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 just about here, and already we've seen a number of such announcements, and some of these events are already underway.
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--there's also a Halloween sale on Steam--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.
Absolver
As part of a broader update that also introduces a new prestige system and more equipment, Absolver's 1.08 patch also has something for Halloween lovers. Nine new masks are now available, six of which are Halloween-themed, allowing you to give yourself the look of a creepy owl, a messed-up skeleton, or a bunch of melted candles, among other things.
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 Witches Festival is back in The Elder Scrolls Online, offering double XP and a variety of themed elements. Special loot is available from boss monsters (like Witches Festival recipes and pumpkin or scarecrow masks), while there are also spooky items for purchase in the Crown Store--maybe the most notable of which is the Exorcised Coven Cottage. You can also change your appearance to something more seasonal, and event achievements are available for those who haven't unlocked them in past years.
Dates
Now - November 1 at 7 AM PT (10 AM ET/3 PM BST; 1 AM AEDT on November 2)
The Halloween Mayhem event in Entropia Universe presents players with the chance to get special weapons and armor, as well as to take part in an item hunt. Joining a Halloween instance--designated by the points on the map located in the gallery above--will place you outside of a graveyard, and looting special Halloween items awards you with points. The players who earn the most during the course of the event will win various prizes.
The Escapists 2 gets in on the Halloween fun, but it does so through a premium DLC pack. The Wicked Ward adds a horror-themed prison to escape from in addition to themed customizations, items, and crafting recipes. It's priced at $4/£2.79 and is included with the season pass.
Dates
Available now
Final Fantasy XIV
The All Saint's Wake event is now live in Final Fantasy XIV. The seasonal event brings back the Continental Circus, and there are new things to do by talking to the special Adventurers' Guild investigator in Old Gridania. Taking part in the event allows you to unlock new gear (like a werewolf head) and items (such as a pumpkin pie set tabletop item).
Dates
Now - November 1 at 7:59 AM PT (10:59 AM ET/4 PM BST; 2 AM AEDT on November 2)
For its first Halloween on the market, For Honor is celebrating with a special Feast of the Otherworld event. This allows players to participate in the Endless March mode, where you're squaring off against hordes of skeletons. There's also new gear, emotes, and masks (which go in a new customization slot) to earn by taking part.
Both the PvP and PvE sides of Fortnite get some attention with its Fortnitemares update. The PvE side is where much of Halloween-themed content comes into play, as there are special enemies, weapons, and other things to check out. But a variety of Halloween cosmetics are on sale on the store to help players distinguish themselves from the competition.
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)
Rockstar hasn't gone all-out for Halloween in Grand Theft Auto V, although it has released a new mode that it's connecting to the holiday. A new Adversary mode named Condemned is now available where one player is marked for death, and the only way to save themselves is to kill another player. Everyone competes to be the last person standing; double GTA$ and RP are available until November 6. And it has even less to do with Halloween, but this same update provides free GTA$ and adds a weaponized vehicle, Vigilante, that is basically the Tim Burton version of the Batmobile, so it's a good time to log on.
Guild Wars 2 brings back the Shadow of the Mad King event this year. This consists of multiple elements, including a decorated version of Lion's Arch, new armor and weapon skins to collect, and a special jumping puzzle in the Mad King's Clock Tower. You can also head to the Mad King's Labyrinth for some limited-time, spooky activities and take part in the Lunatic Inquisition PvP event. Or you can meet up with King Oswald Thorn, who is said to have "deadly tricks up his sleeve."
Hacktag has received an update dubbed the Hackoween Special, which introduces a significant amount of new content. There's a new mission type, Boss Takedown; 24 new levels spread between Boss Takedown and Data Scavenger; new co-op mini-games; and five new characters. You'll also see characters wearing some Halloween outfits.
Dates
Available now
Hearthstone
Part of Hearthstone's Halloween celebration is tied to Fireside Gathering events. Hallow's End-themed real-life meet-ups will take place over the course of more than a month, and a free Warlock hero (Nemsy Necrofizzle) is available for attending certain ones. She'll continue to be available even after Hallow's End concludes.
For those who can't make it to an event, there's still plenty happening in-game. For one week, players can get a Whispers of the Old Gods card pack and an Arena ticket just for logging in. The following week, logging in rewards a Knights of the Frozen Throne card pack and another Arena ticket. A special dual-class Arena mode will also be available for a limited time. Here's how Blizzard explains it: "At the start of every Arena run, players choose a Hero, a Hero Power from another class, and then choose cards from both of those classes in addition to neutral cards. That's not all though: each of the nine classic Hearthstone Heroes will attend their Arena games in costume!"
Finally, players will be able to take on the Headless Horseman in a special Tavern Brawl. You'll wear a costume that dictates what cards you have available and grants a passive power that will help you defeat him.
Dates
Now - November 5 (Fireside Gatherings, Dual Class Arena)
October 24 at 9 AM PDT - October 30 at 11:59 PM (Whispers of the Old Gods freebie)
October 31 at 12:01 AM PDT - November 5 at 11:59 PM (Knights of the Frozen Throne freebie)
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.
The Halloween Horrors content pack update has been released for Killing Floor 2. This introduces a new map that is meant to be set inside the mind (or more precisely, the nightmares) of Boozo the clown. There are new Achievements to earn and two new weapons to use: the Seeker Six (a multi-shot, guided rocket launcher) and the Hemoglobin (which somehow drains enemies of blood). New, limited-time unlocks include face paint and pumpkin helmets. Prize tickets can be earned for free by playing, or you can purchase them; either way, they can be exchanged for new Halloween Horror cosmetics, such as weapon skins. Finally, the King Fleshpound has been added as a permanent member of the boss rotation, and new daily and weekly objectives can earn you in-game cash to spend on cosmetic items.
