Nintendo is rolling out an update for the Switch Pokemon fighting game, Pokken Tournament DX. This is the first update since the title launched last month, and it adds some notable new features.
Along with some as-yet unspecified gameplay tweaks, the Pokken Tournament DX update introduces Online Team Battles to the fighting game. As in the offline version of this mode, you select three Pokemon to take into battle; when one is knocked out, you'll take control of the next until all three of a player's Pokemon have been defeated.
In addition to that, the update adds official groups to the Group Match online mode, which will give players a chance to earn new titles. Finally, the update introduces a new feature that allows you to record a Pokemon's movements in Free Training mode. With this feature, you can control the opposing Pokemon, record its movements, then battle against the playback. You can read more about the update on the game's official website.
One thing you can count on every October, aside from a bunch of big game releases, are developers releasing Halloween-themed updates and events. Halloween is still weeks away, and already we've seen a number of such announcements, and some of these events are already underway. [Updated October 13 with Minecraft and Gears of War 4.]
With so much going on, it can be difficult to keep track of everything that's happening. Given that many of these events, such as Overwatch's Halloween Terror, provide you with a limited amount of time to obtain items you can use year-round, you'll want to stay on top of how and when you can expand your collection. We've compiled a list of many of the Halloween-themed events happening in games this month, and we'll continue to update this as more are announced. Check everything out below, and let us know what you'll be playing (as well as any we missed) in the comments.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Activision will host a monthlong event in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare called Willard Wyler's Halloween Scream that features several different components. Each week, players will be able to pick up a free Halloween Supply Drop by logging in, as well as a Halloween-themed cosmetic item on each Friday. Halloween gear and loot, such as a zombie-themed Rig skin, will also be up for grabs.
Additionally, Gesture Warfare mode--where you take out opponents by doing things like pinching your fingers--returns for a limited time. Carnage, one of the maps in the Retribution DLC, will be free to all players from October 12 until November 1 in a special playlist that runs only that map and offers double XP. Finally, Boss Battle will allow DLC owners to tackle a different Zombie episode's final fight each week.
The Coalition is marking Halloween in Gears of War 4 in a variety of ways. As the video above reveals, Friday the 13th marks the return of Skorge, the Locust general who will make an appearance as a skin. Later in the month, players can jump into a special multiplayer playlist that adorns everyone with a pumpkin head, or take part in a special mode called Phantom Dodgeball. The Coalition has also teased "a few extra surprises," of which Skorge is likely one.
Dates
October 13 (Skorge)
October 27 - TBA (pumpkin heads, Phantom Dodgeball)
Heroes of the Storm once again sees its Hallow's End event, which kicks off this month. However, this marks the first Halloween since Blizzard launched HotS' new Loot Chest system, which means things work a bit differently than in the past. Like in Overwatch, event-specific chests will replace the standard ones during the event. You'll earn one with every level up, and at least one of the four rewards inside is guaranteed to be a Hallow's End item, which includes skins, mounts, sprays, and portraits. Weekly Brawl rewards after October 20 will take the form of a Hallow's End chest, and these can also be purchased using gems.
Also during the event, you can make progress toward quests that will net you a special spray (by playing two games), banner (eight games), and portrait (15 games). However, Custom Games, Training matches, and Brawls don't count toward these totals.
Minecraft's Halloween Spooktacular event is officially underway. This brings special, themed content and activities to official servers for players on Bedrock Engine platforms (which is to say, most versions of the game). Among other things, the Lifeboat server is home to a haunted house parkour course; InPvP has the Haunted Mansion SkyWare map; and Mineplex brings The Pumpkin King, plus quests, flaming pumpkins to fight, and more. You can get a look at what awaits in the video and gallery above.
For its second October, Blizzard has brought back Overwatch's Halloween Terror event. It replaces the standard Loot Box with an event-specific one, which contains a variety of Halloween-themed cosmetic items. These include both those from last year and more than 50 new ones, such as Legendary skins for Ana, Symmetra, Zenyatta, and McCree. Last year's Junkenstein's Revenge event also returns as a special Brawl mode--this is a Horde-style co-op game type where a team of four takes on waves of AI-controlled enemies. New to this year's version is an endless variant, where you can compete on leaderboards by seeing how many waves you can successfully make it through.
As part of the Shadow's Eve event, Paragon players will be able to get their hands on limited-edition chests. These contain regular items and Shadow's Eve-specific rewards, including skins and banners. Narbash, Wukong, and Yin have received new skins for the event, and each week will offer up a selection of different skins from last year. (These skins and banners are only available during the event.) A special Mega Bundle that includes all of this will be sold from October 24 - November 11; you'll receive a discount if you've already gotten your hands on any of the contents.
Dates
Now - November 1 (Shadow's Eve)
October 24 - November 11 (Shadow's Eve Mega Bundle)
Niantic's specific plans for the Halloween celebration in Pokemon Go have not yet been revealed, but we do know an event of some sort is coming. The Pokemon Company has teased that "plenty of good stuff is coming to the game later this October." We'll report back once more details are shared.
Dates
TBA October
Smite
The newest patch for Smite brings back the Halloween makeover for Arena mode's map and the Scary Potion. The latter messes around with players--last year's version, for instance, would occasionally play a Loki sound effect that made you think you were about to be backstabbed. Additionally, a Halloween chest is for sale that includes things like spooky and themed skins (Trick or Treat Cupid and Grim Reaper Thanatos). Through the Odyssey, there are new Halloween skins you can buy directly, such as Mummified Izanami and Yurei Susano.
Blizzard hasn't yet revealed its full Halloween plans for World of Warcraft, but we do know that Hallow's End will return. The event "celebrates the break of the Forsaken from the Scourge," Blizzard says. "Fun and mischief reign as the Innkeepers of Azeroth give treats, and tricks, to whomever asks."
Friday the 13th fittingly marks the release of The Evil Within 2, the latest horror game from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami's studio, Tango Gameworks. Like the previous Evil Within, the game stars former detective Sebastian Castellanos, who gets another opportunity to rescue his daughter from the nightmarish world of Union.
While the gameplay will be largely familiar to anyone who played the original, The Evil Within 2 offers players a much greater degree of customization, as well as a more interconnected world to explore. GameSpot critic Alessandro Fillari called the greater emphasis on exploration "consistently enjoyable" in our Evil Within 2 review and said the game "leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion."
Reviews for The Evil Within 2 have begun appearing online, and the consensus among critics is that the new horror game is an all-around improvement over its predecessor. You can find a sample of other Evil Within 2 reviews below. For a wider look at what critics think of the title, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.
