstances leading to the layoffs haven't been confirmed and it is common for studios to decrease in number after development on a big project is complete. GameSpot has contacted Volition and Deep Silver for a statement on the matter.
Volition was purchased by Deep Silver following THQ's bankruptcy in 2013. It has since released Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell and Agents of Mayhem. While the latter of the two is set in the Saints Row universe, the game was not marketed as a new entry in the popular open-world series, but was instead treated as a brand new property.
The studio also worked on the Red Faction series while under THQ, though the last entry in that series was 2011's Red Faction: Armageddon.
In GameSpot's Agents of Mayhem review, critic Brett Todd awarded it a 4/10, saying it was "a broken and repetitive game," and its personality couldn't overcome these flaws.
"The attitude behind Agents of Mayhem has potential, at least if it's executed properly," he continued. "But there's little to Agents of Mayhem beyond its foul-mouthed and bombastic attitude, which push the game into grating and obnoxious territory. Throw in the poor mission design and bugs, and you've got a game with loads of mayhem, but not much else."
2K Sports has announced its DLC plans for WWE 2K18. The publisher will offer a slate of additional content for the wrestling game following its release, including new wrestlers, moves, and more.
Five themed DLC packs are scheduled to arrive throughout late 2017 and early 2018, and they introduce many new and iconic wrestlers to the game. The Enduring Icons Pack adds WWE Legends The Hardy Boyz, Beth Phoenix, and the Rock 'n' Roll Express, while the NXT Generation Pack brings Aleister Black, Drew McIntyre, Elias, and other NXT stars to the roster. You can find the price and contents of each pack, with 2K's descriptions, below.
Accelerator Pack -- $5
Players will gain access to all unlockable content available at launch in the game's VC Purchasable section (excluding downloadable content)
Players can also decide the overall rankings and attribute levels for all playable characters throughout the life of the product
Enduring Icons Pack -- $10
The Hardy Boyz
Beth Phoenix
The Rock 'n' Roll Express
MyPlayer Kick Start Pack -- $10
Players will gain access to unlock and boost MyPlayer ratings and attributes made available at launch as part of the game's MyCareer mode
Players can also unlock all clothing made available at launch that provides attribute boosts in MyCareer
New Moves Pack -- $4
Tie Breaker
Crash Landing
Pumphandle Death Valley Driver
Swinging Sleeper Slam
NXT Generation Pack -- $10
Aleister Black
Drew McIntyre
Elias
Lars Sullivan
Ruby Riot
2K is also offering a Season Pass for WWE 2K18. The Season Pass runs for $30 and gives you access to all five of the game's upcoming DLC packs once each one is released.
Ghost War, the PvP mode for Ghost Recon: Wildlands, finally has a release date. It's launching on October 10, Ubisoft announced today. The 4v4 mode comes to the shooter through a free update on all platforms. Ubisoft previously tested Ghost War in a beta.
Matches play out as best-of-three, with 10-minute rounds. There are eight maps and 12 classes at launch, and Ubisoft has said it will have "regular updates and new content" after launch. This will include more classes, maps, and modes.
At launch, Ghost War takes the form of a deathmatch-style experience with revives. There is no word yet on what other modes might come later, but objective-style gametypes are potentially one possibility. A new trailer for Ghost War released today shows the final three classes to be revealed: Assassin, Diversionist, and Sentintel. Check out the video above to get up to speed.
A free PvP mode for Wildlands was announced way back in March as part of Ubisoft's post-launch plans for the game, which also included other free updates and paid DLC. Those expansions have already been released.
To celebrate Pokemon's 20th anniversary film, Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You, receiving a limited theatrical run outside Japan, Pokemon Sun and Moon is continuing its giveaway of six special edition Pikachu in the game. Last week, players could get a Pikachu wearing Ash's original hat from the TV series. This week, you can input a code to get a Pikachu that wears Ash's hat from the Hoenn region (the first time he changed his hat in the series).
This special edition Pikachu also comes with a set of moves inspired by those attacks used in the Hoenn region. The moves are:
Thunderbolt
Quick Attack
Thunder
Iron Tail
In order to get the Pikachu, players should choose the Mystery Gift option from the game's menu and enter the code PIKACHU20. You can then pick up your Pokemon from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center. To get this Hoenn-inspired Pikachu, you have to input this code between now and October 2.
It's important to note you can only receive one of the six Pikachu during the promotion, so if you already got last week's Pikachu with Ash's original hat, you can't get this week's Pikachu too. Here's the full distribution schedule, if you'd like to hold out for a different Pikachu coming up:
Pokemon the Movie: I Choose You will receive its a limited theatrical run on November 5-6. You can find your nearest theater showing the film on Fathom Events. Anyone who attends will also receive a bonus Ash's Pikachu Pokemon TCG card and a special QR code to use in Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, coming to 3DS on November 17. Scanning that code will get you a different Pikachu wearing the cap that's featured in the movie.
If you're starved for new information about Red Dead Redemption 2, it seems we have something to look forward to quite soon. Rockstar last week teased that some kind of announcement or reveal is slated for tomorrow.
Unfortunately, we have almost no idea of what to expect--Rockstar merely tweeted the image below. It contains nothing but a date and time--Thursday, September 28, at 11 AM ET (8 AM PT/4 PM BST, or 1 AM AEST the next day)--on a background that resembles the look of Red Dead Redemption 2's marketing materials. The company might plan to share new details or release another trailer, but for the time being, there's no way to know exactly what's coming.