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)
Following leaks that spoiled some surprises, Niantic has officially announced its Halloween plans for Pokemon Go. Sableye, Banette, and other Gen 3 Ghost-types will make their debut, with more creatures from Hoenn coming later this year. During the event, a Pikachu wearing a special hat can be found in the wild, and a new cosmetic item will be available to players as well. Additionally, bonus Candy can be earned for catching, transferring, and and hatching Pokemon, and your buddy Pokemon will accumulate Candy two times as fast as usual.
Dates
October 20 at 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET / 8 PM BST (6 AM AET on October 21 in Australia) - 1 PM PT / 4 PM ET / 9 PM on November 2 (7 AM AET on November 3 in Australia)
Rift's Autumn Harvest event is back, and it offers both activities and themed rewards, such as a broom mount and special masks (like a mummy and plague crow). There's also a premium DLC pack, The Mummified Power Pack, for $20 that includes a variety of cosmetics, currency, and consumables.
Rocket League marks the occasion with a new Haunted Hallows event. By playing online matches, you'll earn a new type of currency: Candy Corn (because, let's be honest, it's not like you're going to eat it). It can be spent to purchase Halloween-themed items, decryptors, and Halloween event crates. These crates contain special items and can be earned with regular keys or decryptors, but using the latter will make the items you receive untradeable. Candy Corn will only remain in your inventory until a week after the event ends, but anything you purchase with it will remain yours.
Dates
Now - November 6 at 10 AM PT (1 PM ET/6 PM BST; 4 AM AEDT on November 7)
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.
Trove has brought seven seasonal adventures themed around the holiday. You'll find pumpkin lairs, and by clearing them out, you'll receive candy corn that can be spent on mystery boxes at the Shadowy Station located in the new Shadow's Eve hub. These boxes offer a chance at receiving two new mounts--one of which is a moving coffin--and other new mounts are also up for grabs by playing. Logging in by November 20 also lets you claim a free Musical Mat mount from the Deals tab of the store.
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."
World of Warships again gets into the Halloween spirit this year, introducing four new ships themed around the holiday. You can take part in a continuation of the mission with special rewards. Your goal is to allow a ritual to be completed that closes a portal allowing devious enemies through, but you'll have to contend with a fog that both heals enemies and damages you.
During Sony's pre-show livestream at Paris Games Week, the publisher revealed the appearance of an upcoming top-down shooter from indie developers Vreski and Captain Rogue Production called The Hong Kong Massacre. Set in Hong Kong during an intense crimewave, you take the fight to the Triad, where you engage in intense, hectic gunfights with gangsters and criminals in the tight spaces of urban landscape.
The game is channeling aspects of the old-school Hong-Kong action films like Hard Boiled and A Better Tomorrow, with the moodiness and style of Blade Runner and Hotline Miami. In development for some time, The Hong Kong Massacre has made been making the rounds in the indie-scene for some time, and it's now ready for its release on PS4 next year. The action looks to be very exciting, even letting you pull off a number of slick moves and abilities that are lifted straight from classic action films.
Last week was huge for the video game release calendar, with Super Mario Odyssey, Assassin's Creed Origins, and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus all coming out on the same day. And it was Ubisoft's historic open-world game that won the battle to be No.1 in the UK's physical sales charts for the week ending October 28.
Below that, Super Mario Odyssey claims the No.2 spot. Sales monitor Chart-Track says the Mario title is the Switch's biggest launch yet, "comfortably beating The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." The tracker also states Odyssey's first week was "considerably" bigger than any Wii U game's debut week and that it earned Nintendo its sixth-biggest launch ever in the UK.
Finally, the week's other big new game, Wolfenstein II, debuts at No.4, with FIFA 18 beating it to the final podium position. Last week's No.1, Gran Turismo Sport, slips to No.5, while Destiny 2's PC launch last week helps Bungie's shooter to No.7.
Assassin's Creed Origins coming top is not hugely surprising, given the series is traditionally hugely successful, and unlike Super Mario Odyssey, it's available on multiple platforms. It was also buoyed by a positive critical reception, including a 7/10 in our Assassin's Creed Origins review. Our Wolfenstein II review, meanwhile, awarded Bethesda's shooter a 9/10.
However, it was Nintendo's latest Switch exclusive that gained the biggest plaudits, including a 10/10 in our verdict. "Odyssey is sustained beyond its major milestones not only through colorful worlds and hidden challenges, but through the sheer joy of controlling Mario, who's never felt more responsive or dynamic in action," wrote GameSpot critic Peter Brown. "Even with everything new that's been introduced, Nintendo's forward-thinking platformer retains the series' classic handcrafted appeal, which is even more impressive when you realize how densely packed each kingdom is. Mario's latest outing is big, bold, and bursting with new ideas, and like Breath of the Wild, is another instance of Nintendo going above and beyond to redefine our expectations. It's a shining example of refined creativity, and another crown jewel for Switch that is without equal." Read our full Super Mario Odyssey review for more.
You can read the full top 10 sales chart below, courtesy of Chart-Track. Note this table does not include digital sales data, and so should not be considered representative of all UK game sales.
When it launches on November 10, Football Manager 2018 will become the first game of its kind to see in-game players come out as gay. Developer Sports Interactive did not announce the news as such, but with the beta currently out in the wild, fans have discovered messages similar to the one below informing them of players coming out.