"Though there's some occasional technical hiccups that result in some particularly frustrating moments and weird pacing issues, this horror sequel elevates the tense and impactful survival horror experience in ways that feel fresh and exciting. What this cerebral horror game does isn't totally new, but it rarely feels routine, and offers plenty of surprises. Coming in at a lengthy and surprisingly packed 15-hour campaign, the sequel does an admirable job of ratcheting up the tension and scares when it needs to, while also giving you the freedom to explore and proceed how you want. It's a tough thing to balance, but The Evil Within 2 does it remarkably well, and in a way that leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion." -- Alessandro Fillari [Full review]
IGN -- 8/10
"The Evil Within 2 gives you more options to play your way in a much bigger survival-horror playground than the original. Although a disjointed plot and weak protagonist make it slow to get started, being pursued through an intriguingly bizarre world by plentiful and disturbing monsters kept my palms sweaty and my heart in my throat thanks to a strict adherence to the most important survival horror rule: you should always be on the back foot." -- Lucy O'Brien [Full review]
Eurogamer
"The original Evil Within was hailed as a sort of alternate-history exercise, a game from a timeline in which Shinji Mikami carried on working with Resident Evil after shipping the revolutionary fourth instalment, released when Resident Evil itself was deemed to be at low ebb. Though far from a deranged new breed of monster it was an intriguing mutation, blurring Resi 4's pace and direction with the cerebral menace of a Silent Hill. The sequel is another curious outgrowth, but its changes and additions often feel more wayward than fascinating, and in key respects--the story, certain levels, those niggles in stealth and combat--it falls rather flat. Still, there are chills and spills enough here to sate most patrons of the bloody arts. Whether a third game is warranted at this point is another matter." -- Edwin Evans-Thirlwell [Full review]
Polygon -- Review-in-Progress
"I don't know if The Evil Within 2 will be able to work this magic right up until the credits--which seem a lot further off than they did in the first game--but for now, I'm extremely impressed. The game just keeps tossing everything it has at me, and every time I think I've seen it all, it gives me some unique revelation, some dreadful apparition I've yet to encounter. That push and pull, between wanting to see what the game has in store next and being terrified to find out--that delightful feeling is why I play horror games, and so far this one is nailing it." -- Philip Kollar [Full impressions]
Game Informer -- 7.75/10
"The Evil Within 2 is a solid horror game that expands the scope of the series to extend out of the shadow of a titan in the horror genre, even if it sometimes leans heavily on borrowed ideas. Its progression and difficulty curve create a satisfying loop that repays resourcefulness and strategy, but its set pieces and structure don't build enough on the many ideas they borrow to make them feel new or interesting. The result is a ride that offers some fun thrills in the moment, but I don't think I'll lose too much sleep over these particular nightmares." -- Suriel Vazquez [Full review]
US Gamer -- Review-in-Progress
"I haven't finished the game, but it feels like it's right around the corner. From what I've played so far though, The Evil Within 2 is everything I wanted from the first game. Every major complaint I had about the first game is at least addressed in some manner, though the tweaks aren't always perfect. It's a unique psychological horror title with Resident Evil 4's action combat. Tentatively, for those folks who weren't a fan of Capcom's reboot with Resident Evil 7, The Evil Within offers something that you might like, while blazing its own trail." -- Mike Williams [Full review]
Sony has launched the latest flash sale on the PlayStation Store in the US. It features discounts on dozens of games across PS4, PS3, and Vita, all of which are available to everyone--no PlayStation Plus membership required.
There doesn't appear to be any particular theme for this sale, despite it launching on Friday the 13th. Among the PS4 games discounted are Hitman: The Complete First Season for $24, For Honor for $25, The Surge for $30, and Rainbow Six Siege for $30. You've also got two different ways to pick up Street Fighter V: the standard edition goes for $16, while the 2017 Deluxe Edition (which includes the Season 1 and 2 character DLC passes) sells for $40.
This flash sale runs from now until Monday, October 16, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET; you can see everything on sale here. This is all separate from the ongoing PSN weekly deals, the highlight of which is a PSVR anniversary sale.
Splatoon 2's next Splatfest competition is scheduled to begin very soon. This month's event kicks off in North America tonight, October 13, at 9 PM PT/12 AM ET and concludes at the same time tomorrow, October 14.
For the first time since Splatoon 2 launched this past summer, North America's Splatfest features a different theme than Europe's. While European players battled over the proper way to hang a toilet roll, players in North America will be settling a more fitting dispute in time for Halloween: which monster is better, vampires or werewolves?
Ahead of the Splatfest, Nintendo is adding a pair of new weapons to Splatoon 2. This week's free DLC guns are the Custom E-liter 4K and the modified Custom E-liter 4k Scope. These two chargers will be available tonight at 7 PM PT/10 PM ET and can be purchased using in-game currency from the Ammo Knights weapon shop.
Both the Custom E-liter 4K and Custom E-liter 4K Scope come outfitted with the Squid Beakon sub-weapon and Bubble Blower special. The difference between the two guns is their range; the Scope variant can fire further, but it isn't able to store a charge shot like the standard model.
Nine years ago, publisher EA took a chance on a new franchise. It was dark, macabre, and creepy, and something wholly different than the company's earlier projects. It was the first Dead Space, developer by EA Redwood Shores, and it would spark one of the most beloved series to emerge from the former generation of video game consoles.
In honor of Friday the 13th, and Dead Space's anniversary (the game actually released on Oct. 14, 2008, but who's really counting) we're playing through a portion of Isaac Clarke's journey aboard the USG Ishimura mining vessel. We'll also discuss the game's development history, how it began as System Shock 3, and how Resident Evil 4 inspired EA Redwood to change course.
For more on horror video games, check out our recently published The Evil Within 2 review, and stay up to date with our Resident Evil longplay series with Mary Kish, Resident Kinevil.
Like its predecessor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is filled with a plethora of mechanics to master and secrets to discover. But this time around, the game has expanded the number of mechanics involved in your adventure. From a loot system to additional gear buffs, there's plenty of new stuff this time around that isn't easy understand at first. To help you better equip yourself with the knowledge to survive, we've compiled all of our in-depth guide articles and accompanying videos below. Keep in mind, there are potential spoilers in some of our guides, so tread carefully.
With expansive skill trees and a lot of unlockables, Shadow of War can feel overwhelming. That's why we've put together a beginner's guide focused on helping you through the game's early hours. Put these handy tips into practice and you'll be decapitating Orcs and mounting Caragors in no time.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a dense action-RPG with a lot of skills to unlock, systems to get your head around, and many, many orcs to kill. While our beginner's guide covered the opening hours of the game, in the intervening hours we've learned a fair number of things that we wish we knew before starting the game.