It's been months since Rockstar had anything to share from the game. It was originally slated for release this fall, only to be delayed until next year. New screenshots were shared in May, and prior to that, we got the trailer above. Beyond that it's been an excruciatingly quiet period for the game.
Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn't have an exact release date yet, but it's due out during Spring 2018 (no sooner than April 1). It's slated for release on PS4 and Xbox One. Like the first game, there's no word on a PC version, a possibility that Rockstar parent company Take-Two has declined to address.
Faction Rallies are a special event that kicks off with the weekly reset on Tuesday, September 26, at 2 AM PT / 5 AM ET / 9 AM BST and runs until the same time on October 3. All three factions return from the original Destiny--Dead Orbit (represented by Arach Jalaal), Future War Cult (Lakshmi-2), and New Monarchy (Executor Hideo)--to task players with "gather[ing] supplies for their faction and destroy[ing] enemy resources." This is done by simply playing the game--you'll choose one of the three factions to align yourself with and then earn Faction Tokens by completing public events, Lost Sectors, Strikes, or the Raid, or by playing Crucible.
Faction Tokens can be turned in for rewards packages, which include a variety of faction-specific items, including weapons, armor, and shaders (you can see all of these in the gallery above). There looks to be quite a lot of gear for each faction.
Additionally, each faction has a "powerful weapon" that is specific to it--Dead Orbit has a scout rifle, FWC a pulse rifle, and New Monarchy a sidearm (also pictured above). At the end of the event, the faction that collected the most packages is named the winner, and its weapon will be sold to all players for 50,000 glimmer. Members of the winning faction will be able to purchase it for only 1,000 glimmer. The winner will be named at 10 AM PT on October 3.
Unlike its predecessor, Destiny 2 will release on PC. Although players will have to wait longer for it--Destiny 2 doesn't launch on PC until October 24 but is already available on Xbox One and PS4--the PC version does feature a variety of improvements and differences compared with its console counterparts. To help you get an idea of what to expect from the PC release of Bungie's hotly anticipated sequel, we've gathered all of the essential details below.
For more on the game, check out our Destiny 2 review. We also have tons of Destiny 2 guides, tips, and tricks for those who have already begun playing on consoles or are simply looking to get a head start on how things will work on PC.
Destiny 2 PC Release Date and Differences
The PC version is confirmed to release on October 24, while the Xbox One and PS4 versions are already out, having launched on September 6. (Betas on all platforms have also wrapped up.) In terms of actual playable content, everything is the same on PC--with one exception. Sony's timed-exclusive content for Destiny 2 affects not just Xbox One players, but those on PC. The PS4 version comes with an extra Strike, Crucible map, and some items that will not be available on other platforms for at least one year. There's no precise date for it yet, but after PlayStation-exclusive content in Destiny 1 remained exclusive for longer than expected, Bungie has explicitly stated that this Destiny 2 content will be out by the end of 2018.
Destiny 2 PC Minimum Requirements and Recommended Specs
While there may be changes made for the final release, Destiny 2's PC beta brought a list of minimum and recommended system specs. Additionally, Bungie provided a list of hardware for those looking to upgrade their systems, with CPU and GPU minimums and recommendations.
Texture Anisotropy (Anisotropic Filtering, up to 16x)
Texture Quality
Shadow Quality
Depth of Field
Environmental Detail Distance
Character Detail Distance
Foliage Detail Distance
Foliage Shadow Distance
Light Shafts
Motion Blur
Wind Impulse
Render Resolution
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Chromatic Aberration
Film Grain
Destiny 2 PC Control Scheme
The PC version uses a relatively straightforward control scheme, which you can see in the image below. It's worth noting that the controls are completely customizable.
Destiny 2 Doesn't Use Dedicated Servers
Unfortunately, the game will use peer-to-peer servers. However, this doesn't work quite the same as in the previous game; when Bungie explained why Destiny 2 doesn't use dedicated servers, it noted that you'll never run into a host migration situation.
Destiny 2 PC Impressions
During our hands-on time with the game, we found the mouse and keyboard support to be a welcome addition. It enhanced the overall feel of multiplayer, though it did seem to make the single-player portions we played easier than we anticipated. You can check out our analysis of the PC beta for a technical look at the game; for further impressions of the PC version, watch the video below.
Destiny 2 Review
If you're hoping the game is dramatically different from the original Destiny, you may be in for a disappointment, but those seeking a refined version of that game will likely be pleased. You can read our impressions of the full game on console in our Destiny 2 review diary and Destiny 2 review-in-progress.
Destiny 2 Uses Blizzard Battle.net
Destiny 2 uses Blizzard's desktop app. It's the first game not directly developed by Blizzard to appear on the platform. Activision and Blizzard have changed its name several times recently, but moving forward it will be referred to as Blizzard Battle.net.
Destiny Progress Doesn't Transfer to Destiny 2
Unfortunately, Destiny 1 power, possessions, and Eververse-related items and currency will not transfer over. While your character's appearance will not be abandoned in the sequel for console owners, there's no word if it'll support any kind of transfer from console to PC.
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.
As always, there is a time limit, and this time around it can't be extended due to the Timewarp: Zero Hour modifier. The other modifier is Torrent, which greatly increase the cooldown timers on your non-Super abilities--so be sure to let the grenades fly early and often.