The move is of particular note since there are currently no openly gay professional footballers in any of the world's major leagues, and homophobia remains an issue in the sport around the globe. In 2014, German international Thomas Hitzlsperger became the first player to have played in the Premier League to come out, while United States midfielder Robbie Rogers announced he was gay a year earlier. Both men only felt they could come out after they had retired, though Rogers later returned to soccer with LA Galaxy.
Images via BBC Sport
"Part of the reason we decided to do this is because there are gay footballers," game director Miles Jacobson told BBC Sport. "We know from the amount of professionals that there has to be players who are gay but feel they don't want to come out. I find it weird that it's still a problem in football so we decided to try and show people that coming out isn't a big deal and can be a positive thing. I just think it's crazy that in 2017 we are in a world where people can't be themselves."
You won't see real-world players coming out in Football Manager 2018. Instead, it's only the computer-generated players, or "newgens," that populate youth teams who can come out. Jacobson said the developer was "able to do things with these players that we can't with real players, because they can't sue us."
In terms of what actually happens in-game, the effects are minimal. You'll receive a message informing you that one of your players has decided to come out, followed by a small boost in revenue intended to simulate increased interest from the LGBT community.
"It will be: 'Right, okay, let's move on.' Everything will carry on perfectly normally, because that's what we've have seen happen [in other sports]," Jacobson said. "It's not a message that everyone is going to see in their game. It is quite rare, but we want it to be seen as a positive thing."
He continued: "Being gay is just a totally normal thing in life, and it's the right thing to put it in the game because it's something that we're going to be seeing in the future." He did, however, say that players will not come out in countries where homosexuality is illegal.
Finally, Jacobson stated the feature was about "normalising the issue." He said: "We are not going to be able to change the mind of someone who is homophobic, we don't have that power, and if someone has that issue and decides not to buy the game for that reason then to be honest I feel really sorry for them."
"Hopefully, it will make some people look up and think, 'This is ridiculous.'"
Sony revealed a slate of new PSVR games during its Paris Game's Week pre-show and press conference today. In all, the publisher showcased more than 10 virtual reality titles coming to PlayStation 4 throughout 2017 and 2018, some of which will release as soon as this week.
Megalith
The first new PSVR game Sony showcased is Megalith, an "action-packed shooter" launching for the device next year. The game features destructible environments and puts players in the role of a Titan that must battle with other Titans in order to "become a god."
Release date: 2018
Bow to Blood
Bow to Blood is a procedurally generated game set in a a sort of "fantasy reality TV show." Players must pilot "high-tech" airships and can betray or ally themselves with other contestants on the show.
Release date: 2018
Ultrawings VR
Ultrawings VR is a flight simulator reminiscent of Pilotwings. It features an open world filled with "lots of courses and challenges." Players use the PS Move controllers to pilot their aircraft and can complete missions such as shooting flying through rings and balloons while flying.
Release date: TBA
Sprint Vector
Sprint Vector is a stylish rollerblading VR game that has players running, jumping, climbing, and flying through various obstacle courses. Spring Vector doesn't yet have a release date, but Sony says it will launch for PSVR "soon."
Release date: TBA
Moss
Sony announced a release window for Moss, the adorable PSVR dungeon crawler starring the mouse Quill. The game launches early next year in February, though players can begin pre-ordering the title today. Those who do reserve Moss will get a dynamic PS4 theme featuring Quill in her forest home.
Release date: February 2018
Star Child
Sony shared a new trailer for Star Child, the "cinematic platforming adventure game" announced back at E3 2017. Sony still hasn't announced a release date for the game, but the newest trailer showcased one of protagonist Spectra's abilities for the first time.
Release date: TBA
Dead Hungry
Dead Hungry is a VR game that pits players against hordes of zombies, but rather than battling the monsters, you'll be cooking up food and serving it to them as quickly as you can. The game launches on PS4 tomorrow, October 31.
Release date: October 31
Stifled
Stifled is the second PSVR game launching on October 31, and this one is a more unsettling experience. The game "immerses players in darkness," and you must send out a pulse in order to reveal the outlines of the scenery and objects surrounding you. Make too much noise, however, and you'll alert monsters.
Release date: October 31
League of War: VR Arena
League of War: VR Arena is a multiplayer real-time strategy game with tower defense elements. Players move units like tanks and aircraft across different battlefields, which are represented as small in-game tables. The game also boasts a single-player campaign.
Release date: November 7
Blood & Truth
Blood & Truth is a PSVR-exclusive first-person shooter that puts players in the role of Ryan Marks, a soldier who returns home to London after his family becomes targeted. It features John Woo-style shootouts and lets players mimic actions like leaping through windows. Sony hasn't announced a release date for the game yet.
Release date: TBA
Monster of the Deep: Final Fantasy XV
Sony also showed off a new trailer for Monster of the Deep, the upcoming Final Fantasy XV fishing game spinoff for PSVR. The trailer didn't reveal many new details, but it did show off some new fish and environments, and Sony did confirm that Monster of the Deep will be a standalone release. The game launches for PS4 this November.
The Last of Us: Part II is one of the most highly-anticipated games Sony has coming to PS4, and it's unfortunately still without a release date. However, Sony's Paris Games Week showcase was capped off with a new cinematic trailer for Naughty Dog's sequel.