There are a lot of skills to choose from in Shadow of War, and you obviously want to choose wisely. Skills are divided across six categories, with each accommodating different playstyles ranging from stealth to full offensive. And after unlocking each base skill, you can unlock three upgrades for that skill. Here are some of the most useful skills in the game along with recommendations of their best upgrades.
Shadow of War is packed with armor sets for Talion to wear, each with their own unique attributes. But if you're looking for the best armor the game has to offer, then seek out the Legendary sets. These special sets can only be unlocked by killing Legendary orcs or completing specific challenges; each offers their own unique set bonuses that can assist you in myriad ways in your adventure. For a quick rundown on where to find each Legendary set, check out in the article above.
We teamed up with Bethesda to give away these awesome The Evil Within 2 prize packs for free:
The Evil Within 2 on PS4, Xbox One, or PC
The Evil Within 2 Prima Strategy Guide, Shirt, Comic, and Journal
Grand Prize: Custom The Evil Within 2 skinned consoles, (1) Xbox One and (1) PS4
Please read this carefully: We have a total of fifteen (15) prize packs to give away, and two (2) winners will receive a custom The Evil Within 2 skinned console for Xbox One or PS4. Five (5) winners will be announced daily at approximately 5:00PM PT until the competition ends on Friday, October 13th at 5:00 PM PT. Winners can be seen in the "Winners" tab below. Console winners will be chosen on Friday. If you enter for a chance to win today and don't win, you'll be automatically entered again the next day. Entry is open to United States residents only, void where prohibited.
Enter below (the additional entries are optional to increase your chances of winning):
Ubisoft has detailed the content included in the season pass for South Park: The Fractured But Whole. The DLC includes costumes, extra challenges, and a story mission. Some of this will be available this year, while others will arrive in 2018.
First up in the season pass offerings is "Relics of Zaron," a costume and perks pack which will be available on October 17 that will be sold on its own for $5. This will be followed by "Towelie: Your Gaming Bud," which is an "in-game buddy giving tips," on October 24 for $2.
In December there will be "Danger Deck," which is described by Ubisoft as "the ultimate combat challenge" that takes place in Doctor Timothy's Danger Deck. Playing this unlocks exclusive costumes and artifacts, and it will be available for $6.
In 2018 comes "From Dusk till Casa Bonita," a $12 story expansion where "players will team up with The Coon and Mysterion to defeat a demonic presence at Casa Bonita." Another expansion, "Bring the Crunch," adds a "new story" and superhero class for $12. Ubisoft has only stated that From Dusk till Casa Bonita and Bring the Crunch will be available in "2018;" nothing more specific has been mentioned.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole's season pass will be available on October 17 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. It is also included in the Gold Edition of the game. On its own, the season pass costs $30.
"Professor Chaos has found the perfect tool to spread lies and misinformation about Coon and friends," reads the episode's official description. "In trying to save their reputation, the boys come face to face with Mark Zuckerberg."
South Park: The Fractured But Whole launches on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on October 17.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War has been available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC for a few days now, and if you're anything like us, you'll have carved your way through a healthy chunk of Sauron's army. However, you've probably also run into the tricky Fortress Assaults, seen the intricacies of the game's Nemesis system, and also scrutinised the abilities screen for far too long. They can all be overwhelming in the later stages, which is why we've put together some very useful advanced tips to make things a little bit easier.
In the video above, we cover how you can get higher level followers, which requires some hard work but is definitely worth the effort. We'll show you how you can use gems to maximise your rewards and build a powerful army of high-level orcs. Then, we dive into how you can cause maximum mayhem with them. Worms are another major part of the game, and we'll show you how to use their loose lips to sink some very large orc ships (read: fortresses).
After that, we've got all the hot info on using combat dominate to quickly tear through the enemy forces, the most efficient way to use Mirian--the main in-game currency, how to get the most out of the Nemesis system, the best way to approach online fortress assaults, and all the best skills to get to make you an all-around killing/resource gathering machine. It's a comprehensive video guide.
In GameSpot's Shadow of War review, Justin Haywald awarded it a 7/10, saying that "it tries to be larger than its predecessor … yet it leaves you wanting less." He continued: "But at its core, it's a fun experience with brilliant moments that provide fascinating insight into some of the untold stories of Middle-earth."
If you want to get caught up on the story before playing the game, there's a Shadow Of War story recap narrated by Bruz, the charming Olog that took center stage during the game's E3 presentation. Or you can read our Shadow of War story so far article for a quick overview.
Epic Games is reportedly suing two Fortnite players, alleging they have violated the game's terms of service and EULA by cheating. TorrentFreak has obtained legal complaints filed in North Carolina federal court against two individuals. The documents claim that they are running afoul by "modifying and changing the game's code, committing copyright infringement in the process."
Epic warned players about potential action it might take. In a blog post last week, the studio said, "Let's be straight for a second, nobody likes playing with cheaters. Not you, not me. Nobody." It added that addressing cheating in Fortnite is "the highest priority across Epic Games."
"We're exploring every measure to ensure these cheaters are removed and stay removed from Fortnite Battle Royale and the Epic ecosystem. We don't want to give too many clues about what we're doing, but we are rolling out tools and will continue to do so," the developer went on to say. It has already banned "thousands" of players, and it will continue the bans as needed.
Epic's lawsuits against the two alleged cheaters goes on to say that the defendants "use cheats in a deliberate attempt to destroy the integrity of, and otherwise wreak havoc in, the Fornite game. As Defendant[s] intend, this often ruins the game for the other players, and for the many people who watch 'streamers.'"
As for why Epic is taking such a hard line against the supposed cheaters, the studio explained that one of the alleged cheaters was banned nine times already but created a new account every time to get back in. This person is also alleged to have written code for the hacks, which may explain why Epic is suing this person.
Epic is suing both parties for up to $150,000 in damages over copyright infringement. Another claim mentioned in the lawsuits is breach of contract and circumvention of technological measures. Go to TorrentFreak to get the full story.
Contacted for comment about the lawsuit, Epic would only comment on the company's approach to dealing with cheaters overall. "When cheaters use aimbots or other cheat technologies to gain an unfair advantage, they ruin games for people who are playing fairly," an Epic spokesperson told GameSpot. "We take cheating seriously, and we'll pursue all available options to make sure our games are fun, fair, and competitive for players."
One of the next new features coming to Battle Royale is a progression system, which is due out in the "next several weeks." This will help in Epic's "war against casual cheaters," because the idea is they think twice about cheating if they know all of their progress will be reset if and when they banned.
Fortnite's Battle Royale mode is available now on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.