As for the Pyramdion Nightfall Challenges, the first is called Speed of Dark, and you'll get it by completing the event with at least 5 minutes to spare. Unbroken, meanwhile, is unlocked when you beat the Nightfall with fewer than three deaths. Good luck with that. Finally, the Siege Engine challenge can be yours if you prevent Brakion from staying shielded for more than 40 seconds before bringing it down.
Nightfall Strikes change every week with the weekly reset, so if you don't have time or the desire to try this one, something new will pop up next week. The Pyramidion Nightfall runs through October 3.
Beat the Pyramidion Nightfall and you stand to get Powerful Gear rewards, which are among the best items you can acquire in Destiny 2. If you have not yet unlocked the Nightfall, you'll need to complete two Strikes and approach the suggested Power level of 240 before Zavala will allow you to take part in them. Matchmaking is not available, but with Guided Games now available, players have the opportunity to be matched up with members of a clan for the mission (which requires a Nightfall Ticket). Alternatively, clan members can sign up to serve as guides through the Nightfall (which does not require a Ticket).
The much-anticipated follow-up to last year's NES Classic Edition, the SNES Classic Edition (or Mini for those in Europe and Australia), is nearly here. With its release almost upon us, the first reviews have gone live for the retro console.
Below, we've compiled a selection of SNES Classic reviews from around the internet. We already knew the game lineup was strong, and it appears the hardware itself is not a letdown, even if it is missing something like a Home button on the controller.
System: SNES Classic Edition
Developer: Nintendo
Release Date: September 29
Price: $80/£70/AU$120
GameSpot
"We're aware that there are so many ways to play these games and we've had several versions of them through the years. But to have this lineup of iconic games in one place, in an easy, accessible, and convenient fashion makes the SNES Classic worth seeking out. If Nintendo's looking to capitalize on 16-bit nostalgia, I'd say it did a damn fine job." -- Michael Higham [Full review]
CNET
"With such an impressive lineup of SNES titles, the Classic is a no-brainer recommendation for anyone who had an SNES growing up or missed out on it altogether. It's also a really convenient way to introduce a younger generation to an era of gaming that existed before their time." -- Jeff Bakalar [Full review]
Engadget
"If Nintendo were to offer even 10 of these games in an $80 bundle for the Switch, I'd recommend you pick them up. Sure, the micro-console format here is less convenient than that, but you're still getting great games and a cute piece of memorabilia as well. If you're familiar with the console and the games on offer here, then this review is kind of pointless. Nostalgia sells, and if you want the SNES Classic, you're going to buy one, regardless of what anyone says." -- Aaron Souppouris [Full review]
Kotaku
"The SNES Classic does everything it promises to do. It runs some great games and helpfully makes them a little easier to play with those save states and rewind function. The lack of a home button on the controller is frustrating, and you'll probably want to snag a longer HDMI cable if you don't want to have to get up to swap games, but this is a great piece of hardware. As both a collector's item and a regular addition to anyone's gaming rotation, it is superb." -- Jason Schreier [Full review]
IGN
"It remains an absolute joy to play the vast majority of this selection of the SNES Classic's excellent library, whether for the first or fiftieth time. I've had a blast with it and intend to continue revisiting beloved hallmarks like Super Mario World while also diving into classics I missed, like Earthbound. I wish Nintendo had taken more lessons from the faults of last year's NES Classic and added more modern conveniences to the hardware. Aside from the slightly increased but still limiting controller cord length, few of the NES Classic's issues were addressed. But the tiny, delightfully detailed console makes it quick and easy to have an authentic '90s Nintendo experience with some of the greatest games of that era." -- Jonathon Dornbush [Full review]
Game Informer
"Baffling and frustrating issues still persist, especially with regards to how poorly the device aligns with modern entertainment setups. Short cords and the lack of a menu-screen shortcut are disappointing, and you shouldn't have to purchase additional accessories to work around them (though you can). But do these problems make the SNES Classic Edition a waste of time or money? Not at all. In fact, I'm looking forward to spending even more time with this fantastic library of games. The framework surrounding these classics leaves a lot to be desired, but you shouldn't pass on the opportunity to have so many amazing games at your fingertips." -- Joe Juba [Full review]
Nintendo Life
"The fact that this machine is also the first place you'll officially be able to play Star Fox 2 is the icing on the cake. While the famously canned 3D epic would arguably made more of an impact back in the mid-'90s, its open-ended structure and slew of interesting gameplay ideas--some of which have been appropriated by subsequent sequels--makes it fascinating from both a historical and gameplay perspective; we dare say that for many Nintendo fans, it's worth the price of admission alone just to play it. Even if you have no interest in Star Fox 2's place in Nintendo's history, the SNES Classic is a wonderful little console which deserves to find its way beneath your TV, alongside the equally likable NES Classic--assuming Nintendo keeps its word and creates enough units to satisfy demand, of course." -- Damien McFerran [Full review]
Much like the NES Classic console from last year, the SNES Classic is a bit of a hot commodity. With an assortment of retro games from the SNES library, there are many games getting a second chance in the spotlight, along with others that have stood the test of time and still hold up as some of Nintendo's finest games.
We at GameSpot are here to give you everything you need to know about Nintendo's throwback console; such as good places to keep an eye out for ordering your console, what games are available on the system, and what sort additions have been added to make the experience of replaying these games feel a bit more unique. Be sure to check back with us for more info about our hands-on time with the console, along with our official review coming soon.
When Is The Release Date For The SNES Classic?