The video, which you can watch below, shows off some of the characters that the new story may center around. A young woman (who is not Ellie) is about to be hanged when another person is taken hostage. The lead captor asks where the "other apostate" is, and when she refuses to answer, she is tortured. Just then, another character comes in who kills all of the captors and saves the two prisoners--despite the fact that the first is "one of them." The sequence is concluded with Infected rushing the scene.
On Twitter, Naughty Dog revealed the actors behind several of the key characters in the trailer. Victoria Grace plays Yara, Ian Alexander plays Lev, Emily Swallow makes a "guest appearance" as Emily, and Laura Bailey plays a character whose name is censored--she's the one featured most prominently.
Update: Creator of Spelunky, Derek Yu, has now confirmed the sequel is "coming first to PS4 and Steam." No other platforms have yet been mentioned, but the original came to numerous systems, and the use of "first" suggests it will end up on more than just these two. Original story follows.
At today's Paris Games Week PlayStation Conference, Sony revealed a sequel to the popular rogue-like title Spelunky. Shockingly, it's called Spelunky 2, and it's coming to PS4.
In addition, a brief trailer was shown off, showing the message, "Looking to the skies, the walls are shifting once again," hinting the new game might be set in space or in the sky, as opposed to the first game's mines, jungles, ice caves, and temples. No release date was mentioned, and we don't currently know whether the platforming title will come to other platforms. As this was announced at a Sony event, we only know that it's coming to PS4, but the first game came to numerous platforms, so it's possible we'll end up seeing this on PC, Xbox One, or Switch. Notably, however, there was no mention of a Vita version.
James O'Barr, the creator of the comic book that franchise is based on, spoke to Screen Geek, confirming that not only is the movie happening, but it's going to kick off pre-production very soon. "As of right now, it's slated to start pre-production in February with a very talented British director named Corin Hardy," O'Barr says.
However, it was only back in July that the director and actor were posting photos together on Instagram. Momoa commented on one photo, writing, "Can't wait for our future." So while his involvement isn't confirmed, it's entirely possible the actor will still star in the movie.
Additionally, O'Barr says in his interview, "I'm involved in every aspect of the film and working closely with the director." That points to the idea that this reboot will follow the tone and story from the comics closely, once production finally gets underway.
The original Crow starred Brandon Lee as Draven. The actor died during production of the film after an accidental shooting on set. The movie was followed by three sequels and a Canadian TV series. At one point, Rob Zombie was going to direct a sequel titled The Crow: 2037, which never materialized.
There is no release date announced for this reboot of The Crow.
As with Infinite Warfare and Black Ops III, all Call of Duty: WWII DLC launches for PS4 30 days ahead of Xbox One and PC, meaning those platforms will likely receive the expansion around the end of February or start of March. Three more map packs will follow after The Resistance, though no details about those have yet been revealed.
In addition to The Resistance, the shooter will receive a bonus map, called Carentan, at launch. That's exclusive to holders of the season pass, which costs $50 in the US. There's no word yet about whether or not Carentan will be made available to everyone, but Activision has stated that season pass content may be sold separately.
Call of Duty: WWII launches for Xbox One, PS4, and PC on November 3. We were recently able to sit down with developer Sledgehammer Games' co-founder, Michael Condrey, and talked about the real-life inspirations of the game. You can read our full interview here.
Since Infamous: First Light released in 2014, we've been in the dark as to what developer Sucker Punch has been working on. Now, at Paris Games Week, the company has revealed its new game. It's called Ghost of Tsushima, and it's coming to PS4.
In addition, Sony has released a new trailer for the game; take a look at the video above. Other than it being open-world, little is known about the game's premise or how it'll play, but it appears to take place during the Mongol invasions of Japan and it details the exploits of a lone Samurai turned vengeful assassin.
The Monster Hunter series is no stranger to crossover cameos in its DLC, and Monster Hunter World continues that tradition of cross-collaboration. Announced today during the Paris Game Week Sony press conference, in Monster Hunter World, you'll be able to dress up as Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn.
Previous Monster Hunter games have included similar costume changes, such as the Legend of Zelda armor in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. This time around, you'll be able to acquire Aloy's bow and full armor set, as well as Palico armor, but only in the PS4 version.
Also announced at the show is an upcoming beta for Monster Hunter World, which will start on December 9 for PlayStation Plus subscribers. It consists of three quests and can be played solo or online. A new trailer for the game showed off a glut of new monsters and environments in the game, which you can check out above. The beta quests feature the Great Jagras and Anjanath in the Ancient Forest area, as well as the Barroth in the Wildspire Waste.
Monster Hunter World is coming to PS4 and Xbox One on January 26 (with a PC release coming later). The Horizon Zero Dawn Aloy DLC will, obviously, be exclusive to the PlayStation version, but it hasn't been revealed yet if PS4 will be the only one with beta access.
As tons of big-name games get new trailers and release dates at Paris Games Week, Sony took the time to unveil a beautiful fantasy-adventure game. Entitled Oure, the game was not just revealed today--it's also out now on PS4.
In Oure, you play as a child who can transform into a dragon, flying and exploring. You've been born with these powers, and your parents have cast you from the earth's surface to the "land above the skies." The story revolves around Titans, who have important jobs in the world around you but have stopped doing them. Your mission is to figure out why and fix it, using abilities in both your human and dragon forms to amass magical power and solve strange mysteries.
The first thing you're bound to notice is the art style and soundtrack, which are reminiscent of other atmospheric adventure games like Journey and Abzu. The game is non-violent, focused on puzzle-solving and hunting down artifacts.
Oure is out now on PlayStation 4 and costs $20 on the PlayStation Store. It was one of many games announced today at the PlayStation Live event, and for all of today's top news you can check out GameSpot's full roundup from Paris Games Week.