The next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, are quickly approaching their November 17 release date, and ahead of their launch, Nintendo has been giving away a ton of free items and Pokemon for the previous Sun and Moon versions. Many of the giveaways have already ended, but there are still plenty of rare freebies for Sun and Moon players to get their hands on.
We've rounded up all of the distributions that are currently running for Pokemon Sun and Moon, as well as a few that will be available for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon when those versions launch. We'll be updating this list as more giveaways are announced, so check back often to see what free items and Pokemon you can get.
Pokemon Sun/Moon Free Gifts
Mega Stones -- Ends Oct. 31
Mega Stones are exceptionally rare and valuable in Pokemon Sun and Moon. When equipped to their corresponding Pokemon, Mega Stones allow it to Mega Evolve during battle, often changing its type and giving it a considerable stat boost. Nintendo is giving away several batches of Mega Stones that aren't normally available in Sun and Moon, all of which are redeemable via a universal download code. Input the following codes in Mystery Gift by October 31 and you'll receive these Mega Stones:
Players in the US can pick up a free download code for Charizard from the electronics department in Target stores. The popular Fire-type Pokemon comes at level 50, is equipped with the Red Card item, and knows the moves Dragon Dance, Flare Blitz, Fly, and Earthquake. As with other download codes, you need to input your code via Mystery Gift to receive Charizard. The distribution runs until October 14, and you have until February 4, 2018 to redeem your code.
Marshadow -- Ends Oct. 23
For a very limited time, players can pick up a free download code for the Mythical Pokemon Marshadow. Those in the US can get the code from GameStop, while players in the UK will have to visit "participating retailers." This is the first legitimate way Sun and Moon players can obtain the rare Fighting/Ghost-type, which comes at level 50 and is equipped with Marshadium Z. It also knows the attacks Spectral Thief, Close Combat, Force Palm, and Shadow Ball.
Pikachu
To celebrate the release of the Pokemon series' 20th anniversary film, Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You, The Pokemon Company is giving away six different versions of Ash's Pikachu for Sun and Moon. To receive a Pikachu, enter the code PIKACHU20 in Mystery Gift. However, you can only receive one of the six Pikachu, and the version you get depends on when you enter the code. The full Pikachu distribution schedule is below.
Players who purchase either Pokemon Gold or Silver from the 3DS Eshop by September 21, 2018 will receive a bonus download code for the Mythical Pokemon Celebi. The code can be redeemed in Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, or Ultra Moon. We've outlined the steps you need to take to find and redeem the code here.
Magearna
Unlike other Mythical Pokemon, the Steel/Fairy-type Magearna is available not through Mystery Gift, but via a QR code. After defeating the Elite Four and completing the main story, you can use the QR Scanner feature to scan the below code. After doing so, visit the Antiques shop in Hau'oli City and pick your Magearna up from the deliveryman waiting there. The Mythical Pokemon comes at level 50 and knows the moves Fleur Cannon, Flash Cannon, Lucky Chant, and Helping Hand.
Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon Free Gifts
Rockruff -- Ends Jan. 10, 2018
Purchase either Pokemon Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon by January 10 and you'll receive a special Rockruff as a free bonus. This Rockruff will only evolve into Dusk Form Lycanroc, a new variant of the popular wolf Pokemon that is exclusive to Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon.
Appropriately for a survival-horror game with some nightmare-inducing imagery, The Evil Within 2 launches on October 13. And as you'd hope, there are rewards for completing the game beyond just getting to see the story through. [Potential mild spoilers below.]
One in particular stands out: Cinematic Letterboxing. When it launched, the original Evil Within had to be played with a 2:35:1 aspect ratio, which meant having black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. The developer argued this was "used for gameplay purposes" and provided a more cinematic experience. Nevertheless, many players complained, and a patch was ultimately released that allowed the game to be played in a more traditional manner.
The Evil Within 2 similarly plays out in full screen, but finish the game and a Cinematic Letterboxing option is unlocked. Judging by the notification screen, which you can see above, developer Tango Gameworks has a sense of humor about the entire thing. "You've unlocked the ultimate reward: A more cinematic game experience!"
Additionally, Bethesda has announced a new charity campaign themed around The Evil Within 2. Titled "The Good Within," the fundraising campaign is raising money on CrowdRise to support the American Red Cross's disaster and humanitarian relief efforts globally.
WWE 2K18 officially launches next week, but some PS4 and Xbox One players can start playing this year's wrestling game a little early. Those who purchase the Deluxe edition can access the title starting today, October 13.
2K Sports has also announced a slate of downloadable content that will be released for the title. Five different themed WWE 2K18 DLC packs are on the way throughout late 2017 and early 2018, which will add new moves, iconic wrestlers like the Hardy Boyz, and more to this year's wrestling game.
Xbox One's catalog of backwards compatible games has grown once again. Microsoft has announced three more Xbox 360 games have been added to the library and are now playable on the current-generation system.
First and foremost of the three is Child of Eden, a rhythm-action game from Tetsuya Mizuguchi that serves as a spiritual successor to one of his most acclaimed games, Rez. On Xbox 360, it featured Kinect support, but it can also be played with a standard controller. While not as strong of a game as Rez, in lieu of an Xbox One version of Rez Infinite, this is a very welcome addition to the Xbox One's catalog.
Also now playable on Xbox One is KOF Sky Stage, a shoot-em-up spin-off of the King of Fighters fighting game series. And rounding out the list is Goat Simulator. This is another case of a game being made backwards compatible despite the existence of a native Xbox One version. While the latter is the ideal way to play on Xbox One, it's always nice to see fans gain access to the games they already own. As always, physical copies will work on Xbox One, or you can find digital copies in the My Games and Apps' Ready to Download section.
The final tailer for the upcoming second season of Stranger Things has been released. Netflix's acclaimed supernatural drama returns on October 27 and this latest trailer makes Season 2 look every bit as weird and scary as the first one. Check it out above.
Stranger Things Season 2 will see the return of David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp, while Paul Reiser and Sean Astin will join the show in new roles.
This trailer follows last week's teaser that revealed most of new season's episode titles. They include "Mad Max," "Trick or Treat Freak," "The Pollywog," "Will the Wise," "Dig Dug," and "The Spy." However, as the teaser reveals, the titles of chapters 8, 9, and 10 remain a secret for now.
Last month, it was confirmed that Stranger Things will return for Season 3. Initially creators Matt and Ross Duffer stated that Season 4 would be the final one; however, last week director Shawn Levy suggested that there could be a fifth season. "Hearts were heard breaking in Netflix headquarters when the brothers made four seasons sound like an official end, and I was suddenly getting phone calls from our actors' agents," he told Slashfilm. "The truth is we're definitely going four seasons and there's very much the possibility of a fifth. Beyond that, it becomes I think very unlikely."