Set for release on September 29 for $80 USD/60 GBP/7,980 Yen, the SNES Classic will be available in most markets. Much like the NES Classic, Japan will have a Famicom version known as the Super Famicom Classic the following week on Oct 5, along with some games unique to their market such as Ganbare Goemon: Yukihime Kyūshutsu Emaki (Legend of the Mystical Ninja). Though the Western release of the Classic console will be missing some titles from its Eastern counterpart, there's still plenty of great games to enjoy.
Where Are The Reviews Of The SNES Classic?
The first reviews of the SNES Classic are now in, and they've largely been positive, praising both the system's game selection and overall performance. For specifics, you can check out our SNES Classic Edition review and SNES Classic Edition review roundup.
How Can I Find An SNES Classic?
Learning from the extreme shortages of the NES Classic, Nintendo has increased the amount of units in distribution, and will also be producing them in larger quantities. Moreover, Nintendo has urged fans not to purchase SNES Classic consoles sold at significantly higher rate, as there will be more available for buyers compared to the NES Classic. Much like the pre-ordering phase, it would be best to keep watch of established stores such as Amazon, Target, GameStop, Walmart, and Best Buy for available units as they come. Be sure to check back with GameSpot for updates on availability of units.
Aside from Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, and Super Metroid, there's one game that's been getting a lot of attention, and that's Star Fox 2. Unlocked after completing the first stage in the original Star Fox, Star Fox 2 introduced a number of interesting gameplay innovations, new characters, and brand new vehicles to control. However, for a variety of reasons, it was shelved around the time of its completion. Though unofficial copies have made the rounds over the years, this marks the first time that Nintendo will be releasing the game in an official capacity. To mark this occasion, GameSpot will be publishing a review for the newly released Star Fox 2, which will be our first SNES review in two decades.
What Is The Set-Up And User-Interface Like?
While the original Super Nintendo was designed for standard definition TVs, the SNES Classic features an updated setup including HDMI cables, and a home menu where you can access all the games. Much like the NES Classic, the Super Nintendo mini-console will give players access to all the games from the menu, where they can jump around between each game. Each game allows for four different save slots, allowing you to save your game on the internal system. Though unlike the NES Classic, the SNES will be a bit more comfortable to play this time around, featuring longer control cables at around 5 feet. Moreover, the UI will also feature a number of tweaks and customization options for players, such as a set of custom borders you can apply to the 4:3 games, CRT filters, and also a rewind option--allowing you to as rollback a bad move in a game and try again.
Keep checking back with GameSpot during the lead up and after the release of the SNES Classic for more information as it comes. Check out some of coverage with our hands-on time below, along with updates from Nintendo, and along with our full-review.
With its release in November 1991, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) brought the magic of the Super Famicom to North America. For many of us, it was our first console, and it shaped the way we think and feel about video games today. From its deep role-playing games to lengthy action-adventures, the SNES is a platform worth revisiting in 2017. What sets the SNES Classic apart from the NES Classic is inherent in what the platform offered in its era. Jumping from 8-bit to 16-bit opened the door for games to be much more expansive and nuanced. This is what propels the SNES Classic from simply being a novelty.
Jumping from 8-bit to 16-bit opened the door for games to be much more expansive and nuanced.
In this package, you get the console itself, two controllers, a five-foot HDMI cable, a five-foot USB-mini cable to power the system, a USB power brick, and an old-school folded poster. The system contains 21 notable games pre-loaded onto the system, all for $80 USD.
Getting Technical
The SNES Classic looks identical to the original with all the gray and purple accents, but much smaller and lighter. The power button functions just the same and the reset switch brings you back to the main menu, which is the only way to get back to the home screen. It's a minor annoyance if your setup isn't within immediate reach. Eject and the cartridge slot are non-functional and just for show since there aren't any cartridges to insert.
The front panel--that looks like the original controller ports--pops outward and stays attached to reveal the real ports, the same ones seen on the NES Classic and Wiimote. The controllers themselves are identical to the original SNES model in size and shape; and the buttons have the same solid, tactile feel. A downside is that d-pad feels a bit stiff compared to modern gamepads. One thing you don't have to worry about this time around is cord length. At about five-feet, it's twice as long as NES Classic controllers.
A close look at the SNES Classic Edition.
At the back of the console you'll find the mini-USB port for power; this little thing doesn't need much juice with its 5 volt spec, and can even be powered through a USB port built into TVs or a computer, saving you an outlet. HDMI is the single video output. This allows the SNES Classic to upscale games from their 240p resolution to 720p, a multiple of original resolution (by a factor of three); native 1080p would've resulted in slight pixel distortion.
Push the power switch up and the system boots straight into the snappy main menu. Options are on the top bar, where you customize the visuals: fake scanlines from the CRT days, traditional 4:3 aspect ratio, or perfectly square pixels. You can also choose the type of border to fill up your widescreen display.
The SNES Classic main menu.
You have the option to keep the background active if the console is left idling; Mario will walk by and hit a game block from the main menu to roll gameplay footage. Turning on "My Game Play Demo" uses your own gameplay saved by the system and "Classic Demo" uses built in footage. It's cute, just like the lovely menu music. In addition, the suspended point system returns from the NES Classic; you can stop and resume a game at any point. The tricky part is, games with internal saves can have that data overwritten if you enter an earlier suspend point.