In addition to the release window news, Sony also showed off a new trailer for Detroit, showing off some new characters and the kinds of decisions you'll face in-game. Take a look at that video below.
A sequel to acclaimed Metroidvania-style platformer Guacamelee is officially on the way. Guacamelee 2 was the first game revealed as part of Sony's pre-show before its Paris Games Week showcase today, and it's on the way to PS4.
DrinkBox Studios is again developing the game, which strongly resembles its predecessor, both in terms of its colorful visual style (with 4K and HDR support on PS4 Pro) and its gameplay. We got to see one new ability players will obtain called Chicken Shot, which allows you to transform into a chicken and then dash in seemingly any direction. This was shown to be useful for navigating the world and in combat. There's also four-player local co-op support. You can check all of this out in the debut trailer above.
"Guacamelee 2 picks up seven years after the original story," the official description reads. "Juan Aguacate is living a happy life with his family, when his friend and trainer Uay Chivo discovers a new evil menace that threatens to destroy not only Mexico, but time and space itself."
As this was announced at a Sony event, we only know that it's coming to PS4. The first game came to numerous platforms, so it's possible we'll end up seeing this on PC, Xbox One, or Switch. Notably, however, there was no mention of a Vita version. It's coming to PS4 "soon-ish," though it won't arrive until sometime in 2018.
You can watch the briefing above, along with our predictions before the show begins in earnest and our analysis afterwards. If you prefer, you can follow just the show itself (and Sony's official pre-show) via the PlayStation YouTube channel or on Twitch. And of course, GameSpot will report on all the biggest news as soon as we hear it.
Shadow of the Colossus' PS4 remaster is one of the console's most anticipated games, and now we know when we'll get to play it. The port is coming to PS4 on February 6, 2018.
The news was revealed after Sony's Paris Games Week press conference, during which it showed off a new trailer of the upcoming remaster. You can check out that trailer above.
New Final Fantasy XV DLC is coming soon featuring everyone's favorite chef (and boat captain), Ignis. As part of Sony's Paris Games Week pre-show, the company revealed that Episode Ignis launches on December 13, 2017.
Episode Ignis follows previous DLC chapters dedicated to party members Gladio and Prompto. The release date was revealed alongside news that Yasunori Mitsuda (of Chrono Trigger fame) will serve as the composer. We also got a new trailer (above) that showed what appeared to be a meeting between a young Ignis and Prompto. Later, it transitions to the character driving a boat through a warzone before he gets into combat. There are also some hints of what the story will entail; you may want to avoid the trailer if you haven't yet finished the main game.
A Square Enix press release adds that Ravus will fight alongside Ignis, whose "spelldaggers can be imbued with elemental properties, and his unique ability 'Total Clarity' allows him to target and attack multiple enemies at once." Additionally, there will be "multiple" endings. It will be priced at $5 and is included as part of the season pass.
Also on the way for Final Fantasy XV is the Comrades DLC, which will introduce an online multiplayer component. It was recently delayed until November to allow for "final adjustments and to create the best possible experience," according to Square Enix.
With Sony's Paris Games Week press conference over, we finally learned details on some of the publisher's latest games, like Detroit: Become Human, God of War, and The Last of Us 2 There were even a bevy of new games. From Sucker Punch's Samurai epic Ghost of Tsushima to Spelunky 2, there was a whole lot of exciting new IPs and sequels. With so many exciting announcements, we've compiled all the biggest ones from the press conference below.
What news are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below, and if you want to relive the announcements again firsthand, check out our Sony Paris Games Week press conference liveblog.
As part of Sony's Paris Games Week showcase, the company showcased the reveal trailer for Destiny 2's first DLC expansion. As we previously learned, it's called Curse of Osiris, and it centers around the titular character and the planet Mercury.
The trailer was narrated by Ikora, who speaks to the player's Guardian in secret to reveal that an "ancient gate" has opened on Mercury. "Past and future" machines are pouring through it with the intention of remaking "the universe in their image." Ikora describes how Osiris anticipated this but was banished because of his dangerous ideas. She also says it's unclear if he'll serve as an ally or bring further destruction.
As you'd expect with talk of machines, the Vex appear to be the primary enemy in this expansion. Curse of Osiris's release date is set for December 5, and it introduces Mercury (and the Infinite Forest) to explore, a new social space (the Lighthouse), missions, Strikes, "Raid content" (but not a new Raid, by the sound of it), free roam activities, a world quest, and more.
The original season of Stranger Things reached incredible heights of popularity. It stirred together elements from sci-fi, horror, and fantasy, leaning heavily on Dungeons & Dragons as both inspiration and plot device. But Stranger Things didn't appeal only to us nerds--it hit legit mainstream success, thanks to its combination of '80s nostalgia, Spielberg-meets-Stephen King sensibilities, and a memorable cast of extremely well written and acted characters.
So what does Stranger Things Season 2 bring to the table? The cast is larger, the stakes are higher, and the budget is bigger than ever, but has Stranger Things' second season actually done the impossible--rolled a perfect 20 and lived up to our astronomical expectations for it?
To solve that mystery we're breaking down the whole season, including upcoming videos on all the '80s references and easter eggs, a full season review, and individual reviews and breakdowns for every single Stranger Things 2 episode. If you're not caught up, check out everything you need to know about Stranger Things before watching Season 2. We'll be updating this hub as we go, so follow along if you're watching at home, and keep checking back here for all your Stranger Things Season 2 needs.