We're now well into October and the busy fall release season. If you're looking for something new to play but don't want to spend any money, the latest freebies from Microsoft are now available for download.
Xbox Live Gold members can now pick up the first of October 2017's free Games With Gold titles. These include Gone Home on Xbox One, which is free all month long, and Rayman 3 HD for Xbox 360 (October 1-15). Later in the month, The Turing Test will be free on Xbox One and Medal of Honor: Airborne will drop to the low, low price of free as well on Xbox 360.
Also don't forget that one of September's free Games With Gold titles, Oxenfree, stretches into October. It will continue to be free on Xbox One through October 15, giving you a bit more time to grab it if you haven't already done so.
The next Pokemon giveaway for Sun and Moon is going on now. For a limited time, players can get the popular Fire-type starter Charizard for free from Target stores. [Update: Sun and Moon players only have one more day to pick up a download code for Charizard. The distribution ends tomorrow, October 14, making this your last opportunity to score the free Fire-type starter.]
From now until October 14, you can pick up a free download code for Charizard from the electronics department at a participating Target location across the US. The Charizard is level 50 and comes equipped with a Red Card. It also knows the following four attacks:
Dragon Dance
Flare Blitz
Fly
Earthquake
To redeem your download code, select the Mystery Gift option from Sun and Moon's main menu and choose "get with code/password." Input the code you received from Target and you'll be able to pick your Charizard up from the deliveryman waiting inside any Pokemon Center. The distribution will run while supplies last, and you'll need to redeem your code by February 4, 2018.
The Charizard giveaway follows shortly after the release of the Pokemon TCG: Charizard-GX Premium Collection, a Target-exclusive package for the trading card game that features the Fire-type Pokemon. The Premium Collection includes a Charizard-GX promo card, a Charizard collector's pin, and other items. It retails for $40.
Microsoft has announced the latest slate of deals for Xbox Live Gold members. This week's selection is fairly small, but it includes discounts on some great titles for Xbox One and Xbox 360.
As usual, Xbox One owners have the bigger selection of discounts to choose from. Gold members can pick up the acclaimed Deus Ex game, Mankind Divided, for $15/£12.50, while its season pass is available for $7.50/£6.25. Also on sale is Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition, which Gold members can purchase for $13.20/£11.55. Some other notable Xbox Live Gold deals include:
If you don't have an Xbox Live Gold membership, you can still get a discount on one title. This week's spotlight game is Infinite Minigolf, which is available for 30% off, bringing its price down to $10.49/£8.39 for all Xbox One owners.
The Xbox 360 selection is even sparser, but Gold members can pick up a selection of Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 DLC for 50% off, including Lair of the Shadow Broker ($5), Kasumi - Stolen Memory ($3.49), and Leviathan ($5).
This week's Deals with Gold will be available this week and expire at 3 AM PT/6 AM ET on October 17. You can find the full list of discounts on Major Nelson's blog.
The latest selection of discounts are now available in the US PlayStation Store. This week, PlayStation 4 owners can find savings on an array PSVR games, while a number of Devolver Digital titles are on sale for PS4, PS3, and Vita.
Those looking for a new PSVR game to play will find some sizable discounts as part of Sony's PSVR Celebration sale, which also offers additional savings if you happen to have a PS Plus subscription. Resident Evil 7, one of the the year's best titles, is on sale for $30 (or $36 without PS Plus). Also on sale is Rez Infinite, which is available for $18 ($21). Some other notable deals include Farpoint ($30/$40), Rise of the Tomb Raider: 20 Year Celebration ($24/$30), Batman: Arkham VR ($7/$16), Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin ($10/$14), and Star Wars Battlefront Ultimate Edition ($5.09/$12).
In addition to that, players can find a big selection of discounts of Devolver Digital games, which likewise offer extra savings for PS Plus members. On PS4, players can pick up Absolver ($25.49/$27), Enter the Gungeon ($7.50/$9), and Broforce ($3.74/$5.24). You can also find discounts on Hatoful Boyfriend ($2/$3), Hotline Miami ($5/$6) and its sequel, Wrong Number ($7.50/$9), all of which support Cross-Buy with Vita. Finally, PS3 owners can pick up Serious Sam 3: BFE ($2/$4) and Luftrausers ($2.49/$3.49).
Those in the UK have a different selection of deals to choose from, though there are likewise some great titles on sale, including Horizon: Zero Dawn (£30), The Last of Us Remastered (£16), and Nioh (£20), among others. You can find the full list of this week's UK deals here.
As always, these discounts will only be available for a limited time and expire at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET on October 17. You can find the full list of games that are sale this week on the PlayStation Store. In addition to that, Sony's Day 1 Digital offer is still going on and will net you a 20% off coupon on a future PSN purchase when you buy two select titles.
Activision Blizzard is one of the biggest publishers in gaming, and it's stock is riding high currently. But one analyst has now come forward with a note to investors that details "a combination of worries" about the company's stock price. As a result, Cowen & Company has downgraded Activision from its Outperform rating to a lower rating. It's the first time in nine years that Cowen has downgraded Activision's stock, apparently.
Starting off, Cowen believes that investor expectations for Activision's performance is fiscal 2018 is "too high." Based on conversations with Cowen's clients, the firm believes industry expectations--of overall industry growth of 12-13 percent year-over-year--is "highly unlikely."
In terms of specific concerns, Cowen said the Overwatch League--which starts up in earnest in December--may not be the revenue monster than investors are hoping for. Some investors see the Overwatch League as adding significant revenue to Activision Blizzard's bottom line, but Cowen says it's too early to say if this will be the case.
"We think esports [profit and loss] expectations for 2018 are low, but we also think OWL needs to demonstrate that it can attract a significant audience," the firm said. Cowen said it believes the first Overwatch League season will be "a learning experience," with better results later down the road. Indeed, Activision has spoken openly about how this first season is laying the groundwork for potentially bigger and better things to come in the future.
Another reason for Cowen's Activision rating downgrading is that the revenue from subsidiary King's advertising push "appears to be taking longer to launch than [it] had anticipated."
Overall, Cowen said it remains confident in Activision's core businesses. This year's Call of Duty: WWII should perform better than last year's underperforming Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare, Cowen said, while the firm also predicted that Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will come out in 2018. While Cowen is downgrading Activision's stock rating, it's important to note that no one can predict how Activision's stock with total accuracy. Indeed, Cowen acknowledged that Activision's stock could stay strong, especially if Blizzard launches a new title, potentially a Warcraft game for mobile devices or a StarCraft title.
If Blizzard is to announce any new titles, that could happen during BlizzCon 2017 in November. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest.