It's All About Games
The reason why you'd want an SNES Classic is to revisit the greatest hits from Nintendo's 16-bit library, or experience what you might've missed, all in one package. Not to disparage the 8-bit era, but what separates the SNES from the NES is that the extra power afforded developers the opportunity to create greater games. We saw more expressive visuals for stronger characterizations in game worlds, deeper stories, longer adventures, and more nuanced mechanics. And some of the best soundtracks in all of gaming.
I genuinely enjoyed pouring hours into Super Mario RPG again. From its unforgettable songs to unprecedented story beats in the Mario universe, it's truly unique even in a modern sense. In what other game will you have Bowser, Peach, and Mario fighting alongside each other? It was an achievement in world-building and it ushered in a new wave of RPG fans.
Final Fantasy III (Final Fantasy VI in Japan) opened a massive world to us with 40+ hours worth of role-playing, giving you every reason to gather party members, learn their roles and abilities, and take down Kefka and his evil empire. Movement is a bit slow and the random encounters are dated, but unraveling Terra's story and all its branches still has a place in 2017.
Super Mario RPG unites Mario, Bowser, and Peach in a colorful world with turn-based combat.
Another tremendous RPG in Secret of Mana deserves a full play-through. Super Metroid is a sterling example of the "Metroidvania" genre we still see today. We even get the real release of Star Fox 2, and while it's a game that hasn't aged well, it's neat that the SNES Classic offers something exclusive. You also can't overlook Super Mario World, Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Earthbound. Many of these games are the realization of ideas set in motion from the NES era, and continue to influence modern gaming.
Many of these games are the realization of ideas set in motion from the NES era, and continue to influence modern gaming.
Speaking of hardware, the emulation delivers an authentic SNES experience that looks great on HDTVs. I spent time with all 21 titles to get a feel for how they ran. By and large, games look true to form and run exactly as you'd expect, for better and worse. A few games suffered from framerate drops. Street Fighter II Turbo had some slowdown with characters pulling off flashy attacks as did Mega Man X in the more hectic moments. The system is more or less mimicking real hardware, adhering to the original performance of these games. It's not game-breaking, but it was noticeable and undermined a few moments.
The SNES Classic is a closed system; what you see is what you get, barring a hypothetical firmware update or expansion. And would it have been nice to see Final Fantasy II (or Final Fantasy IV in Japan) or Chrono Trigger? Sure, but that doesn't negate the fact that we still have an all-star roster of games to play.
We're aware that there are so many ways to play these games and we've had several versions of them through the years. But to have this lineup of iconic games in one place, in an easy, accessible, and convenient fashion makes the SNES Classic worth seeking out. If Nintendo's looking to capitalize on 16-bit nostalgia, I'd say it did a damn fine job.
Blade Runner 2049 is the long-awaited sequel to the sci-fi classic Blade Runner, and it finally arrives next week. In advance of this, Warner has been releasing a series of short film prequels to bridge the gap between the original film and the new one. You can watch the first two here and here.
The third promo has now been released, and it's a little different to the others. It's an anime short titled Blade Runner Black Out 2022, and is directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, who helmed the classic anime series Cowboy Bebop. The film is set three years after the original movie, during a massive power outage in futuristic Los Angeles. The whole thing can be watched exclusively at Crunchyroll, and you can check out a teaser below:
Watanabe has spoken about the influence that the original Blade Runner had upon his work, and in the short's teaser, described the challenge of remaining faithful to the movie while not copying it directly. "I was careful about two things when creating this anime piece," he said. "The first was to pay the greatest respect to the original Blade Runner. The second was to make this anime true to the world [of Blade Runner], but not an imitation."
Blade Runner Black Out 2022 has a score by noted electronic musician Flying Lotus (real name Stephen Ellison). Earlier this month, Ellison tweeted: "Doing something with Watanabe was a dream of mine. Cowboy Bebop is one of the greatest! Seeing Blade Runner imagery set to my music was a beautiful feeling."
The Walking Dead returns to screens later this month, and a new trailer has been released. Season 8 will see Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and the rest of the survivors go to war with the evil Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and this new trailer teases some pretty epic confrontations. Check it out above.
The Walking Dead Season 8 premieres on AMC on October 22. However, its production has been marked by tragedy, following the accidental death of stuntman John Bernecker in July. Bernecker suffered a fatal head injury after he fell 20 feet onto a concrete floor while rehearsing a fight scene.
"The narrative has turned into one of pretty intense conflict," he said, "[And] it's going to affect the structure in ways that make it a bit more kinetic, a bit more breakneck--shifting away from entire stories in one episode, and sort of fractured over several episodes, with little pieces of each story coming together."
Gimple went on to explain that the decision to give Season 8 a different feel was made while Season 7 was in production.
"I remember talking about that with [co-executive producer] Angela Kang early on in Season 7," he said. "Because we knew the way that 7 was going to be structured, and we knew we wanted to mix it up in 8. We knew what 8 was going to be and how that would dictate a very different kind of structure. Things are going to move, and possibly not have the kind of deep dives into characters in single episodes, but rather laying out the pieces as we go on."
The first poster for Pacific Rim: Uprising has been released. The movie is a sequel to Guillermo Del Toro's 2014 sci-fi action hit Pacific Rim, and it hits theaters on February 23, 2018.