During Sony's Paris Games Week press conference, we got yet another look at the upcoming Spider-Man game from Insomniac Games. Focusing more on the story this time around, we see Peter Parker dealing with the day-to-day issues that his counter-part does not encounter. With appearances from key Marvel villains, such as the Kingpin, Spider-Man will have a lot on his plate during his crime-fighting adventures in New York.
During the trailer, we see Peter interact with many of the story's important characters, including the game's main villain, Mister Negative. There seems to be a lot going on in this brief glimpse, and while it's a bit light on gameplay, we're learning a lot more of the game's main story. Interestingly enough, it seems that Miles Morales--who's currently Spider-Man in the comics--will have a larger presence in the story than the last tease in the E3 trailer made most people believe. It'll be interesting to see where this will all lead.
Be sure to keep to keep up with GameSpot as we go over Sony's Paris Games Week showcase. Head on over to our roundup page, where we detail all the events and games that happened during Sony's press-conference and pre-show.
Monday Night Raw is over three hours long and runs from 8:00-11:15 PM EST. In recent months, WWE Creative has opted to put the headline-making match or segment at 10:00PM instead of 11:00 PM; the final hour is typically low-key. But last Monday, WWE concluded Raw with a true crowd pleaser. The Smackdown roster, along with Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon, beat up Raw's entire locker room--the first shots fired in the month-long, cross-brand build to Survivor Series on November 19. It was a perfect closer, and it set up all sorts of potential storylines.
But lest we forget, WWE has done these sorts of "invasion" angles before, which pit one brand or promotion against another. The most notorious angle was when WCW and ECW invaded WWE in 2001. Another instance was when The Nexus stable of rookies pummeled John Cena and destroyed the ring in 2010. And the most recent, a mini-invasion, happened when Stephanie McMahon kicked off the Women's Revolution by introducing Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch to Raw in 2015. They promptly locked Team Bella into three different submission holds.
But those three invasions, in hindsight, are also widely perceived as failures--key examples of when WWE had the chance to do something classic and consequential and either delivered a sub-par product or dropped the ball entirely. By examining these misadventures, we can draw lessons from them. WWE can ensure this invasion goes better than the others by:
Drawing Out The Drama
In all three prior invasion angles, the narrative moved too quickly for fans to care about what was happening and why it was happening. During the Nexus invasion, the writers fleshed out Wade Barrett, but the storyline glossed over everyone else in Nexus as a replaceable stand-in. During the Women's Revolution, the new women were immediately put into factions--Team B.A.D. and Team PCB--instead of giving them time to introduce themselves.
WWE has an impatient fanbase. And the minute the Raw beatdown happened this past Monday, fans started asking on social media: "When is the retaliation happening? When will Raw invade Smackdown and even the score?" And after Smackdown went off the air with no such retaliation, social media blew up again because fans were angry.
Slow down.
Two invasions in a single week is no way to start a month-long feud. From a kayfabe standpoint, the Raw locker room needs to time to "heal" and lick its wounds before mounting any sort of reasonable counterattack. From a narrative standpoint, two invasions would effectively numb the audience. What could WWE possibly do for a follow-up act after that much concentrated mayhem? There needs to be at least a week--if not two weeks' time--between these massive, locker room clearing brawls. Use that time to explore individual wrestlers' reasons for participating in the beatdown and develop their characters. Otherwise, the company will reduce itself to performing tricks, rather than telling a story.
Keeping the Top Talent Involved
When the 2001 Invasion angle rolled out, many major WCW and ECW stars were not yet signed to WWE. Goldberg, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash were all latecomers to the party, and this robbed the storyline of necessary, high profile matches to kick things into high gear.
This is why it was great to see Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, AJ Styles, and Shinsuke Nakamura all involved in the backstage Raw brawl. Still, there were some key wrestlers missing. Asuka wasn't there. Braun Strowman wasn't there. Brock Lesnar wasn't there. Randy Orton wasn't there. Sami Zayn wasn't there. Kevin Owens wasn't there.
Some of this made storyline sense; why would Sami Zayn fight on Shane's behalf? And some of it was probably to protect individual wrestlers; Asuka shouldn't be beaten up this early in her run anyway (and kayfabe-wise, she wouldn't have allegiance to a brand she just signed to). But for WWE to do this invasion angle properly, the writers must involve the main event talents, consequentially and consistently. WWE will get from this feud what it puts into it. If it's just midcarders and enhancement talent fighting and feuding with other midcarders and enhancement talent, the fans will treat this storyline with an equivalent level of respect.
Making It Less About The GMs and More About The Active Wrestlers.
During the Invasion angle, WWE dedicated too much time to exploring the dynamic between Vince McMahon and his two kids, Stephanie and Shane. The fans care most about the wrestlers in the ring who are doing the actual fighting. This unequal focus on non-wrestling talent reared its head again during the Superstar Shakeup two years ago. Jojo interviewed Cesaro about Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon's relationship, and Cesaro said, quite succinctly, "I don't really care."
Right now, the lasting image that fans will remember from Monday's beatdown is Shane McMahon and Kurt Angle staring each other down in the center of the ring. That needs to change. If this entire feud becomes Shane vs. Angle, it's a disservice to the multiple, talented individuals on the roster, who would benefit from getting a bigger moment to shine. The superstars should have individual, varying motivations for their actions. That's more difficult to script. But it's also a lot more compelling.