Activision Blizzard will release its latest quarterly earnings report on November 2, at which time the company will disclose key revenue and performance metrics. GameSpot will have a full rundown of those details at that time.
Mike Laidlaw, a BioWare veteran who worked on Jade Empire, Mass Effect, and most recently served as the creative director for the Dragon Age franchise, has left the company. Laidlaw had been with BioWare for the past 14 years.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Laidlaw said, "It's with a mix of emotions that I'm announcing my time with BioWare has ended. After 14 years and a chance to work on Jade Empire, Mass Effect, and all things Dragon Age, it's time for me to move on."
Regarding Dragon Age specifically, Laidlaw said he has "every confidence that the world we've created together is in good hands and I'm excited for the road ahead."
Laidlaw did not give any specifics about what's next for him, apart from saying he "plan[s] to spend [his] time reconnecting with all the amazing games and worlds that my peers have created." Laidlaw added that he plans to stream himself playing games on Twitch and connect with fans on Twitter.
"To everyone who's taken the time to share feedback and experiences, your amazing cosplays and artistic creations: thank you. You've made my time 'in Thedas' amazing. Your passion inspires and I look forward to our next adventure together."
It is not immediately clear if Laidlaw's departure from BioWare was by his own choosing. We're following up with BioWare studio owner EA in an attempt to learn more.
Mass Effect producer Michael Gamble said goodbye to Laidlaw on Twitter. The wording of tweet suggests that Laidlaw's departure was not as part of a layoff, though this is not confirmed. "Best to you in everything, Mike. We will miss you, but I admire you for taking the leap, and you can count me as one of your supporters," Gamble said.
Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah also chimed in. In his own tweet, Darrah expressed his gratitude to Laidlaw and said he's eager to show Laidlaw what the next Dragon Age is. "Mike... Thank you for everything. We will see each other again. I am so excited for you to see what the next Dragon Age will be," he said.
Laidlaw joined BioWare in February 2003 as a lead story developer and writer for Jade Empire. He worked in the same role for an unannounced game. He also worked on Mass Effect and Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. In November 2008, Laidlaw became the lead designer for Dragon Age: Origins. He was promoted to creative director for the Dragon Age franchise in 2009, working on Dragon Age II and then Dragon Age: Inquisition. Laidlaw was promoted to senior creative director for the Dragon Age franchise in June 2017.
After a brief extension, the Star Wars: Battlefront II multiplayer beta wrapped up this week. Now, developer DICE has published a blog post in which it talks about what it learned from the beta and how the final game may be different as a result of the feedback.
DICE did not say exactly how many people played the beta, only noting that it was in the "millions." More than 9 million people played the beta for 2015's Battlefront, which at the time was a record for the company. Whatever the case, DICE surely has a lot of feedback to consider from the Battlefront II beta.
The developer will be looking at things like Battlefront II's controversial Crate system and progression overall. DICE also is eyeing changes for the Strike mode with the idea of making it a best-of-three gametype. The studio also said that the Specialist's Infiltration ability is probably too overpowered right now, so you can expect a nerf for launch. What's more, the First Order Flametrooper is underpowered, DICE said.
Outside of those changes, DICE is also looking to implement systems that allow players to stay grouped together during a match. As an incentive, at launch, Battlefront II will reward players for spawning together.
Regarding Crates and progression, which has been criticized for trending towards pay-to-win, DICE first pointed out that the beta contained an incomplete look at how this will work. The studio promised more tuning over time, with one major goal being that the most powerful items can only be earned through gameplay, not by spending money. For lots more on this topic, check out GameSpot's further coverage here.
"Your feedback makes a difference, and your passion is what keeps us creating," DICE said. "We'll have much more to share with you before we see you on the battlefront in November."
After launching for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September, Bungie's Destiny 2 comes out for PC on October 24. Today, Bungie announced the game's exact unlock time and revealed the final PC requirements. Servers will become available at 10 AM PT on October 24, which works out to 1 PM ET / 2 PM BRT / 6 PM BST / and 4 AM the next day in Australia. Check out the map below to find out precisely when Destiny 2 unlocks where you live.
Bungie also today announced the final minimum and recommended specs for Destiny 2, following the preliminary specs from the beta last month. You need 68 GB of free space to install Destiny 2, while Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 are supported operating systems. You can check out the full minimum and recommended specs in the image below, which Bungie shared in its latest weekly blog post today.
The PC version of Destiny 2 will be available at physical retailers and through Blizzard's Battle.net, but not Steam or other digital stores. That's notable because Destiny 2 is the first non-Blizzard game to be offered on Blizzard's PC gaming platform. For more on the PC edition of Destiny 2, check out GameSpot's roundup of everything you need to know.
Bethesda's horror sequel The Evil Within 2 from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, is tomorrow on the appropriately scary date of Friday the 13th for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Part of what makes the game scary is that you have to strategically manage resources. You cannot always go in guns-blazing. To help you on your way, GameSpot's Jean-Luc put together a video that calls out six things you should know before starting.
In the video, he covers things like hunting for resources, exploring the world around you and unlocking the "bottle break" perk as soon as you can. This ability allows you to smash a bottle onto an enemy's head to break free of their clutches. Making use of the environment around you can also help. For example, you can kick over an oil drum, let the oil spill, and then shoot it to set the ground ablaze, killing your foes in the process. Check out the video above to see all six of Jean-Luc's tips for getting started.
GameSpot's Evil Within 2 review scored the game an 8/10. Reviewer Alessandro Fillari said, ,"The sequel does an admirable job of ratcheting up the tension and scares when it needs to, while also giving you the freedom to explore and proceed how you want. It's a tough thing to balance, but The Evil Within 2 does it remarkably well, and in a way that leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion."
Additionally, Bethesda has announced a new charity campaign themed around The Evil Within 2. Titled "The Good Within," the fundraising campaign is raising money on CrowdRise to support the American Red Cross's disaster and humanitarian relief efforts globally.
2K Sports has announced a new patch for NBA 2K18. Out now on PlayStation 4 and due soon for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, the patch adds new content, and also makes changes and fixes many bugs. Starting with the new content this update
Adds "classic" uniforms for the Buckets, Hornets, Lakers, and Suns. Additionally, five new shoes are now in the game, including Lonzo Ball's Big Baller Brand's ZO2: Prime, along with the Kobe A.D. NXT, among others. The new customisation options don't end there, however, as 18 new beard styles (!!!) are added, along with a pair of moustaches. There are also eight facial stubble styles you can choose from.
As for gameplay changes, 2K has introduced "more variety to the types of injuries that can occur in-game." Thankfully, 2K did not go into further specifics. We hope a Kevin Ware-style injury is not among the new additions. Please no. In other injury update news, the number of left ankle injuries is now "greatly reduced" in user-played games. Yes, it's really that specific.