The movie is directed by former Daredevil showrunner Steven S. DeKnight, and stars John Boyega, Scott Eastwood, Zhang Jin, Cailee Spaeny, and Jing Tian. An early viral easer was released in July, and a full trailer is expected soon. In the meantime here's the poster, which features Boyega and one of the movie's giant mecha Jaegars:
"It was such a great choice. I mean, I love [DeKnight], love what he does. I think he's really brilliant," Del Toro told Indiewire. "He's making it his own. I'm not breathing over his shoulder saying, 'What are you doing? What are you doing?' He's doing things differently and I like that.
"When I produce I try to produce the way I would like to be produced. I say to everyone I produce, 'If you need me I will be there 100% all the time. If you don't need me, I'm not there. You show me the cut then we'll start interacting.'"
Valve has yanked 173 games from Steam as part of what is believed to be the largest single-day removal of games in the PC platform's history. As reported by Polygon, all of the expelled games were made by Silicon Echo Studios, and it sounds like there is a good reason for their removal. The YouTube video below from SidAlpha talks about "asset-flipping" games that use pre-made Unity assets to release games faster and less expensively. Valve previously referred to these titles and those like them as "fake games."
Some of the games were reportedly sold by a connected company called Zonitron Productions, and in July and August, the company apparently released 86 games on Steam. That would be around 10 percent of all games launched on Steam during those months.
Many of the games, which included titles like Grim Banana and Clickey, were either free or available cheaply in bundles. Some games were paid-for. What was the problem here, it seems, is that people could pick up the Silicon Echo games on the cheap and then use them to collect Steam's virtual trading cards and then resell those on the gray market. As Polygon explains, trading cards don't fetch much (as little as 25 cents), but with enough sales, the figure could grow substantially--and developers get a take.
In May this year, Valve spoke about the steps it was taking to lessen the economic incentive of releasing "fake games." It was never an exact science, and bad eggs will basically always find a way to circumvent the system. You can read more about those efforts here.
In a statement to Polygon, Valve confirmed the removal of the games and pointed out that it has a full-time team dedicated to these kinds of purges. "These accounts were generating a lot of reports and frustration from customers and other developers. It turns out that the bad actors were all the same person operating under different accounts," Valve said.
"What we found was a set of extreme actions by this person that was negatively impacting the functionality of the store and our tools. For example, this person was mass-shipping nearly-identical products on Steam that were impacting the store's functionality and making it harder for players interested in finding fun games to play. This developer was also abusing Steam keys and misrepresenting themselves on the Steam store."
Because of this, Valve removed all the games and ended its business relationship with the offending parties.
"Spamming cloned games or manipulating our store tools isn't something we will tolerate. Our priority is helping players find games they will enjoy playing," Valve said.
The final Game of Thrones season is reportedly scheduled to begin production in October, and now we know who will direct the final episodes. As relayed by Entertainment Weekly, below is a rundown of the Season 8 directors and some of their past credits:
Michael Sapochnik -- He won an Emmy for directing episodes in Season 6, including The Battle of the Bastards and The Winds of Winter. He left the show for Season 7 to shoot a pilot for a Netflix sci-fi show and is now returning.
David Nutter -- He also won an Emmy for Game of Thrones; he directed six previous episodes, including "The Rains of Castamere" AKA The Red Wedding Episode.
David Benioff and Dan Weiss -- They created Game of Thrones and directed early-season episodes. They will direct the finale. In the past, they switched between each other for who gets the on-screen directorial credit.
There are six episodes in the Game of Thrones Season 8. We know Benioff and Weiss will direct the finale, but it remains to be seen how the other five episodes are divided up. EW reported that Sapochnik will direct at least two, but possibly three, though there is no official word as of yet.
Production on Season 8 is expected to stretch through Spring 2018, with the season itself debuting either later that year or potentially in 2019. Each episode is said to be as long as a movie, so while there may be fewer episodes, the total runtime may not be all that different.
When Game of Thrones ends, that may not be the conclusion of the franchise overall. HBO is working on five pilot scripts for spinoffs. And we recently learned more about the fifth one.
Bungie has updated its list of Destiny 2 known issues to let players know what problems the studio is aware of and actively working to fix. The studio outlined these in its latest weekly blog post.
Starting off, the limited-time multiplayer event, Trials of the Nine, was disabled at the wrong time this week. Going forward, you can expect it to run from 10 AM PT on Friday until Tuesday at 2 AM PT. Another issue Bungie is aware of and working on is that Clan XP is not always being awarded upon completion of public events. Bungie said it's also aware of a problem where Clan Engrams are not given to members. One note Bungie provided is that you can't earn a Clan Engram if you quit a clan and join another one before the weekly reset.
Additionally, there is a problem with Destiny's microtransaction store, Eververse. Players are experiencing delays in receiving Silver after buying it through errors such as "Silver Sync Pending" and "Query Failed."
If you bought Destiny 2 Silver but it's not attached to your account yet, you should close Destiny fully, clear your console's cache, relaunch the game, and then select your character. This should fix the problem until a more permanent solution is implemented, Bungie said. If it doesn't work, you can reach out to Bungie through this Eververse Contact Form.
Destiny 2 Known Issues
Trials of the Nine was not disabled properly at this week's ritual reset. Moving forward, players should expect this activity to be available each Friday at 10 AM PDT through Tuesday at 2 AM PDT.
The quest step "His Highness's Seal" is not properly incrementing when players acquire Emperor Seals.
Occasionally, objects aren't properly spawning within the Exodus Crash Nightfall strike. Players may need to relaunch the activity for objectives to properly spawn.