Following Up After Survivor Series
Invasion angles tend to end on a whimper. After the big culminating match and the big finish, WWE immediately pivots away to another storyline. Take the cross-brand Bragging Rights PPV, for example. For weeks, the two rosters are at each other's throats. And then after the PPV, which split wins between both brands, there is no cross-promotion bickering. No lingering resentment. No angry, pointed promos. The wrestlers just pick up their brand-specific storylines where they left off, and it all reverts to business as usual.
For Survivor Series to gain notoriety, its effects need to be felt long after November 19. It should affect the Royal Rumble in January and the various in-ring alliances during the main event. And thus, come April of next year, it should affect WrestleMania 34.
How can Superstars keep it going? By continuing the cross-brand fight at any opportunity. Keep it going on social media. "Welcome" any wrestler who switches brands with open hostility. Put over the idea that the brands truly resent each other--that the actions may be scripted, but the feelings are real. This is a much preferable narrative to, "It's time for Survivor Series, so for one month only, we're going to hate each other."
Sony is showing off more of God of War's combat gameplay. At its PlayStation Live event at Paris Games Week, the publisher revealed a new trailer for its upcoming PlayStation 4 game. You can check out the new trailer above, which shows more of the game's father-son combat dynamic.
The last time we got a good look at the latest God of War game was E3 2017, when Sony showed off this look at gameplay. The company also recently released this concept art for the game, which shows off the war-torn, desolate world that you'll be exploring in-game, as well as Kratos looking distinctly Scandinavian.
The concept art also depicts some of the scary-looking Norse enemies that you'll fight. In it, Kratos's son Atreus also appears, holding a dagger that looks insufficient for taking on the hordes of foes.
God of War's developers are promising the game will feature many changes that set it apart from its predecessors when it launches in early 2018. For more on the unique challenges of rebooting the series, check out GameSpot's interview with God of War creative director Cory Barlog, where he talked about how his own personal experiences of becoming a father changed his vision for the game.
The big surprises in The Walking Dead have long been the death of main characters; it's far more rare for a character to return. But that's what "The Damned", the second episode of Season 8 gave us, with the sudden appearance of a character last seen back in Season 1. Beyond that, the episode doubled down on the action-orientated premiere "Mercy." From the cold opening to the final frame, there was barely a moment that wasn't scored by the sound of machine gun fire, as Rick and his people continued their fight against the Saviors.
When Rick confidently suggested last week that they would defeat Negan in the space of a single day, it seemed like a wildly optimistic prediction, and the episode ended with the Saviors nowhere near surrender. But "The Damned" quickly made it clear that this single day of warfare could potentially span several episodes.
While the episode didn't return to the moment that closed the premiere--Negan and Father Gabriel trapped in a cabin, surrounded by walkers--the show's writers have at least learned the lessons of the last series and kept all of the main cast in the same episode. It picked up moments up after the close of "Mercy" and continually cut between several lines of attack.
As was the case last week, it was often left to viewers to figure out the intention of each mission, with mixed results. So Aaron and company engaging in a furious shooting match didn't have much in the way of tension. It did see Eric's (probable) demise, but for the most part, it was just a bunch of people shooting at other.
Equally, aside from Jerry getting to use his axe and a bit of Shiva action, Carol and Ezekiel's woodland chase to catch the Savior who threw a grenade at them last week seemed a bit aimless. It was hard to remember exactly why they needed to capture this guy, and Ezekiel's "inspiring" mock-Shakespearean pronouncements have more comically annoying than ever. At least Carol questioned his irritating optimism.
There were a few impressive character moments among the bullets. Rick's story saw the return of Morales, a character last seen leaving the Atlanta base with his family way back in Season 1. It's a well-played, genuinely surprising appearance (providing you can remember who he is). Morales is now a Savior, and he and Rick's shared history could make for some compelling discussions about the direction their lives have taken since they last saw each other.
And Morgan got some seriously badass moments, as he rampaged through the corridors, taking out Saviors left-and-right. He's still a damaged and conflicted man, and the episode frequently cut back to an earlier conversation with Rick, in which the latter tried to convince Morgan that there is no room for taking prisoners in this world. Their enemies must die. Lennie James remains one of the best actors in the show, anchoring these scenes with understated power and emotion.
Unfortunately, the drama that seems most designed to set up a future conflict was clunky and poorly handled. When Jesus and Tara found a man hiding in a closet, claiming to be a prisoner of the Saviors, Jesus refused to let Tara shoot him. It was a mistake--he's a bad guy, and nearly kills Jesus before he is captured. An upcoming moral showdown between Jesus and Tara is brewing. These debates have in the past provided some of the show's most thought-provoking scenes, and the question of where the moral line now exists is a continually fascinating one.
But it's badly handled here. Neither character has ever been well enough developed to be suddenly handed these positions, and it seems ludicrous that in the heat of battle, when he's presumably already killed several Saviors in cold blood in the last couple of hours, Jesus would suddenly develop a conscience. Perhaps it will lead somewhere interesting, but right now, it doesn't work.
"The Damned" had its moments, and the more action-orientated focus is appreciated--for now. But the show is a long way from its best, and that balance of zombie horror, compelling character drama, and action thrills that worked so well in the past is simply not there. The problem with Season 7 wasn't that it was heavier on the drama than the action, it was that everything happened at such a leaden, alienating pace. An entire half-season of confusing action, if that's what we're looking at, may not be much better. Let's hope that The Walking Dead gets that balance back.
BEST KILL
Up to this point, Jerry has been a slightly cartoonish character, Ezekiel's sweet, lumbering right-hand-man. But with Ezekiel himself lapsing into caricature, Jerry stepped up and got to split some walker skull with his axe, not once, but twice this week. Cracking.