Other gameplay changes include making catching passes in the corner more reliable, along with a fix for a dribbling issue. Another change is a pretty funny one: this patch fixes an issue where a player on the losing team would celebrate with the winning team. Whoops!
The Classic Edition uniforms for the Bucks, Hornets, Lakers, and Suns have been added to the game. Look for these to be released in the next roster update!
Five new shoes have been added to the game: BBB ZO2: Prime, Jordan CP3.X AE, Jordan Super.Fly 2017, Nike Foamposite One, and Kobe A.D. NXT. Look for these to be released in the next roster update!
Improvements to the CAP/Lab user interface.
New CAP facial hair: 18 new beards, 2 new mustaches, and introducing 8 facial stubble styles that can be mixed & matched with our various hair styles.
Girth now changes when adjusting weight in roster Create-A-Player.
Added eyebrows and eye colors to the roster Create-A-Player.
Detroit Pistons court floor updated has been updated to their new Platinum Equity floor.
Orlando Magic court floor has been updated.
Player names are no longer cutoff in the uniform editor when creating a uniform.
(Switch) Game no longer suspends when pressing the home button while in a Play With Friends locker room. This will prevent the accidental disconnects reported to us.
(PC) Coaches Clipboard timeout prompt will no longer appear off-screen on 21:9 monitors.
(PC) Mouse support has been added to the MyCOURT Customization menu.
Gameplay
The number of left ankle injuries should now be greatly reduced during user-played games.
Added more variety to the types of injuries that can occur in-game.
Attempting icon passing while posting up will no longer disengage you from post.
More responsive triple threat moves when crowded by a defender.
Fixed a dribbling issue that would cause escape crosses and hesitations to sometimes face sideways.
Made catching passes in the corner more reliable.
Made some improvements to the screen system to improve reliability and user control.
Edited several off-ball ride/deny animations to improve user control and visual fidelity.
Fixed an issue with putback layups that would sometimes cause them to hit the front rim or bottom of the backboard.
Fixed a bug that would cause defenders to pop to a stand while lying on the ground after a hard foul.
Various improvements to the Teammate Grading system.
Fixed issues where defenders were set to GAP, ignoring user and ACE settings.
Fixed a hang that could occur when the ball boy picked up the ball while it's in play.
"After Foul" animations updated to prevent hands from clipping into the head of another player.
When the offensive team wins a jump ball, the shot clock should now be reset.
Addressed a case where defensive settings inside the Coaches Clipboard were not sticking after being changed.
Fixed an issue where a player on the losing team would sometimes celebrate with the winning team when his team lost the game.
MyCAREER
On-Court shoes are now free for the given shoe company your MyPLAYER has a contract with.
Support for subtitles has been added for the on-court interviews following a played NBA game.
The user's VC balance will now correctly display the current VC total in the post-game recap following a played NBA game where the received teammate grade was D+ or lower.
XB1 Silver and PS4 Non-Plus users can now play MyCOURT drills with AI players they invite over.
The in-game framerate will no longer hiccup when the 'My Matchup' overlay is on the screen.
Fixed a hang that could occur when the coach caught the ball during a live practice.
The shot meter will now display when taking shots outside of the court while playing HORSE in your MyCOURT.
Logos for the events on the event calendar app on the 2K phone should now always appear alongside the correct event.
The Karl Anthony-Towns pre-game scene will no longer repeat every time you play him.
Fixed a hang that would occur when selecting the "I'm always in rhythm" answer upon David Aldridge asking you how you were able to find your rhythm during the current game.
Neighborhood / Playground
New Player Edition NBA Nike Jerseys (and more!) in the NBA Store: Wade, Carmelo, I. Thomas, D. Rose, K. Thompson, D. Green, A. Wiggins, B. Ingram.
The displayed VC balance should now correctly match what was earned after a played Playground game (the earned VC was there all along, but the balance was not always getting refreshed).
A number of performance and stability improvements for the Ruffles event.
Controllers Settings should now apply to Playground games.
Gamertags will no longer cover the turbo meter in Playground games.
Fixed a stutter that would occur when people are playing on the courts and someone levels up.
The correct score will now be attributed to the correct team during in-progress Playground games when queued up on a Got Next spot.
Shots will no longer queue up when playing the mini-basketball game in the 2K Zone, making it easier to develop a smooth rhythm.
The Who To Guard indicator has been re-designed to make it easier for you to quickly identify the offensive player you should be guarding in Playground games.
Player signature walks that incorporated a basketball will now correctly draw the ball when performed in the Playground area of the neighborhood.
(XB1) Fixed an issue where the game became unstable when a team attempted to use custom Pro-Am Away uniforms.
(PC) The shot release text will now provide accurate feedback when using a keyboard to shoot ball in the mini-basketball game located in the 2K Zone.
Pro-Am
Resolved Pro-Am Accessory issues that prohibited them from showing up correctly in the closet.
Users will no longer earn progress toward their badges and cap breakers while the AI plays for them after fouling out in Pro-Am games.
Fixed a case where users were not getting paid their full VC amount after Pro-Am games.
When a team quits out of a Pro-Am game, the remaining team will no longer obtain the badge progress and progress of the team that quit out.
The team overall will now calculate correctly on the loading screen of a Pro-Am game when there is at least one CPU player on the team.
Fixed the issue where arena changes would fail to be applied the first time 'Save Changes and Exit' was selected when attempting to make changes to your Pro-Am Team Arena.
MyTEAM
Users can now use strategy cards in Super Max games in MyTEAM.
Strategy cards are now stackable, in quantities of 20.
Non-NBA balls will now properly appear in your home court when set in the Edit Franchise menu.
Users will no longer be automatically taken to the Edit Lineups menu after upgrading a player's badge.
Users that excessively foul in online multiplayer MyTEAM games will now get kicked and given a loss.
The "Replace Player" option has moved from the Edit Player menu to the Edit Lineup menu for usability improvements.
MyGM/MyLEAGUE
To satisfy a popular community request, the NBA logo has been removed from the created uniform template in MyGM/MyLEAGUE.
The CPU will no longer override user-made decisions during the Qualifying Offers offseason time period.
CPU teams will now be more conscientious of when they should renounce the rights to their players during the offseason.
Fixed a hang that would occur for some users when they were signing a two-way player for the remainder of the season.
Fixed a soft hang during the draft in MyGM/MyLEAGUE when the user attempted to negotiate a trade.
Addressed a fantasy draft issue where certain players were being incorrectly omitted from the selected player pool.