Public event completions are not properly granting Clan XP upon completion.
Clan Engrams are not being rewarded to some qualifying players. NOTE: If a player leaves a clan and joins a new clan mid-week, they will not be able to earn further Clan Engrams until the following weekly reset.
If a player creates a new character after an alternate character has earned a raid key on a given week, the key will be erroneously removed from character Inventory. NOTE: Raid keys are removed, by design, with each weekly ritual reset.
In other Destiny 2 news, Bungie has announced that the game's servers will be offline next week for a round of maintenance. The servers will be down for 5 hours or more.
After being announced last year, Stardew Valley's Nintendo Switch port is now another step closer to actually launching. Publisher Chucklefish's CEO, Finn Brice, stated on Twitter that the version has been "approved," and that the company is "working on finalizing a release date."
Just last month, Chucklefish said it doesn't generally announce release dates until "quite close to launch, when we are at least 95% certain that nothing will go terribly terribly wrong." That the company is now "finalizing" a release date must therefore mean the game is not far off launching.
Stardew Valley Switch Update, we've been approved. Working on finalising a release date with all parties involved. Will continue to inform!
All versions of Stardew Valley will receive a new multiplayer mode in 2018. Once it releases, players will be able to build up to three cabins on their farms, each of which can house a friend. These players will be able to do almost anything the main player can, including mining, foraging, taking part in festivals, and getting married.
Chucklefish says it hopes to begin beta testing the multiplayer mode on Steam at the end of the year. It plans to release the update in full on PC in early 2018 and will bring it to Switch and other consoles after that.
Stardew Valley originally launched for PC in February, 2016, and was subsequently released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One last November. In our Stardew Valley review, we awarded the RPG a 9/10. Critic Mary Kish wrote: "The sheer number of things to accomplish in Stardew Valley can keep you interested beyond the original three in-game years you need to reach the end of your story--you may just want to start over rather than continue on."
Destiny 2's Faction Rallies are now live, bringing with them exclusive rewards packages including weapons, armor, and shaders. We can also see the in-game location of Destiny 2's Faction Rally leaders Arach Jalaal (who represents Dead Orbit), Lakshmi-2 (Future War Cult), and Executor Hideo (New Monarchy).
Those three characters are now available to talk to in Destiny 2's Tower. Arach Jalaal and Lakshmi-2 are situated in the Hangar, while Executor Hideo is currently in the Bazaar. We had some trouble finding them at our first attempt, but if you quit to orbit and reload the location, then the trio should appear. Additionally, in order to unlock access to Faction Rallies, you'll need to complete the campaign and reach level 20.
Faction Rallies see you pledge your allegiance to one of three factions. You can then fight for your faction by simply playing the game. In the process you'll earn Rewards Tokens, which you can trade for exclusive weapons and emblems, among other items. An in-game description reads: "To earn tokens for Level 20 rewards, destroy supplies in Lost Sectors and do Public Events, Crucible matches, Strikes, and the Leviathan Raid."
Each faction has a "powerful weapon" that is specific to it--Dead Orbit has a scout rifle, Future War Cult a pulse rifle, and New Monarchy a sidearm. At the end of the event, the faction that collected the most packages is named the winner, and its weapon will be sold to all players for 50,000 glimmer. Members of the winning faction will be able to purchase it for only 1,000 glimmer. The winner will be named at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST on October 3 (3 AM AEST on October 4 in Australia).
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Monolith have apologised for their handling of Middle-earth: Shadow of War's Forthog DLC, which was created to honor a developer who passed away last year, and will now make the content free to everyone. Those that have already purchased the DLC will be refunded, and to meet the original intent of the DLC, the publisher will also donate to the family of Michael "4G" Forgey.
Profits from the sale of the DLC were to be donated to the family of Forgey, who passed away in March 2016 from a rare form of cancer known as glioblastoma. However, the effort drew criticism after there were indications that a portion of the profits wouldn't go to Forgey's widow and children.
According to a new statement from Warner Bros. posted on the Shadow of War community page, the publisher and Shadow of War developer, Monolith, always intended "to give all profits from the DLC, worldwide to the Forgey family" but only "planned to actively promote this donation in the U.S."
This, it says, was in order to stay complaint with the laws of different territories, as by detailing where the funds from other territories were going it "could have triggered compliance obligations or put us in violations of cause marketing laws in some of the 241 territories in which the content was available."
Furthermore, a "factually incorrect tweet" from its own team "exacerbated the confusion by stating that international funds would not be going to the family." In the statement, Warner went on to say that it recognizes that "tying our donation to sales of the DLC was not the best way to to achieve our goal of offering financial support to the family and creating a lasting memorial to Michael Forgey."
It continued: "We sincerely apologize to the fans and to the Forgey family for the confusion we created. To ensure the two original aims are still met and to provide transparency to the community, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will instead make a donation directly to the Forgey family.
"The DLC will be withdrawn from sale and will be a free download for owners of Middle-earth: Shadow of War. Anyone who has purchased the DLC will receive a full refund. If there is interest in donating directly to the family, please visit their youcaring site."
Today, the White House issued a memorandum in which it applauded President Trump's big plans to bolster science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs across the country. One of the video game industry's biggest and most important groups, the Entertainment Software Association, has now released a statement applauding the new initiative, saying it could pay dividends for the United States video game industry.