Pros
Cons
Plenty of action
A surprise return of a character from Season 1
Morgan kicks ass (and Lennie James's superb performance)
Difficult to know what all the characters were meant to be dong
During Sony's press conference at Paris Games Week, we were shown the reveal of the new colorful adventure game Concrete Genie, coming from developer Pixelopus. Coming to PS4, the game is set in an urban setting that's dreary and rundown, but will soon find its color and beauty thanks to an imaginative young kid with a magical brush. Taking on the role of a young outcast with a wild imagination, the magical brush can turn his creative drawings into living creatures and artifacts from the many structures around the city.
Using this brush, the youth will be able to bring his imagination to life and create drawings and other designs that give the city more vibrancy and color. Some of these creations can help solve environmental puzzles and reveal clues about the setting to help the main character Turning the grey and depressing town into something lively, the young artist will amass a large following of colorful creations that will follow him around the urban setting to give it a more pleasant atmosphere. From the trailer, things looked to be very colorful, and the level of customization with your creations looked to be fairly extensive.
Be sure to keep to keep up with GameSpot, as there's much more to come from Sony's Paris Games Week showcase. Head on over to our roundup page, where we detail all the events and games that happened during Sony's press-conference and pre-show.
Sony showcased a new PS4 adventure puzzler called The Gardens Between at its Paris Games Week pre-show. The Gardens Between has you controlling two teenagers, Arina and Frendt, who must work together to explore surreal garden islands and solve puzzles, while at the same time building their bond as childhood friends.
However, the major mechanic at play is the ability to manipulate time. It appears to function similarly to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, in that you reverse or fast forward time to correct your mistakes or manipulate an object to solve a particular puzzle.
The Gardens Between is set to release in Q3 2018. It's being developed by Voxel Games, an insie studio based in Melbourne, Australia.
Sony's Paris Games Week press conference kicks off very soon, and it promises to bring a lot of exciting news for PlayStation 4 owners. Sony has said the conference will include "seven all-new game announcements."
Sony hasn't announced what it will show off during today's press conference, but there will likely be a slate of new trailers and details for the PS4 lineup throughout the rest of 2017 and into the next year. In addition to the aforementioned seven new announcements, Sony still has a number of game releases on the horizon that we'll likely hear more about, including Horizon: Zero Dawn's upcoming DLC, The Frozen Wilds; Insomniac's PS4-exclusive Spider-Man; and the next title from David Cage, Detroit: Become Human, among others.
The pre-show begins today, October 30, at 8 AM PT / 11 AM PT. You can watch a stream of the press conference here on GameSpot. We'll also be running a live blog below as the briefing unfolds so you can follow along with all of the announcements.
As part of its latest earnings report, Nintendo shared new sales figures and updated its sales forecast. If all goes as Nintendo expects, Switch will have sell more during the current fiscal year than Wii U has sold total since its launch in 2012.
Nintendo announced today, through the end of September, it has sold 7.63 million Switch units worldwide. Back in July, Nintendo said it expected to sell a total of 10 million during the current fiscal year, which runs from April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018. As a part of its earnings report, Nintendo updated its projections, saying it now expects to sell 14 million Switches during this fiscal year (not counting those sold back in March, during the previous year).
Wii U has sold 13.56 million units since its release in November 2012. If Nintendo's Switch sales projection proves to be accurate, that means the system will have outsold five years of Wii U in just a single year. While not an especially high bar--Wii U was a sales failure compared with prior Nintendo platforms--it is still striking to see happen.
During its launch month, Switch sold 2.74 million units worldwide. If it does indeed sell 14 million units by the end of March, that will bring its total to 16.74 million at that point. That brings it close to the lifetime sales of GameCube (21.74 million) but still far behind that of the ultra-successful Wii (101.63 million).
From July through September, Switch sold 1.97 million units, while 3DS sold 950,000. Supply issues remain the major impediment for Switch, although Nintendo has reportedly increased Switch production as we head into the holiday season.
According to Reuters, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima confirmed the company is now making more systems at the earnings briefing, saying, "We've boosted Switch production to meet strong demand as it was difficult for customers to buy the consoles at retail stores."
The latest batch of deals are now available in the US PlayStation Store. This marks the second week of Sony's Sale of the Dead, which offers discounts on many PS4, PS3, and Vita games that are perfect for Halloween, while a new spotlight sale features Danganronpa and other titles from NIS America. [Update: It's Monday, meaning these deals are set to expire soon. This is your last chance to pick up these games at their currently discounted prices.]
The spotlight sale offers some very sizable discounts on select NISA games across all of Sony's platforms, and those with a PS Plus subscription will save an additional percentage off many of the titles. On PS4, players can purchase the recently released Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony for $45 ($51 without PS Plus). Danganronpa 1-2 Reload is also on sale for $24 ($28), while the series' spin-off Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls for $10.49 ($13.49). Other PS4 games on sale include:
The NISA sale runs until October 31. You can find the full list of discounted titles here. You also have until October 31 to save on some great horror games for all Sony platforms, including Resident Evil 7 ($30/$36), Killing Floor 2 ($16/$20), and Dying Light: The Following ($21/$24), among others. You can find more discounted titles here.
Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced this week's lineup of Xbox One deals, and while the lineup is not all that extensive, there are some solid offers to be had. We also now know what Games With Gold titles that November will bring, if you'd prefer something free. [Update: It's Monday, and that makes today your last opportunity to pick up these games at their current discounts. You also have a bit more to take advantage of the Xbox Shocktober Halloween deals.]
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