Fixed a case where we were incorrectly determining that a user was trying to maintain the rights to too many Draft & Stash players (it would force you to release a player you should have been able to sign).
Addressed a case where a Draft & Stash player would appear on a G-League roster prior to his signing an NBA contract.
Identified and corrected an issue that would lead to the inability to load your MyGM file. For those previously affected by this, your save will now properly load.
Baskets will now count for the correct amount of points when the league approves the rule change that grants automatic points to be granted on shooting fouls (in lieu of free throws).
Attendance will no longer show as 0% for playoff games in the financial information menu of MyGM.
Russia's efforts to influence the United States were, and are, expansive, according to the American Intelligence Community and government officials. As we learn more, we are discovering that the scale of the interference efforts is much larger than previously thought--and even Pokemon Go was targeted.
According to a new report from CNN, Russian-linked accounts leveraged the popularity of the mobile game in an effort to play up a divisive topic. Across Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, actors linked to the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency posted under the name "Don't Shoot Us." The posts and videos all related to police brutality.
The name "Don't Shoot Us" is likely a reference to "Hand's Up, Don't Shoot," a slogan popularized after the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. The slogan became widespread among Black Lives Matter and social justice activists. According to CNN, the Russian accounts probably hoped to galvanize black activism--and thus possibly spark a counter-reaction against black activists.
In July 2016, the "Don't Shoot Us" Tumblr account held a competition, which tasked its audience to go out to the locations where alleged police brutality took place and to catch Pokemon in Pokemon Go. They would then have to name their Pokemon after a victim of police brutality--the account used a Hypno named Eric Gardner as an example.
"It's clear from the images shared with us by CNN that our game assets were appropriated and misused in promotions by third parties without our permission," developer Niantic told CNN in a statement.
It's worth reading CNN's full report; the Don't Shoot Us account owners have been linked to several other interference efforts, as well. You can check it out here.
Research has discovered accounts and individuals linked to the Russian government and other powerful Russian actors which have attempted to sow discord and divisiveness within Internet communities, with the bulk of the efforts happening before the 2016 Presidential election.
Over the past few weeks, it has become clear that social media giants Facebook, Google, and Twitter were specifically targeted by the interference efforts--and that Russian-linked advertisements were shown to users during the election season. Representatives from these companies will testify in front of the Senate and House of Representatives Intelligence Committees on November 1.
Earlier this week, Bungie announced that the higher-difficulty version of Destiny 2's Raid was delayed eight days due to an exploit it discovered. The exploit would've made it impossible to know which team legitimately completed the Prestige Raid first.
Today, Bungie stated that the fix for the exploit won't go live in time for the Raid's rescheduled launch. However, the Raid isn't going to be delayed again--Bungie found a way to verify that teams did not use the exploit to complete the Raid.
There's no word yet on when the patch for the exploit will be ready, though. "A safe fix is still being investigated for this issue," Bungie community manager Chris "Cozmo" Shannon wrote. "Our current plan is to deploy it as part of a future update. We'll give you more details before it's ready to go."
The Prestige Raid launches on October 18 at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET / 6 PM BST.
Cozmo also revealed that the studio will share more details about Raid Challenges next week. Presumably, these Challenges will be variations on all or parts of the Raid that'll give players different encounters and obstacles to overcome. The Challenges "have been designed to make you rethink familiar encounters," according to Cozmo.
Now, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has provided an update on where things stand with Sony. He told us at the Brazil Game Show today that Microsoft speaks with Sony all the time, but the conversations haven't amounted to anything--and they may never.
"We talk to Sony all the time. With Minecraft on PlayStation, we have to be one of the biggest games on their platform in terms of sales and gameplay," Spencer said. "Same with Nintendo. The relationship with Nintendo on this front has been strong. They've been great supporters and we continue to collaborate with them. But I think Sony's view is different. They should talk about what their view is..."
Asked if cross-play between Xbox One and PS4 is a lost cause, Spencer said he doesn't want to speak for Sony. Nothing is ever set in stone, but the way things are now with Sony makes Spencer believe the company may never come around.
"I have a real struggle making comments about their motivation or timelines. I know there is a certain view that says if my friends have this console, they can't play with people who buy another console. That's a reason they go buy my console," he said. "That reason is not going to go away. So we're putting Minecraft out there as one of the biggest games on any platform and allowing people to play together regardless of what device they bought. I don't think everybody is taking that same approach to the ecosystem. So I'm never going to call anything a lost cause but I think some of the fundamental reasons and certain scenarios, they're not really going away. So I don't know what would change."
Speaking generally about the appeal of cross-play, Spencer said it allows the multiplayer environments for games to stay rich, because the player pools are larger than they otherwise might be.
"I think people look at [cross-play] and say is it better for gamers. If it's better for gamers, I have a hard time thinking why we shouldn't go do this, especially when you're trying to make the gaming business a bigger business; grow it, get more games, create more opportunity," he said. "Especially in the indie space, actually. If you're creating an online indie game and you're going to create five [shards] of your game--the Steam version, Xbox Live on PC, Xbox version, the PlayStation version, the Switch version creates hard matchmaking scenarios. We should help developers, not make their lives more difficult."
"It's not true that people don't play it. I've seen those online arguments about nobody uses it or everybody uses it. It's not true that everybody plays backwards compatibility games, it's not true that no one does," he said. "A lot of the data is third party data so I can't really tell you how many people are playing a certain game; it's not my game. I think the best signal we had so far is when Black Ops II landed and that month it hit NPD's Top 10 that month for game sales. An Xbox 360 game that's years old, that shows that people care."
The Xbox One is the only new-generation console that has true backwards compatibility support. The PlayStation 4, by comparison, requires users to re-purchase older games to play on the system through PlayStation Now and the PS2 Classics program.
"We continue to invest in back-compat because it matters. Not because somebody else [Sony] doesn't have it. If somebody else did it tomorrow, we wouldn't stop. We see it as a commitment to our customers that the games you buy from us [will work on new platforms]."
In addition to Xbox 360 games, the backwards compatibility lineup will add support for Original Xbox games before the end of the year. Microsoft is "really close" to launching this, Spencer told us, also teasing some news about support on Xbox One X.
Also in our interview, Spencer spoke about how he wants to move beyond the old way of thinking that when you buy a new console, your purchases for the older device are rendered useless. That's part of the reason why backwards compatibility is so important to Microsoft.
"I want to give gamers a choice. It's about growing gaming not being divisive and artificially trying to move you ahead. That's why Xbox One X plays the same games Xbox One S does. PC has done this for years. It's not rocket science in how you figure this out."
For more on our conversation with Spencer, check out the stories linked below or our full Q&A with the Xbox boss.
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