"ESA commends the Trump Administration on its bold leadership in computer science education," ESA president Michael Gallagher said. "The White House's new STEM initiative will help grow the diverse and high-skilled workforce that drives the $30.4 billion US video game industry."
"By expanding opportunities for America's youth interested in the creative tech sector, we can generate thousands of new American jobs and achieve new levels of innovation, invention, and economic success. We look forward to working with the Administration and industry partners."
The ESA is the organization that represents the video game industry's interests in Washington. The group also conducts market research, provides policy and legal guidance, and working to protect IP rights. The ESA also organizes E3 every year. Its members include some of the biggest and best known in gaming, including Activision, Bethesda, Electronic Arts, Take-Two, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros.
As outlined in the memorandum, the Trump administration says it wants to "better equip America's young people with the relevant knowledge and skills that will enable them to secure high‑paying, stable jobs throughout their careers."
It goes on: "With the growing role of technology in driving the American economy, many jobs increasingly require skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) -- including, in particular, Computer Science. These skills open the door to jobs, strengthening the backbone of American ingenuity, driving solutions to complex problems across industries, and improving lives around the world. As part of my Administration's commitment to supporting American workers and increasing economic growth and prosperity, it is critical that we educate and train our future workforce to compete and excel in lucrative and important STEM fields."
Trump went on to say that too many young people lack access to "high-quality STEM education," and this puts them "at risk of being shut out from some of the most attractive job options in the growing United States economy."
It's not surprise that the ESA would support this initiative, given that it would theoretically help drive more people into the gaming industry.
Trump's memorandum also states that Computer Science courses are "especially scarce" in schools today, claiming that almost 40 percent of high schools do not offer physics and 60 percent do not have computer programming courses available.
"The Department of Education, therefore, should prioritize helping districts recruit and train teachers capable of providing students with a rigorous education in STEM fields, focusing in particular on Computer Science," Trump said. "This will help equip students with the skills needed to obtain certifications and advanced degrees that ultimately lead to jobs in STEM field."
Trump's message to the Department of Education is that it should make high-quality STEM education, particularly Computer Science, a priority. He called on Betsy DeVos, the Department of Education secretary, to consider this when she awards grant funds in fiscal year 2018 and beyond. Trump is directing the Department of Education to spend $200 million per year on the new STEM efforts.
GameSpot spoke with Gallagher at E3 this year. We asked about the Trump presidency specifically and what impact there might be on video games under his administration.
"Now we have a new administration in Washington that has brought some challenges. Everybody here is aware of them," he said to a room of reporters. "You're following them or feeling them. Gamers are feeling it both ways. Almost everyone in this country is a gamer, and almost 80 percent of gamers voted in the last election. Our job is to deliver the outputs and policy that extend and protect the frontiers of this industry."
Gallagher said some of what Trump has done in office has been positive for gaming, including tax cuts and repatriation efforts. "Those two things can be fantastic for bringing capital in--more investment in the industry, more dynamic creativity, and more jobs right right here at home. That's something we can get behind. The H1B1 Visa reform is something that is very powerful as a force for good in the industry. We're attracting the very brightest, the very smartest, so that's interesting."
"It's also our job to be clear to the administration when they're on the wrong track."
The ESA leader also said Trump did a good job of "holding other countries accountable" for the investments they make in US gaming. He said he hopes there can be NAFTA reform that includes digital trade. "The headliner, the No. 1 one thing the administration wants to put in NAFTA is digital trade," Gallagher said. "What's the leading digital trade? Ask Apple or Google where their revenue comes from. It's what our industry is making."
There are negatives as well, Gallagher said. He said Trump's eagerness to make tonally-off comments and when he does anything to impact the trust people might have for the highest office in the country, that can be bad for gaming too.
"We hear from our members, we hear from their employees. The policies that appear to be exclusionary or discriminatory--we're a worldwide industry," he said. "Anything we do as a country to diminish this or make it appear the US is not welcoming or is not a safe place, is hurting the business. And we've heard that all across the industry.
"So it's also our job to be clear to the administration when they're on the wrong track. So when core equities are at stake, we'll steer the administration in that direction. But remember, we have the US Constitution. This isn't a dictatorship. Congress has a lot to say about the direction [of our country] and we're working with them and have been working with them to make sure that. We also have the court system, which you know we're pretty good at using. We're good at using all of the levers to get where we need to be."
Classic gaming company Atari has announced some new details and about its upcoming "Ataribox" console and shared some fresh images of the Atari 2600-inspired machine. In a newsletter, Atari confirmed the following about its specs and more:
It will be powered by a custom AMD processor with Radeon Graphics technology
It will run Linux, sporting a "customized, easy-to-use user interface."
It will be a "full PC experience," so you can also use it to stream content and listen to music, or whatever else you might do on a PC.
Atari also said the Ataribox will come pre-loaded with "tons of classic Atari retro games," along with "current titles from a range of studios." Specific titles will be announced "very soon," Atari teased. In general, Atari said it has "lots more" to share in the coming weeks.
Atari is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo this fall, though there is no word as of yet regarding its funding goal. However, Atari said it's going with crowdfunding because it wants users to be "part of this launch" and "part of the story."
The Ataribox will be priced in the range of $250-$300, and it'll ship in late Spring 2018. The price will depend on things like memory configuration and editions; for example, Atari is producing a Wood Edition that is made with actual wood.
You can read the full newsletter here to learn more and see the new Ataribox images. Keep checking back with GameSpot for more on the Ataribox in the time ahead.
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